The Toledo Rockets (-13) aren’t traveling far to battle the Kent State Golden Flashes at Dix Stadium. The opening kickoff for this MAC matchup is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET and CBS Sports Network will televise the action.
Betting Preview: Toledo Rockets at Kent State Golden Flashes
,In this Thursday Mid-American matchup, Toledo is getting picked as the big favorite and is currently giving up 13 points. The Rockets are also receiving -550 moneyline odds while the Golden Flashes are +375. If one squad can create a bunch of points early on it will generate a worthwhile in-game betting opportunity. Oddsmakers have set the over/under (O/U) at 58.5 points.
Sharp bettors are hammering both the Golden Flashes and the under. The opening line was initially 14 while the game’s total was set originally at 60.
The Rockets are 4-6 against the spread (ATS) and have lost 3.3 units so far. The team’s recorded an O/U mark of 5-4.
The Golden Flashes are down 4.0 units this season. The team is 6-4 ATS and owns an O/U record of 4-6.
The Rockets have gone 5-5 straight up (SU), including 3-3 SU against MAC opponents. The Golden Flashes are 2-8 SU overall and 1-5 SU in conference play.
These two conference foes did not get a chance to face each other a year ago.
The Rockets are looking to bounce back after a 38-15 loss to Northern Illinois last week where Eli Peters completed only 26 passes on 47 attempts for 264 yards and one touchdown. Art Thompkins (62 yards on 12 rush attempts) and Bryant Koback (47 yards on 11 carries) provided the running attack while Cody Thompson (eight receptions, 110 yards) and Diontae Johnson (seven catches, 52 yards) handled the receiving duties in the defeat.
Kent State just dropped a fairly brutal 48-14 game to Buffalo. As a group, the team collectively completed 14-of-28 passes for 83 yards and one touchdown. Dustin Crum went eight-for-15 for 56 yards and one touchdown while Woody Barrett was six-of-13 for 27 yards. Jo-el Shaw (50 yards on 20 rush attempts) and the signal-caller Crum (66 yards on 10 carries, one TD) led the running game while Antwan Dixon (four receptions, 14 yards) and Kavious Price (three catches, 25 yards) led the pass-catching corps in the loss.
Toledo has run the ball on 56.9 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Kent State has a rush percentage of 54.6 percent. The Rockets have produced 200.6 rush yards/game (including 219.0 per game versus Mid-American opponents) and have 20 touchdowns on the ground this year. The Golden Flashes are totaling 169.8 rush yards per game (161.8 in conference) and have 17 total rushing TDs.
The Rockets offense has averaged 238.6 yards in the air overall (217.7 per game against conference opposition) and has 26 passing scores so far. The Golden Flashes have produced 202.0 pass yards per outing (195 against MAC foes) and have 12 total pass TDs.
Toledo has let opponents run for an average of 189.1 yards and pass for 267.6 yards per game. The Kent State D has allowed 269.2 yards per game to opposing passers and 202.2 yards per game to opposing runners. The Rockets are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of just 6.36 to opponents, while the Golden Flashes have given up a 7.75 ANY/A.
Peters probably has the edge over Barrett in this matchup, as his adjusted net yards per pass attempt stands at 6.20for the year and 5.14 over his last two outings. Barrett’s ANY/A is 4.21 for the year and 4.37 over his past two outings.
Toledo Rockets at Kent State Golden Flashes Betting Prediction
,SU Winner: Toledo, ATS Winner: Toledo, O/U: Over
