The Buffalo Bulls (-17.5) will clash with their in-conference rival Akron Zips at Summa Field at InfoCision Stadium. The Saturday daytime game is scheduled to get underway at 3:30 p.m. ET and fans can catch the action by tuning in to ESPN 3.
Betting Preview: Buffalo Bulls at Akron Zips
In this Saturday Mid-American matchup, Buffalo is projected as the heavy favorite and is currently giving up 17.5 points. The Bulls are also receiving -1450 moneyline odds while the Zips are +800. Vegas has set the over/under (O/U) at 48 points. If Buffalo gets down early, it’ll likely result in a decent betting opportunity in-game.
This matchup’s betting odds have swayed a little from where they initially opened. The opening line was 18 while the game’s over/under was originally placed at 48.5.
The Bulls are 2-4 against the spread (ATS) and have recorded 0.5 units so far. The team has posted an O/U mark of 3-3.
The hapless Zips have lost 8.7 units this season. The team is 0-6 ATS and also has an even O/U record of 3-3.
The Bulls are 2-4 straight up (SU), including 0-2 SU against conference opponents. The Zips are 0-6 SU overall and 0-2 SU in conference play.
The Bulls dropped one to Ohio 21-20 in a matchup where their defense allowed the Bobcats to rush for 186 yards on 47 attempts, including three rush TDs. Offensively, Kyle Vantrease completed 16 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Kevin Marks (112 rushing yards on 22 attempts) and Jaret Patterson (52 yards on 13 carries) led the ground attack while Antonio Nunn (four receptions, 53 yards, one TD) and Carlton Todd (four catches, 34 yards) handled the receiving duties in the defeat.
One week ago, Kent State knocked off this Akron crew by a score of 26-3. Kato Nelson completed 17-of-28 passes for 202 yards. Nelson (64 yards on 14 rush attempts) handled the running game while Michael Mathison (four receptions, 57 yards) and Nate Stewart (four catches, 71 yards) led the pass-catching attack in the loss.
Buffalo has run the ball on 69.2 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Akron has a rush percentage of 43.8 percent. The Bulls have run for 230.3 yards/game (including 245 per game versus Mid-American opponents) and have 10 touchdowns on the ground this year. The Zips are averaging 58.3 rush yards per game (71 in conference) and have two total rushing TDs.
Judging by the results so far, it appears that the Bulls should hold an advantage in all aspects of the ground game. Their running backs has logged 4.6 yards per carry while the defense is allowing 3.0 YPC to opponents. The Zips have ran for 2.0 yards per carry and given up 4.6 yards per rush attempt to opponents.
The Bulls offense has logged 138.2 yards/game through the air overall (143 per game against conference opposition) and has eight passing scores so far. The Zips have recorded 251.5 pass yards per outing (242 against MAC competition) and have nine total pass TDs.
Buffalo seems to have an advantage in both defensive facets. The team’s allowed opponents to run for an average of 110.7 yards and throw for 204.8 yards per game. The Akron defense has allowed 239 yards per game to opposing passers and 200.3 yards per game to opposing runners. The Bulls are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of 7.34 to opponents, while the Zips have given up a whopping 8.89 ANY/A.
Offensively, Vantrease has amassed 197 passing yards on the year, and has completed 67 percent of his 24 attempts with two scores through the air and has yet to throw an interception. He’s got a pristine 9.88 adjusted net yards per pass attempt, including 9.32 over the last two games.
In the other huddle, Kato Nelson has managed to complete 93-of-167 passes for 1,124 yards, six TDs and two INTs. Nelson’s ANY/A sits at 5.66 for the season and 6.51 over his past two games.
When these two programs met last year, Buffalo emerged victorious by a final score of 24-6.
Buffalo Bulls vs. Akron Zips Free NCAA Betting Tip
SU Winner: Bulls, ATS Winner: Bulls, O/U: Over
Team Betting Trends
- The O/U for Buffalo’s last game going into it was 52. The under cashed in the team’s 21-20 defeat to Ohio.
- Buffalo has averaged 4.7 yards per carry over its past three games and 5.3 over its last two.
- Akron has averaged 2.7 yards per carry over its last three outings and 2.8 over its last two.
- The Akron offense has lost seven fumbles this season while Buffalo has let six get away.
- Over its last three matchups, Buffalo is 2-1 ATS and the over cashed in two of those three.
- Buffalo has lost five of its last six games SU, with a 16-point win over Temple on September 21st accounting for the only victory over that span.
- The O/U for Akron’s last matchup going into it was 56.5. The under cashed in the team’s 26-3 loss to Kent State.
- Over its last three matches, Akron is 0-3 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
- The Bulls offense has tallied four pass plays of 40 yards or more, while the Zips have accounted for six such plays.
- Both teams have allowed five pass plays of 40 yards or more. The Buffalo defense has given up 11 pass plays of 30+ yards while Akron has given up 10 such plays.
- The Buffalo offense has created 11 rushing plays of 20 yards or more, while Akron has created zero such runs.
- The Bulls defense has allowed seven rushing plays of 20 yards or more, while the Zips have given up six such runs.
- The Buffalo defense has 15 sacks on the year while Akron has just four.
