The Akron Zips (+22) aren’t traveling far to face their MAC foe Ohio Bobcats at Peden Stadium. CBS Sports Network has the TV rights and this Friday matchup is scheduled to start at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Betting Preview: Ohio Bobcats vs. Akron Zips
Ohio is heavily favored in this matchup and is currently giving up 22 points to Akron. If the Bobcats get down early it will produce a worthwhile betting opportunity in-game. Vegas has set the over/under (O/U) at 54 points.
Odds have shifted from where they were originally placed, as the opening line was -20. The game’s total has not moved after being set initially at 54.
The hapless Zips are 3-7 against the spread (ATS) and have lost 6.4 units this season. They’ve been a good under bet and have posted an O/U record of 3-7.
The Bobcats are up 1.0 unit in 2018. The team is 7-4 ATS and owns an O/U record of 6-4.
The Zips are a paltry 4-6 straight up (SU), including 2-5 SU against conference opponents. The Bobcats are 7-4 SU overall and 5-2 SU in conference play.
The Zips fell to Bowling Green 21-6 in a game where the passing game could’ve been sharper as Kato Nelson completed only 12-of-28 passes for 148 yards. Van Edwards, Jr. (69 rushing yards on 18 attempts) spearheaded the running attack in the loss. Kwadarrius Smith (three receptions, 37 yards) and Jeremiah Knight (two catches, 19 yards) handled the receiving duties.
Ohio is coming off of a lopsided 52-17 win over Buffalo. The defensive unit allowed the Bulls to run for 157 yards on 22 rush attempts, including two rush TDs. Anthony Johnson had a productive outing in the defeat, recording 95 yards on six catches for Buffalo. For Ohio, Nathan Rourke completed 17-of-26 passes for 209 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. A.J. Ouellette (196 rushing yards on 26 attempts, two TDs) and Maleek Irons (92 yards on 12 carries, one TD) spearheaded the ground game in the win as Papi White (
Akron has run the ball on 52.8 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Ohio has a rush percentage of 63.0 percent. The Zips have produced 102.9 rush yards/game (including 92.6 per game versus Mid-American opponents) and have five scores via handoffs this year. The Bobcats are logging 251.1 rushing yards per game (267.6 in conference) and have 32 total rush TDs.
If the numbers so far this season can translate to this game, then it seems like the Bobcats could own an advantage in the trenches. Their offensive line has yielded just 17 sacks while the D-line has registered 20 sacks. The Zips offensive line has given up 27 sacks and their defense has sacked opposing signal-callerss just 18 times.
The Zips offense has logged 185.6 yards/game through the air overall (169.9 per game against conference opposition) and has 12 passing TDs so far. The Bobcats have produced 219.7 pass yards per outing (206 in the MAC) and have 24 total pass scores.
Akron should hold the upper hand when it comes to limiting the pass. The team has allowed opponents to rush for an average of 179.8 yards and throw for 200.7 yards per game. The Ohio defense has given up 255.5 yards per game to opposing passers and 146.1 yards per game to opposing runners. The Zips are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of just 5.15 to opponents, while the Bobcats have given up a 6.56 ANY/A.
Offensively, Nelson has amassed 1,795 passing yards this year. He’s connected on 52 percent of his 262 attempts with 11 passing scores and seven interceptions. He’s got a 5.40 adjusted net yards per pass attempt overall, although that number is 3.81 over the last two games.
Van Edwards, Jr. (486 rushing yards, three rush TDs this season), Kwadarrius Smith (383 receiving yards, three receiving TDs) and Mykel Traylor-Bennett (95 receiving yards) have each played significant roles lately.
For the home team, Nathan Rourke has completed 133-of-211 passes for 1,978 yards, 20 TDs and six INTs. Rourke’s ANY/A sits at 8.93 for the year and 7.04 across his past two games.
We’re expecting the Bobcats to control the game’s clock by feeding the running backs early and often. Along with WR Papi White (790 receiving yards, eight receiving TDs this season), A.J. Ouellette (805 rush yards, 10 rush TDs, 133 receiving yards, two receiving TDs) and Maleek Irons (688 rush yards, seven rush TDs, one TD) have been focal points in the Bobcats’ recent offensive strategies.
When these two squads met last year, Akron knocked off Ohio by a field goal 37-34.
Akron Zips vs. Ohio Bobcats Bedding Prediction
U Winner: Ohio, ATS Winner: Akron, O/U: Under
Team Betting Trends
- Ohio has lost 10 fumbles this season while Akron has let nine get away.
- The Ohio defensive unit has created 20 sacks on the year while Akron has 18.
- Akron has rushed for 2.0 yards per attempt over its last three games and 2.4 over its last two.
- Ohio has averaged 6.9 yards per carry over its last three contests and 7.3 over its last two.
- In its last three games, Ohio is 2-1 ATS and the over cashed in two of those three.
- The Over/Under for Akron’s last game going into it was 48. The under cashed in the team’s 21-6 defeat to Bowling Green.
- Over its last three matchups, Akron is 0-3 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
- The Over/Under for Ohio’s previous matchup was 65. The over cashed in the 52-17 victory over Buffalo.
- Ohio has won five of its last six games SU, with a -2-point defeat to Miami (OH) on November 7th accounting for its only loss over that stretch.
