Pinned
Link copied
3rd Quarter Report
Ohio is on the road but looking no worse for wear. They have jumped out to a 18-14 lead against Akron.
If Ohio keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 9-3 in no time. On the other hand, Akron will have to make due with a 2-10 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Preview
Akron is 1-7 against Ohio since October of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Akron Zips will be playing at home against the Ohio Bobcats at 12:00 p.m. ET at Summa Field at InfoCision Stadium. Akron is expected to lose this one by 14 points, so we'll see if that gives them a bit of motivation.
Last Tuesday, while it was Akron who put the first points on the board, it was Eastern Michigan who put up more. Akron fell just short of Eastern Michigan by a score of 30-27. Akron has struggled against Eastern Michigan recently, as their contest on Tuesday was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.
Nobody from Akron had a standout game, but they got scores from Lorenzo Lingard, Tahj Bullock, and Jake Newell.
Even though Ohio has not done well against Central Michigan recently (they were 0-4 in their previous four matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. Ohio strolled past Central Michigan with points to spare, taking the game 34-20. The victory made it back-to-back wins for Ohio.
Ohio's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Sieh Bangura, who rushed for 126 yards, and Kurtis Rourke, who rushed for 13 yards and a touchdown.
Akron has yet to win a contest on the road this season, leaving them with a 2-9 record. That rough patch could be blamed on the team's lackluster offensive performance across that stretch, as they only averaged 15.5 points per game. As for Ohio, their win bumped their record up to 8-3.
While only Ohio took care of their fans the last time they played, both teams pleased bettors by covering the spread. Looking forward, Ohio shouldn't be too worried about this matchup, as the experts have them favored by 14 points. This contest will be their eighth straight as the favorites (so far over this stretch they are 4-3 against the spread).
Akron might still be hurting after the devastating 55-34 defeat they got from Ohio in their previous matchup back in October of 2022. Will Akron have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
