Pinned
Link copied
The Ohio Bobcats are 6-1 against the Akron Zips since October of 2015, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Saturday. Ohio and Akron will face off in a Mid-American battle at 2 p.m. ET at Frank Solich Field at Peden Stadium. Given that these two teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.
The Bobcats fought the good fight in their overtime matchup against the Kent State Golden Flashes last week but wound up with a less-than-desirable result, falling 31-24. Despite the defeat, Ohio had strong showings from RB Sieh Bangura, who punched in one rushing touchdown, and QB Kurtis Rourke, who passed for two TDs and 322 yards on 39 attempts. That touchdown -- a 50-yard rush in the third quarter -- was one of the highlights of the game.
Meanwhile, it was a hard-fought matchup, but Akron had to settle for a 31-28 loss against the Bowling Green Falcons last week. The losing side was boosted by QB DJ Irons, who passed for three TDs and 224 yards on 33 attempts in addition to picking up 105 yards on the ground. This was the first time Irons has racked up 100+ rushing yards all year.
Ohio is the favorite in this one, with an expected 11-point margin of victory. Those who got lucky with them against the spread last week might want to hold off on placing bets this time since the squad has yet to string together back-to-back wins against the spread.
The losses put the Bobcats at 2-3 and the Zips at 1-4. A pair of numbers to keep in mind before kickoff: Ohio ranks 21st in the nation when it comes to thrown interceptions, with only two on the season. Akron is completely their equal: they also come into the game with two thrown interceptions. So expect both teams to feel comfortable airing the ball out.
