Bowling Green Falcons at Akron Zips
InfoCision Stadium – Akron, Ohio
Tuesday, November 4, 2014, 8:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN2
Opening Line: Akron -5
Current Line: Akron -6 1/2
Opening Total: 56
Current Total: 59
Opening Money Line: Akron -270 / Bowling Green +225
Current Money Line: Akron -260 / Bowling Green +215
Parity has come to the MAC this season with no team having more than 6 wins and every team has at least 2 losses. In the East Division, the 5-3 Bowling Green Falcons lead the division with a 3-1 record over the 4-4 Akron Zips who are 2-2 in conference. The two teams meet Tuesday night in Akron. A Bowling Green win would basically wrap up the division as they would hold a two game lead and the tiebreaker with 3 games to play.
Bowling Green leads the series 13-7 against Akron. The Falcons have won 5 straight games in the series since 2007, including 31-14 last year.
Bowling Green is coached by Dino Babers. The Falcons have losses at Western Kentucky 59-31, at Wisconsin 68-17, and three weeks ago at home to Western Michigan 26-14. Bowling Green has home wins over VMI 48-7, Indiana 45-42, and Buffalo 36-35, plus road wins at Massachusetts 47-42 and Ohio 31-13. The Falcons are 3-5 ATS and the total is 4-4 this season. Bowling Green was a 3 point favorite against Western Michigan and the total was 67.
Akron is coached by Terry Bowden. The Zips have road losses at Penn State 21-3, Ohio 23-20 and two weeks ago against Ball State 35-21, along with a home loss to Marshall 48-17. Akron has home wins over Howard 41-0, Eastern Michigan 31-6 and Miami-(OH) 29-19, along with a road win at Pittsburgh 21-10. Akron has lost two straight games after a three game losing streak. The Zips are 2-6 ATS and the total is also 2-6 this season. Akron was a 3.5 point favorite against Ball State and the total was 52.
Bowling Green is being outscored 37-34 this season. The Falcons are #112 out of 128 FBS teams in points allowed and #40 in scoring. Bowling Green is averaging 455 yards per game on offense including 290 passing and 165 rushing yards. The Falcons are in the top 40 nationally in both total and passing offense. On defense, Bowling Green is allowing 543 total yards per game including 328 passing and 215 rushing. The Falcons are #112 0r worse in all three categories. Bowling Green is -1 in turnovers with 14 takeaways. The Falcons average 71 penalty yards per game and opponents average 73. BGSU is 49/131 on third and fourth down conversions and opponents are 64/145. Bowling Green has 16 sacks and opponents have 10 this season. The Falcons are 27/33 scoring in the red zone with 18 touchdowns and opponents are 29/39 with 23 touchdowns. Bowling Green has 2 punt returns for touchdowns.
Bowling Green quarterback James Knapke took over as the starter in the second game for an injured Matt Johnson who is out for the season with a hip injury. Knapke has completed 59.3% of his passes for 1,958 yards with 10 touchdowns and 9 interceptions along with 33 carries for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns. Running back Travis Greene has 126 carries for 636 yards and 8 touchdowns , along with 23 catches for 172 yards and a touchdown. Fred Coppet has 72 carries for 366 yards and 5 touchdowns, along with 5 catches. Andre Givens has 27 carries for 157 yards and 5 touchdowns. Receiver Roger Lewis has 53 catches for 706 yards and 3 touchdowns. Ronnie Moore has 36 catches for 491 yards and 4 touchdowns, plus a rushing touchdown. Ryan Burbrink has 36 catches for 447 yards and 3 touchdowns, plus a punt return for a touchdown. Heath Jackson has 28 catches for 227 yards.
Akron is outscoring teams 23-20 this season. The Zips are #22 in points allowed and #103 in scoring. Akron is averaging 383 yards per game including 257 passing and 126 rushing yards. The Zips are #45 in passing but 107 in rushing. On defense, Akron is allowing 360 yards per game including 226 passing and 134 rushing yards. Akron is #42 in total defense and #35 in rushing. The Zips are +2 in turnovers with 12 takeaways. Akron averages 77 penalty yards per game and opponents average 41. The Zips are 41/129 on third and fourth down conversions and opponents are 22/65. Akron has 21 sacks and opponents have 12. The Zips are 21/31 scoring in the red zone with 16 touchdowns and opponents are 13/16 with 10 touchdowns.
Akron quarterback Kyle Pohl is questionable after missing the last 2 games with a concussion. Tommy Woodson has started the last two games and has taken snaps in every game except one. Pohl has completed 56.7% of his passes for 1,289 yards with 7 touchdowns and 3 interceptions along with a rushing touchdown. Woodson has completed 52.6% of his passes for 773 yards with 5 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, along with 32 carries for 131 yards. Running back Conor Hundley has 69 carries for 407 yards and 3 touchdowns, along with 7 catches and a touchdown. Jawon Chisolm has 54 carries for 253 yards and 3 touchdowns along with 6 catches. Cody Grice has only 12 carries but 3 touchdowns. Zach D’Orazio has 41 catches for 455 yards and a touchdown. L.T. Smith has 30 catches for 321 yards and 2 touchdowns. Mykel Traylor-Bennett has 17 catches for 256 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Bowling Green is 4-0 ATS after a double digit home loss, 7-1 after allowing less than 170 passing yards, 7-2 after failing to cover, 27-9-1 after passing for less than 170 yards, 19-7 in November, 5-2 after a straight up loss, 10-4 in road games, 14-6 in MAC games, 5-11 after a bye week, 1-4 overall and on fieldturf. The favorite has covered the last 5 games in this series. Bowling Green is 6-0 ATS in the last 6 against the Zips and 3-0-1 in Akron.
Akron is 11-5 ATS after a bye week, 17-35-1 in MAC games, 4-10 at home, 1-4 after failing to cover, 1-6 against teams with winning road records, 0-4 in road games, and on fieldturf. The home team is 9-4-1 ATS in this series recently.
I don’t understand this line. Akron could be without their starting quarterback and it isn’t like they were that great even with Pohl. Bowling Green is terrible on defense but the offense is decent. I really do think they are better than Akron and the Falcons should win this game on the road. There is no way they should be a 6 point underdog on the road.
