The Zips are +7.5 away underdogs when they meet the 3-4 Falcons Saturday afternoon at Doyt L. Perry Stadium in Bowling Green, Ohio. Kick-off is set for 2:00 p.m. ET.
Can Akron end its five-game losing streak? Find out when we offer our predictions and best bets for Saturday’s Akron vs. Bowling Green matchup.
Akron Scoring Woes
Akron hasn’t had an easy time of things this season. A Zips offense that was supposed to have found a solid starting quarterback in D.J. Irons has seen a QB room filled with injuries.
Irons is likely out for the remainder of the season – reserve quarterback Tahj Bullock started last week against CMU, chucked a pair of interceptions, and was replaced by backup QB Jeff Undecuffler.
No word yet on who will be named the starter Saturday, but the Zips have scored just 34 points over their previous three games and have one of the worst rushing offenses in FBS play with a passing game that isn’t much better.
The Zips’ defense isn’t half bad, but it gets put into bad positions partly because the offense commits far too many costly turnovers. Still, Akron allows the 70th-fewest rushing yards and 41st-fewest passing yards per contest and is a formidable defense when given the full field to work with.
Bowling Return Home After Three-Game Road Trip
Bowling Green returns home after winning two of their previous three away games. They’ve defeated two decent teams in Buffalo and Georgia Tech but are still seeking their first conference victory of the season.
Senior QB Connor Bazelak can sling the football, but he missed last week’s victory over Buffalo, and his status for Saturday remains unclear. Reserve QB Camdon Orth threw for a TD with an additional 72 rushing yards and one TD in the Falcons away victory over Buffalo but he also threw two picks.
RB Terion Stewart is their top ground gainer and whoever is behind center has six Falcons with 100+ receiving yards.
The Falcons defense ranks 76th in points allowed and No. 79 nationally in rushing yards allowed. Bowling Green is much better defensively against the pass and is ranked 25th in the country in passing yards allowed.
Akron vs. Bowling Green Prediction
The weather forecast calls for high winds and rain on Saturday in Bowling Green and we would remind you to check the weather forecast and the Ohio sportsbook odds for the best number for this contest.
Rain isn’t a bad thing but wind is and that wind is going to make it difficult to throw and kick the football. The Zips can’t score the football at all and Bowling Green has a strong rushing game but Akron is stout against the rush and I don’t expect Stewart or anyone else run rampant on the Zips defense.
Nine of the last 13 Akron games has ended Under the total and the Under is 4-1 during the past five Bowling Green home games. The weather will force both teams to abandon the pass and this game will be a slow moving sludge with the final outcome ending Under the total.
My Best Bet: Under 39 (-110) DraftKings Sportsbook Ohio
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