11/6 College Football Preview: Ohio -19.5 vs. Kent State, O/U 52.5
The Ohio Bobcats (5-3, 3-1) hit the road to face the struggling Kent State Golden Flashes (0-8, 0-4), the worst team in college football. Kent State has been forced to rely on a third-string quarterback since MAC play began in late September, with him completing only 42% of his passes. Their running game has done little, averaging just 2.4 yards per carry.
As bad as Kent State’s offense has been, their defense has struggled even more, allowing a staggering 6 yards per carry. In MAC play alone, they’ve given up 52, 27, 37, and 52 points in their games. The Bobcats will take advantage as they average 5.4 yards per carry and 220 rushing yards per game in conference play.
If there’s a glimmer of hope for Kent State, it’s quarterback Tommy Ulatowski, who threw for 345 and 394 yards in his two home starts, with Kent putting up 33 and 35 points in those games. He still completed less than 50% of his passes in those outings, and betting bottom feeders in college football is a losing proposition.
Ohio’s run-first approach allows them to chew up clock while playing to their strengths, which often leads to greater separation in the second half. Dual-threat quarterback Parker Navarro completes 66% of his passes and has rushed for over 500 yards, making Ohio’s offense versatile and capable of piling on points. Their defense will control Kent State and set up some short fields.
Whether it ends 34-6 or 45-17, the best play here appears to be Ohio -19.5.
Lean: Ohio -19.5