Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Ohio vs. Nevada odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Famous Idaho Potato Bowl between the Ohio Bobcats and Nevada Wolf Pack, with NCAA football betting odds, picks and bets.

The Ohio Bobcats (6-6) and Nevada Wolf Pack (7-5) will do battle at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Friday, played at Albertsons Stadium in Boise. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET (on ESPN). We analyze the Ohio-Nevada odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Ohio vs. Nevada: Three things you need to know

1. Ohio won its final two games by a combined score of 118-27 to become bowl eligible, covering a pair of spreads of at least 21 points. However, the Bobcats were just 2-5 straight up and 1-6 against the spread in seven games against bowl teams this season.

2. Nevada was annihilated 77-6 Sept. 7 at Oregon, and it was trounced 54-3 at home by Hawaii Sept. 28. The Wolf Pack have been on the short end of four losses by 28 or more points this season, but they also had a signature road win over a 10-win San Diego State side.

3. The Bobcats are 2-7 ATS across their past nine as a favorite, although they’re 4-0 ATS in their past four bowl games. The Wolf Pack are 3-1-1 ATS in their past five bowl appearances and 3-0-1 ATS in the past four neutral-site games as a road dog.


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Ohio vs. Nevada: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 11:15 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Ohio 36, Nevada 30

Moneyline (ML)

Ohio (-304) will cost you over three times the potential reward, and it’s just not worth it, especially in a potentially close game. PASS and look to the spread instead.

Against the Spread (ATS)

NEVADA (+7.5, -106) is a good play, and it might have more support with a closer proximity to a majority of its fan base. Don’t underestimate that. The struggles of Ohio (-7.5, -115) against bowl teams is worrisome. I think the Bobcats will still win this game, but I don’t think it will be decided by more than one possession.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 59.5 (-106) is the way to go, cashing in 11 of the past 15 non-conference tilts for the Bobcats, and five of their past seven against bowl teams. The Over is 5-1 in their past six as a favorite, too. The Over is 5-2 in the past seven outside the conference, but the Under is 6-1 in Nevada’s past seven bowl outings.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Ohio at Akron odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s Ohio Bobcats at Akron Zips sports betting odds and lines, with college football betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Ohio Bobcats (5-6) travel to Northeast Ohio to take on the Akron Zips (0-11). The Buckeye State MAC foes kick off at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday at InfoCision Stadium. We analyze the Ohio-Akron odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Ohio at Akron: Three things you need to know

  1. Most computer rankings peg Akron in the nation’s bottom-five overall. In two of the play-by-play and drive-based rankings I follow, UA is ranked 130th (of 130) in offense and only slightly better on the other side of the ball. When using analytics “luck” and outliers as the basis of a system, it often becomes untenable to fade the very top teams and play the very bottom. Especially after a shallow win against the spread (one in which UA was out-statted, and the beneficiary of a plus-2 turnover margin and a pick-6) against an unmotivated Miami team a week ago, Akron is in that never-play territory for me this week.
  2. Ohio is fighting for bowl eligibility. Four of the Bobcats’ six losses – including each of the last three – have been one-score games. Since Oct. 12, the Bobcats have averaged an impressive 5.9 yards per carry. The Akron defense has yielded 2,300 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns in 2019.
  3. The home-field “advantage” for Akron breaks down thusly: the Zips have averaged 8.8 points per game while allowing 31.0. The Bobcats are 3-2 on the road. They’ve averaged 32.4 PPG against 23.6 PPG for their opponents.

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Ohio at Akron: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Ohio 42, Akron 14

Moneyline (ML)

Ohio will be looking to avenge a loss to UA a year ago. The OU running game has been strong, and it has helped senior QB Nathan Rourke post some fine numbers of late (63%, 226 YPG, 10 TD, 1 INT in his last six games). We will PASS on the Ohio side here with odds of just -3334.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Ohio returns a profit of $0.30.

Against the Spread (ATS)

The Bobcats are the more talented team playing better football of late. The price to cover is high here OHIO (-27.5, -115) but that’s the lean.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 53.5 (-115) is a decent play.

Decent Northeast Ohio weather for late November is in the forecast. That helps the skill players do what they do best. There is some pressure on OU to come away with a robust, convincing victory.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Ohio-Bowling Green: Bobcats favored in Buckeye State road tilt

Previewing Tuesday’s Ohio Bobcats at Bowling Green Falcons sports betting odds and lines, with college football matchup analysis and picks.

The Ohio Bobcats (4-6) make the in-state bus ride to Northwest Ohio to square off against the Bowling Green Falcons (3-7) in Mid-American Conference East Division action Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Ohio-Bowling Green odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Ohio at Bowling Green: Three things you need to know

  1. The Bobcats have lost back-to-back one-score games after winning three of four in the middle of the 2019 campaign. Statistically, OU was solid in each recent loss. Yards-per-play figures on offense and defense are on solid trends over the second half of the season.
  2. Bowling Green’s games against Miami (Ohio) and Western Michigan – losses of 34 and 32 points, respectively – are telling. The Bobcats lost to each by just three.
  3. Bowling Green ranks bottom-10 in FBS in creating explosive plays (20-plus yards) on offense and in preventing them on defense. Ohio’s offense creates an average number of 20-plus-yard plays but a way-below-average number at 40 yards or more. Look for the Bobcats to break through in that matchup.

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Ohio at Bowling Green: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Ohio 38, Bowling Green 14

Moneyline (ML)

The Bobcats and Falcons are a combined 5-15 against the spread this season. OU has been tested but solid over a road schedule that includes wins against tougher foes than BG and non-conference tilts against Pitt and Marshall. LAYING OFF the Ohio -1250 moneyline side, but Ohio is a worthy, high-confidence favorite in this one.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Ohio returns a profit of $0.80.

Against the Spread (ATS)

OU has played well on the road and will be looking to bust out of close-game scenarios which have not gone its way of late.

The Falcons are 7-22 ATS over their last 29 games as an underdog. Over that same stretch, BG is just 3-11 ATS when getting 10.5-to-21 points. The BOBCATS (-20.5, -121) were a better play at line open (-18), but they are still worth a lower-confidence play at Bowling Green. (BG has made only five field goals this year, which aids in going with the three-TD cushion.

Over/Under (O/U)

The under is 8-2 in BG games and 5-5 in OU contests. The Under is a lean on what will be a chilly night in Northwest Ohio. But OU has let a few decent margins falter, and that brings too much gray into the picture. PASS on Under 56.5.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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