Ohio vs. Miami (OH) NCAA Football Betting Preview

Posted by Alex Murphy on Friday,October 9, 2015 6:46, EDT in

The battle of the bricks is once again here with us, but this time round, the game seem one-sided (at least on paper) as the red-hot Ohio Bobcats (4-1) take on the lukewarm Miami Redhawks (1-4) in a Saturday night College Football Odds thriller. The Redhawks are coming into this game desperate for a win as they try to answer the questions behind their disastrous start to the season. The only thing that seems to be on the Hawks’ side in this game is the 52-36-2 All-time record against the Bobcats. Conversely, the hosts will be coming out with guns blazing at home in the quest to continue their good run of results. Here are the key details you need to know about betting on this Ohio rivalry game.

How To Bet the Bobcats vs. Redhawks NCAA Football Odds, TV & Game Info

Venue: Peden Stadium, Athens, Ohio
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2015
Time: 2:00 PM ET
TV: ESPN 3

Miami’s bad season seems to be getting worse each weekend after they lost their fourth consecutive game against Kent State Golden Flashes in Week 5, falling 14-20. They put in a spirited fight in the fourth quarter with two late touchdowns to bring a nervy end to the game, but it was a matter of too little too late. Lack of early touchdowns, skewed pass completion, and poor defense have ailed the Hawks all season, and change will be needed on such areas if the team is to get out of its quagmire.

On the other hand, the Bobcats have had a roll of a season with just one loss, which they bounced back from against Akron Zips in a 14-12 Week 5 win. The team showed character as they got back to winning ways after losing 27-24 loss to Minnesota in the previous week. From the result of their last game, it is clear that the offense did not create a lot of chances, but they rode on their good defense that did not allow any touchdown as they hanged on to the win the game narrowly. Avoiding complacency and finding a way to light up the scoreboard will be important if the Bobcats are to stop the Hawks, who are likely to come into this game revved up for this rivalry clash.

Key to Redhawks Win

Miami will hugely be depending on their passing game led by Andrew Hendrix, who is second in the MAC in total offensive yards per game. Although the Hawks have only gotten two wins this year, they have lost seven out of eight of their last games by 10 or fewer points. This shows a huge sign of improvement from previous seasons.

Also, Chuck Martin’s team has a decent defense, led by senior Quentin Rollins. If the offense does its job well, the Hawks can win this and cause another upset to the Bobcats similar to what they did in 2012 in Oxford. Plus, the availability of Billy Bahl and Gus Ragland should provide them with options in the quarterback position if Hendrix doesn’t play well.

Key to Bobcats Win

The Cats will spread out their paws and sharpen their teeth in readiness for the Hawks claws, paced by the speedy reflexes of a running attack built on A.J. Ouellette. The freshman RB has impressed in the last two games with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games. Derrius Vick who is leading the team with seven touchdowns will also be a key component in the attack as a mobile quarterback for the Cats. Not to mention, the Cats will need to take advantage of the Hawks tendency to start the game slowly.

Key Betting Trends

•    Miami (Ohio) is 3-22 SU in its last 25 games
•    Ohio is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
•    Miami (Ohio) is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
•    Ohio is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
•    Miami (Ohio) is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
•    Ohio is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
•    Miami (Ohio) is 1-4 SU in its last 5 road games against Ohio
•    Ohio is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games against Miami (Ohio)
•    The Redhawks are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games in October
•    The Bobcats are 4-1-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record
•    The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami’s last 5 games on the road
•    The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Ohio’s last 13 games
•    The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Ohio’s last 7 games at home
•    The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami’s last 6 games against Ohio

My Expert Prediction & Pick

Besides the Cincinnati game, Miami has not had much going for them offensively. Making matters, the Hawks have struggled to keep the ball away from their end zone despite returning seven of their starters in the defense. On the other side, the hosts have been strong on the offense, and also have a very solid defense. If Miami shocks the NCAAF odds to win this clash, it will be a huge upset. Sadly, we don’t see that happening, so go with the Bobcats for both the SU and ATS, as the total most likely stays low for an UNDER.