Thursday Night Football gets underway with a match-up between the Eastern Michigan Eagles vs. the Ohio Bobcats. Can Ohio find redemption after their disheartening loss to Miami-Ohio? Let's take a look at how to capitolize on this contest.
NCAA Football
Betting: Eastern Michigan vs Ohio Picks
The Ohio Bobcats just suffered a stomach-punch loss – a
23-20 setback against the Miami of Ohio RedHawks – last Saturday. They were in
field goal range in the final seconds but quarterback Tyler Tettleton did one
of the two things he simply could not have afforded to do: he took a sack when
his team had no timeouts left. Ohio has to move past this devastating
development on Thursday Night Football against the Eastern Michigan Eagles – a
team that has regressed this season under head coach Ron English.
The Bobcats are a 16.5 point favorite on the college
football betting odds at Bovada.
The Eagles can win because:
Ohio just isn't a particularly strong team. Yes, Ohio is
a good team, but let's be very intentional and specific in the use of the word
"strong." Ohio has generally not put teams away this year. Coach
Frank Solich's club has won four games by fewer than eight points, in other
words, by only one possession. Some of the teams Ohio has beaten by one
possession aren't really that good, either: Akron and Buffalo come to mind, as
well as the University of Massachusetts, a program playing in its first season
in the Mid-American Conference after jumping from the lower division of college
football, the Football Championship Subdivision (or FCS).
Ohio does not have an imposing defense. Eastern
Michigan's offense should be able to move the ball. Eastern Michigan was
limited by Bowling Green's robust defense in its most recent game, tallying
just three points and finding tough sledding all game long against the Falcons.
Ohio's defense should come across as much less intimidating and much more
manageable for EMU's offense, particularly in the passing game.
The Bobcats can win because…
They're a better
team than Eastern Michigan. The Eagles' defense was a lot better in past years.
This season, Eastern Michigan – which had won five games in one season under
English – has regressed, and there's simply no way to hide that fact. Even in
Eastern Michigan's one win this year, the Eagles got shredded by Army's
triple-option offense. This is an extremely vulnerable team precisely because
it has so little muscle and heft on its interior lines, especially on the
defensive side of the ball. Ohio should be able to overpower EMU on a
consistent basis in this game. The Bobcats – with Tettleton at quarterback –
have a mobile dual-threat field general who can move around in the pocket, make
plays outside of the pocket, and provide an overall level of skill that Eastern
Michigan's defense simply won't be able to handle.
The other thing
to appreciate about this game is that Ohio – following the wrenching loss to
Miami University – will want to get back on the field as soon as possible. The
Thursday kickoff gives the Bobcats a chance to eagerly wipe away that bad taste
from their mouths. That will help them against Eastern Michigan.
Outlook & NCAA Football Betting Prediction:
My Thursday night college football pick goes as thus: the Bobcats are better, and they're going to be angry
after the loss to Miami. This feels like a blowout in the making, with Ohio
getting the easy win.
NCAA Football
Picks: Ohio -17