The college football season started in late August, but it really hit its stride last week with the return of MACtion. One of the great gambling rituals, there’s nothing quite like watching two below-average teams duke it out on a cold Tuesday night in the Midwest.
There are three MACtion contests on Tuesday night – all of them taking place in Ohio – but we have our sights set on a battle between the Ohio Bobcats and Miami (Ohio) Redhawks at Yager Stadium in Oxford, Ohio.
The RedHawks (4-5) are a one-point home underdog against the Bobs. The total is currently sitting at 50.5. The game is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
Get a $50 Bonus Bet + up to $1K Back in Bonus Bets! with code NPBONUS50
21+. New customers only. AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA, WV only. Tu0026amp;C apply
First bet up To $1,250 On Caesars
New players only, 21+. Available in AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, NJ, NY, TN, VA, WV only. Full T&C apply.
Get a No Sweat First Bet up to $1000!
New users only, 21 or older. Available in AZ, CT, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY only. Full T&C apply.
- Check out more of the Best Sportsbook Promo Codes
Ohio vs. Miami prediction
It’s been a strong season so far for the University of Ohio. The Bobcats are sitting atop the MAC East Division at 4-1 and sport a 6-3 record overall. The Bobs are riding a four-game win streak after taking down Akron, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Buffalo.
Ohio’s ability to move the ball through the air has been key to its success, as the Bobcats rank 20th in passing success rate on the season. That bodes well against a Miami defense that is much better suited to stop the run (Miami is 32nd in rushing success rate and 41st in defensive line yards). Even with that matchup advantage, it won’t be a cakewalk for the Bobcats when they have the ball. Miami’s defense ranks 15th nationally in finishing drives and Ohio’s offense is 86th in the same category, so don’t expect the Bobcats to light things up on Tuesday night.
And you best not expect the Miami offense to light things up, either. The Redhawks come into this contest ranked 130th in rushing success rate, 80th in line yards, 110th in passing success rate and 114th in finishing drives. Ohio’s defense does not grade out much better, but it should be able to get stops against the offense.
Betting on College Football?
- Check out the best College Football betting sites
- Read our expert’s guide on how to bet on College Football
- Get the latest College Football National Championship winner odds
Furthermore, neither one of these teams will ever be confused with an up-tempo offense. Ohio is the quicker-moving team, but the Bobcats rank 96th in seconds per play. Miami is 30 spots lower. And while Ohio prefers to move the ball through the air – the Bobcats rank 106th in rush rate – the Redhawks will do everything in their power to keep the ball on the ground. Miami runs the ball on 61.7% of plays, which is the 17th-highest mark in the country.
Weird things happen on MACtion Tuesdays, but this game has all the right ingredients for a play on the Under 50.5.
Ohio vs. Miami pick
Under 50.5 (Caesars)