The Toledo Rockets are trying for their first Mid-American Conference title since 2004 as they take on the Akron Zips this weekend. They should get ready for the championship celebration, because this isn’t going to be much of a challenge.
The Rockets are 10-2 on the season and 7-1 against conference opponents. They have been superior to Akron in every phase this year and are favored to roll to the win. Akron comes into this conference championship game with a 7-5 record and hoping to avenge its regular season loss to Toledo, but another blowout is the more likely scenario.
This contest in Week 14 of the regular season will go down Saturday, December 2, 2017, at 12 p.m. ET at Ford Field.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Akron +20
Toledo -20
Over/Under 54.5
Odds Analysis
Toledo is a heavy 20-point favorite in this one and the money is coming in about even so far. It’s a tough spread as the Rockets are clearly superior but will really need to step on the gas for a long time to cover this spread.
The scoring total is pretty low for such a big spread, and if Akron can get some chunk plays the “over” could be the right play. That’s the direction most of the money is headed early in the week.
Player To Watch
Logan Woodside — Toledo’s senior quarterback has thrown for nearly 3,500 yards this season with 24 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He finished with 300 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in the Rockets 37-10 win over Western Michigan on November 24th.
Woodside leads an offence that is averaging 290 yards a game this year. He threw for 458 yards and six touchdowns in a win over Tulsa back in September and has thrown for 300 yards or more in six games this season.
Diontae Johnson has been Woodside’s top target this season with 1,139 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. The Rockets face an Akron team that has not been particularly strong against the pass, allowing 228.9 passing yards a game.
Last Meeting
When these two teams met for the first time this season on October 21, Toledo won easily, capturing a 48-21 win at home. Woodside threw for five touchdowns in the win and finished with 304 yards with with one interception.
Jon'Vea Johnson, the team’s second-leading receiver, caught two of those touchdowns and finished with five receptions for 102 yards. Terry Swanson added 123 more yards on the ground in what was a very balanced attack from the Rockets.
Akron quarterback Thomas Woodson finished 18-of-33 for 205 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. The running game was nonexistent for the Zips as they accumulated just 43 yards on the ground in the loss.
Free ATS Pick
Akron may be 7-5 on the year but it has a negative point-differential and has been outgained by nearly 100 yards per game. Those aren’t good predictive factors to stay competitive in this showdown.
Toledo, meanwhile, has outscored its opponents by an average of 13 points per game and has an elite offense. The Rockets should dominate this game once again like they did in the first matchup because the talent is so lopsided.
The key will be how this game plays out in the earlygoing. If the Zips can get a turnover or a big play, they should be able to hang around and cover the spread. However, the belief is that won’t happen. It’s not easy backing a team that is favored by such a large number of points, but Toledo is good enough to run away with this one.
Take the Rockets to cover the spread, while the “over” is the easy choice in a game that should have plenty of points.
College Football Odds: Toledo 41, Akron 17
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
