Midweek MACtion kicks off with our Buffalo vs. Ohio prediction as the two-game Tuesday night special carries on 27 straight days of football through most of November. Buffalo and Ohio get things done very differently and both have very sound offenses. Who has the edge?
Buffalo vs. Ohio Betting Preview
- Spread
Buffalo (-3) - Moneyline
Buffalo (-155); Ohio (+135) - Over/Under
58.5 points - Game time
7:30 p.m. ET - Location
Peden Stadium, Athens, OH - Predicted weather at kickoff
59 degrees, partly cloudy, no wind - How to watch
fuboTV, ESPN 2
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
These DFS picks are available on FanDuel where you get a $10 bonus off just a single dollar entry. Take advantage of every bonus you can find in today’s sports betting world.
- QB Kurtis Rourke, Ohio ($10,700)
- QB Cole Snyder, Buffalo ($8,800)
- RB Sieh Bangura, Ohio ($8,800)
- RB Ron Cook Jr., Buffalo ($7,800)
- RB Mike Washington, Buffalo ($7,000)
- RB Nolan McCormick, Ohio ($5,800)
- RB Al-Jay Henderson, Buffalo ($5,200)
- WR Sam Wiglusz, Ohio ($9,600)
- WR Justin Marshall, Buffalo ($7,200)
- WR Quian Williams, Buffalo ($6,900)
- WR Jamari Gassett, Buffalo ($6,700)
- WR James Bostic, Ohio ($6,000)
- WR Miles Cross, Ohio ($5,800)
- WR Jacoby Jones, Ohio ($5,500)
- TE Tyler Foster, Ohio ($5,300)
- TE Will Kacmarek, Ohio ($4,900)
Any combination of Buffalo running backs is set to score you some points. However, with Ron Cook Jr. and Mike Washington splitting carries nearly evenly and Ohio’s pass defense being the worst in the country, a more favorable matchup there may not be for both Justin Marshall and Quian Williams.
Given Williams’ historical lack of success against Ohio (just three catches for 30 yards in multiple meetings), Marshall may be the safest play in this game.
MORE: Early College Football Picks, Predictions for Week 10
If you are to grab one of the running backs from the Bulls, securing Cook with his added edge in the pass-catching aspect is enough to make you afford his price tag.
On the Ohio side of things, Kurtis Rourke is the next-best option if Collin Schlee doesn’t suit up for Kent State in the other Tuesday game. Rourke has 16 passing touchdowns to go with four scores on the ground. In fact, he may be the safest option you have as your 1.5x points multiplier because of his near-guaranteed production.
Affording the top-end players may be a burden here, so look for value where you can. Ohio’s passing attack has seen seven different players see at least 19 targets this year. Averaging 21.9 yards per reception, James Bostic is a big play waiting to happen. Coming in with a relatively low asking price, stashing Bostic and hoping for another touchdown is a great idea.
Prediction for Buffalo vs. Ohio
The Ohio Bobcats are unbeaten at home this season. Those victories include Florida Atlantic to open the season, an FCS game against Fordham, and victories over Northern Illinois and Akron. It’s not necessarily the greatest list of defeated teams, but the fact remains, Peden Stadium isn’t the easiest place to come away with a victory from.
Kurtis Rourke has looked more and more like his brother this season, averaging nearly nine yards per pass attempt and scoring four touchdowns on the ground. He’s more of a consistent, down-to-down passer than his brother was, at times taking a noticeable difference of yards off his throws than the former great Ohio QB Nathan Rourke.
Still, Kurtis commands the MAC’s top passing offense and best offense in the conference in terms of yards per play. Their balance can be tough to handle as Rourke has Sieh Bangura and Nolan McCormick sharing carries nicely in the backfield.
What has doomed the Bobcats, however, is their defense. The league’s worst defense is giving up a whopping 509.6 yards per game, a figure that ranks dead last in the entire country.
Making matters even worse for Ohio fans is the fact that the Bobcats are allowing opposing teams to run for 174.6 yards per game and 4.78 yards per rush attempt. Those are both bottom figures in the conference and among the worst in the country.
For a team like Buffalo — one that is built on their rushing success — their five-game winning streak is primed to move to six games. The balance of Ron Cook, Mike Washington, and Cole Snyder at quarterback is more than enough to get the job done.
Expect Buffalo’s league-leading 56.8% completion percentage allowed to be a factor in this one as they keep the Ohio offense off the field.
Prediction: Buffalo 30, Ohio, 28