Ohio is a tough team to understand. Safe to say, the Bobcats have been inconsistent.
They were once seen as one of the top programs in the Group of Five. They started the year 3-2 overall, their resume including a win over West Virginia. They only lost to Rutgers – by three points – and Ohio State.
Then they lost to Ball State, putting them back at .500 for the season. They did rebound, though, with a victory against Northern Illinois. With a 2-1 record in conference play, the Bobcats still have a chance to return to the MAC Championship.
The Bobcats hope to put a winning streak together and earn their first win on the road as they face Eastern Michigan.
The Eagles are 2-6 overall, including one loss against FCS Long Island. They’ve defeated Louisiana and NIU in close bouts and still have an outside chance at bowl-eligibility.
Ohio vs. Eastern Michigan Betting Odds
Eastern Michigan is a +11.5 college football betting odds underdog against Ohio, with the Over/Under being 58.5 as of this writing. The moneyline for Ohio is -450, while it’s +350 for Eastern Michigan.
Ohio vs. Eastern Michigan On TV
The matchup between Ohio and Eastern Michigan will be televised on CBSSN.
The game will kick off at noon ET on Saturday, Oct. 25. The contest is taking place at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Ohio vs. Eastern Michigan Prediction
I predict Ohio will win but Eastern Michigan will cover the 11.5-point spread. I also project the game will go Over 58.5 total points.
Ohio has yet to win a game on the road this season. Granted, two of the Bobcats’ games thus far away from home have been against Power Four teams. But I don’t think that bodes well for this matchup, so I expect this to be a game decided by 10 points or less.
I also think EMU is capable of keeping up with Ohio offensively. The Bobcats are second in the MAC with 29.4 points per game scored, but EMU isn’t far behind in fifth with 24.5 PPG. Ohio is also second in total offense (427.3 yards per game) while the Eagles are fourth (366.3 YPG).
Meanwhile, both teams are outside of the top five in both scoring defense and total defense. Still, the Bobcats have been better on that side of the ball than EMU in both categories. Ohio has also been solid defensively recently, not allowing its last three opponents to score more than 21 points.
Despite its inconsistencies, I still believe in quarterback Parker Navarro and this Ohio offense. Navarro has thrown for 1,471 yards, nine touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing 65% of his passes and rushing for 441 yards and four TDs. Sieh Bangura leads Ohio with 628 yards and seven TDs rushing. Chase Hendricks has paced the Bobcats through the air, catching 47 passes for 693 yards and four scores.
I expect this will be a fun game to watch but that Ohio will ultimately find a way to win.
