Miami Ohio Redhawks vs. Ohio Bobcats Line has Ohio at -7.5
Carrie Stroup here with your Miami Ohio Redhawks vs. Ohio Bobcats line.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Ohio -9 & 53
Opening Line & Total: Ohio -7.5 & 52.5
Ohio University goes for its fifth straight win on Tuesday when it hosts a Miami Ohio team coming off two consecutive three-point losses.
The Bobcats have won the past five meetings (SU and ATS) with their in-state rival RedHawks, beating them by an average of 15.2 PPG during this series streak. Ohio has won these games by out-rushing Miami by a whopping margin of 1,159 to 415 over this five-game span, which averages out to 232 to 83 YPG. Bobcats star RB Donte Harden has done a good chunk of this damage with 183 yards (8.3 YPC) and 4 TD in two career games against the RedHawks. And considering Miami ranks last in all of FBS in rushing offense (75 YPG), it makes sense to expect this rushing discrepancy to continue.
The RedHawks do not usually have success running the football, gaining just 117 yards on 54 carries (2.2 YPC) in the past two games. But QB Zac Dysert is no slouch, averaging 291 total YPG, third-most in the MAC. Dysert’s arm has really gotten a workout in the past five games, completing 126-of-172 passes (73%) for 1,638 yards (328 YPG), 15 TD and 6 INT. Dysert has struggled in his career against Ohio, throwing for 498 yards, 2 INT and 6 INT in two meetings. But WR Nick Harwell had a monster game against the Bobcats last year, catching 11 passes for 219 yards. Harwell has also been unreal in his past two games, grabbing 29 passes for 367 yards and 5 TD. Considering Ohio has allowed 594 passing yards in the past two weeks, Harwell should have another big night. Dysert has suffered from poor pass protection all year, as Miami has allowed the second-most sacks in the nation at 3.8 per game.
On defense, Miami has been much better since Toledo hung 49 on them in late October. The RedHawks are allowing just 16.0 PPG in the four games since. Miami’s pass defense has been very good (194 YPG, 25th in nation), but its run defense has been porous at times, allowing 163 YPG (68th in FBS).
Ohio ranks 20th in the country in rushing yards (211 YPG), but it can also throw the ball with QB Tyler Tettleton. The sophomore has thrown for 2,665 yards (242 YPG), and at least one touchdown in each of his 11 games this season. He has also scored a rushing touchdown in four straight games, giving him a total of 31 TD (23 passing, 8 INT), and only six interceptions this season. Senior WR LaVon Brazill had his four-game streak of 100+ receiving yards snapped last week at Bowling Green, but he still caught his 10th TD pass of the season.
Defensively, the Bobcats are pretty sound (343 YPG, 31st in nation) despite just 1.4 sacks per game (102nd in FBS). They created three Bowling Green turnovers last week, and will look to attack a Miami offense that has 12 giveaways in the past six games.
