-6.5 at Akron

[guest44]

BG opens around a touchdown at Akron. BG should win, BG should cover. I believe the path to winning the East requires winning all of the next three games.

Also, let’s not assume Marshall was any good. They might struggle to finish .500 themselves.

[jpfalcon09]

My analytics have this 31-17 BG, but obviously games aren't played on paper. Probably not touching the spread, will see what the total ends up being.

Watched a lot of the Akron/Liberty game and came away impressed by the Zips effort. Flames put up 30+ vs. Wake Forest the previous week and Akron held them to only 21 points on the road. I don't think this is a bad Akron squad in the context that they don't have talent, they do have individual playmakers on offense. They struggle moving the ball mainly due to a below average offensive line, and DJ Irons can sometimes hold onto the ball too long or be wildly inaccurate. He does throw a nice deep ball however. Receivers Shocky Jacques-Louis and Daniel George get a majority of targets while Cam Wiley is their feature back although DJ Irons does have 42 rushes to his credit, 15 of which are sacks.

Akron does have one of the best names in college football - Bubba Arslanian who is their leading tackler and really patrols the entire field.

Keys to the game:
- Keep DJ Irons in the pocket, he does have the ability to scramble and can create some havoc
- Stop the run and force the Zips into 3rd and long situations
- Get an early lead and build on it - BG got up early last year and failed to extend the lead before Akron inevitably took the game over
- Control the line of scrimmage
- Zero turnovers, 60-minute effort

Akron has won the last two games in this series which makes me physically ill. Need a statement win here to start conference play. A loss and there's a decent likelihood the wheels start to fall off and SL's seat becomes white hot.

Also I disagree Marshall isn't a good football team. They have a very good defense and I wouldn't be surprised if BG's 34 points on them is the most they give up all year long. They didn't even allow an offensive touchdown to Troy, a scoop and score was the difference. Teams are finally starting to key on their run game though and if Colombi/Fancher can't complete passes they will struggle to score.

[Flipper]

Liberty started a true freshman at QB...the starter and back up were both out.

[Falconfreak90]

I got BG winning this week 35-21. IF our D coordinator pins back our ears and let's the D go after the Zips QB, we could have a good number of sacks. Rushing 3 against anyone ain't gonna do it like this past weekend. Blitz the hell outta that kid.

[roguewarrior]

We have a rested QB and a generally healthy team. We have mature veterans with talent, facing a weak team with a turned over roster and a new coach. Anything less than a beat down of Akron is unacceptable, in my opinion.

[mbenecke]

We have a rested QB and a generally healthy team. We have mature veterans with talent, facing a weak team with a turned over roster and a new coach. Anything less than a beat down of Akron is unacceptable, in my opinion.

Level of confidence we can actually do that this week?

[Schadenfreude]

I'll take Bowling Green -6.5.

[jpfalcon09]

We have a rested QB and a generally healthy team. We have mature veterans with talent, facing a weak team with a turned over roster and a new coach. Anything less than a beat down of Akron is unacceptable, in my opinion.

We'll see. Akron has some P5 transfers of their own on offense who can make plays. I don't foresee this game being a blowout or being easy. The last two years are evidence of that.

[guest44]

Spread is out to -8.5 most places.

[kdog27]

Acted like we were better than them last year too. That didn’t go well. I’m still wait and see until I see evidence that BG can dominate an opponent.

[Flipper]

Holy Cross is ranked 10th in FCS and EKU is ranked 25th...our loss is worse

[kdog27]

BG offense seems better than what I expected preseason. Defense looks worse though. Seems like defensive scheme is either get a sack or give up a first down/lots of yards.

[roguewarrior]

Akron D is poor. They play man most of the time. OJ and others manned up from the slot should go off big time.

Healthy, close to home, cool weather…. NO excuses.

[fanatic13]

Akron is terrible and has already lost by 50 twice this year including one to a pedestrian Michigan st.

We can't keep losing to this team it's unacceptable

[jpfalcon09]

Both these teams are not good.