The Ohio Bobcats and the Nevada Wolf Pack have never met each other before. That unfamiliarity with each other ends this coming Friday when these two teams lock horns in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise. Going into the game, the sportsbook favors Ohio by 8-points.
Betting on the Ohio Bobcats (6-6 Overall / 5-3 Conference)
The Bobcats can be a very exciting team to watch, thanks in large part to their robust offense that finished the regular season 20th overall in the nation with 34.1 points per game. Quarterback Nathan Rourke is doing a solid job of helming the Bobcats’ offense, as he enters the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl with 2,676 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and only five interceptions to go with a 61.4 pass completion percentage. He can also work some magic with his legs, as he’s second on the team with 780 rushing yards with a team-high 12 rushing scores. The Bobcats are more lethal on the ground. They are 12th nationally with a 5.4 yards-per-carry average and 23rd with 210.9 rushing yards per game. In their 52-3 zapping of the Akron Zips on the road last November, the Bobcats rushed for 251 yards and three touchdowns, while Rourke had 308 passing yards and five touchdowns overall (1 rushing). The Bobcats’ defense is being anchored by defensive back Javon Hagan, who’s been named to the All-MAC First Team.
The Bobcats are 2-0 against the spread (ATS) in their last two games.
Betting on the Nevada Wolf Pack (7-5 Overall / 4-4 Conference)
It’s unfortunate for the Wolf Pack to have two of their starters on defense not suiting up for the upcoming Famous Idaho Potato Bowl game due to suspensions meted out for their involvement in a fracas in their 33-30 home loss to the UNLV Rebels on Nov. 30. Another player, defensive tackle Hausia Sekona, is eligible to play in the second half, as he’s only suspended for the game’s first two quarters. The suspensions are a huge blow to the Wolf Pack’s defense that hasn’t impressed this season even at full strength. The Wolf Pack are 104th in the nation with 33.8 points allowed and 83rd with 422.5 total yards allowed per contest. The challenges on defense bring the focus on Nevada’s offense, which is being led by quarterback Carson Strong. The first-year signal-caller doesn’t boast of numbers that jump out of the paper, but he’ll have to keep the offense from stagnating to lessen the load on Nevada’s seemingly bare defense. Strong enters the game with 1,933 passing yards and 10 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
The Wolf Pack are 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall.
