Akron vs Miami (Ohio) Odds, Picks, and Predictions: RedHawks Take Flight

The Akron Zips will try to build on their first league win of the season when they visit MAC East rival the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks on Wednesday night.

Miami (7-2) leads the MAC East with a 4-1 conference record and controls its destiny in regards to reaching the MAC championship game. That makes the RedHawks a huge favorite over Akron (1-4) in the college football odds, especially as the Zips have yet to win a game on the road this year.

The RedHawks are superior on both sides of the ball, making it hard to see how the Zips can stay in this game, though a generous spread could still make this contest interesting for bettors. We’ll break down what to expect in our free college football picks and predictions for Akron vs. Miami (Ohio) on November 8.

Akron vs Miami (Ohio) best odds

Akron vs Miami (Ohio) picks and predictions

The Akron Zips managed to snag a much-needed win at home against the Kent State Golden Flashes last Wednesday, though it was far from an impressive performance. Facing off against one of the worst teams in the FBS ranks, the Zips needed 21 points in the last 10 minutes to escape with a win at home. Only a Jeff Undercuffler Jr. run for a score with 26 seconds remaining allowed Akron to claim the 31-27 victory.

That now stands as the only FBS win for Akron this year. The Zips have lost three games by at least 24 points, including two to MAC rivals. Not only has Akron been largely uncompetitive, but they’ve continued that trend even against the mediocre competition they face in their conference schedule.

The Miami RedHawks are one of the few MAC teams that doesn’t fit that bill. The RedHawks did take one on the chin to start the season when they lost by 35 points to the Miami (of Florida) Hurricanes. However, their only loss since then was a 21-17 defeat to the Toledo Rockets in a likely MAC championship preview. Outside of that, they’ve won their four other conference games by an average of 18.5 points, all of which have come against better opponents than Akron.

Miami has put together a roster that has talent on both sides of the ball. The RedHawks are allowing just 19 points per game, and are holding opponents to just five yards per play. Their offensive output hasn’t been quite as impressive, but they are averaging a solid 29.8 points per game. While they will be without starting quarterback Brett Gabbert for the rest of the year, sophomore Aveon Smith filled in admirably against the Ohio Bobcats last week, leading Miami to 30 points.

That’s the kind of talent Akron simply can’t deal with. It’s hard to imagine the Zips getting anything done against Miami when they’ve only put up 17.1 points per game against lesser competition overall this season. Akron ranks 125th or worse in the BCS in yards per play, rushing yards, and quarterback rating. That’s not just selecting a few bad areas, either: there’s no relevant yardage stat in which they rank within the top 100 of the nation. 

Given their relatively easy schedule, we can’t consider the RedHawks a powerhouse. But in the world of the MAC, few teams can hang with them, and Akron isn’t one of them. I expect the Zips to have very few opportunities on offense, while Smith goes to town against an overmatched Akron defense. Miami should win this game by at least three touchdowns, easily covering the spread.

My best bet: Miami (Ohio) -17.5 (-105 at FanDuel)
Picks made at time of writing may not reflect live odds.

Akron vs Miami (Ohio) same-game parlay

Miami (OH) -17.5

Under 40.5

Rashad Amos anytime TD

+438 at FanDuel

My same-game parlay for this game is all about how the RedHawks will dominate this game. Primarily, that comes down to the Miami defense, which should shut down an Akron offense that has failed to produce anything substantial no matter who the opponent has been. 

That means not only taking Miami to cover the 17.5-point spread but also backing the Under. The RedHawks haven’t given up more than 21 points in any of their last six games, and have played to totals below 40 points in three of their last five. With Gabbert out, I’m not expecting Miami to put up a huge number of points, and we can’t expect Akron to contribute to the total in any real way.

Finally, I’m taking Rashad Amos to score a touchdown at some point in this game. With Smith at the helm for the RedHawks, Miami is likely to lean a bit harder on the run than usual, especially if they start running up the score against the Zips. Amos already has five touchdowns on the year and should add to his total on Wednesday.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Akron vs Miami (Ohio) spread and Over/Under analysis

Miami opened as a 17-point favorite over Akron in Wednesday’s game. As of Tuesday evening, the consensus line had moved to Miami -17.5, with some books even moving to a flat 18 points. Even at 17.5, however, it’s possible to find the RedHawks at -105, with Akron also available at -105 at some sites.

Akron has struggled against the spread this year, putting up a 3-5-1 ATS record in 2023. Miami has dominated for bettors as much as they have straight up, posting a 7-2 ATS mark.

The RedHawks should easily have the best of this one. While the spread is intimidating – 17.5 is an awkward number – this game shouldn’t even be that close. I’m backing Miami on the spread and would do so at any number under 20, in case you’re interested in selling a couple of points for some value.

The total on this game opened at 44 points. Bettors have pushed the Over/Under down significantly since then, and the consensus total is now 41 points, with a few books going as low as 40.5. You can find -105 odds on the Over at 41 points, or the same number on the Under at 40.5. 

Neither team has a strong trend on the total this year. The Over is 5-4 when Miami plays, while Akron has posted a 5-4 record for the Under on the season.

Akron hadn’t scored more than 14 points in a game in any of their conference games until their late-game outburst against Kent State last week. It’s unlikely they’ll even get into double figures against the RedHawks, who are facing some offensive challenges of their own without Gabbert in the lineup. My lean here is to the Under.

Akron vs Miami (Ohio) betting trend to know

Miami (Ohio) is 7-1 ATS in its last eight games overall. Find more college football betting trends for Akron vs Miami (Ohio).

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