This has the makings of a shootout as the Western Michigan Broncos (6-5) play the Toledo Rockets (9-1). A player to watch in this matchup is the MAC’s third-leading passer, Zach Terrell (2,982 yards, 25 TDs). It will begin Friday, Nov 27 at 12:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on CBSS.
Toledo beat Bowling Green 44-28 last week. Kareem Hunt had an outstanding performance on the ground in the win, gaining 153 yards and two TDs on 29 carries. Alonzo Russell added 74 receiving yards and a TD on three receptions. Western Michigan didn’t have the same success as Toledo, falling to Northern Illinois 27-19. Corey Davis had a big game for the Broncos, totaling seven receptions for 123 yards and one TD. Daniel Braverman had a big game as well, totaling 126 receiving yards and a TD on nine receptions.
Toledo is a nine-point favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is presently unavailable.
Heading into Week 13 of the college football season, the Rockets are 9-1 for both Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS). Over their last five games, the Rockets have records of 4-1 for both SU and ATS. The Rockets have seen an uptick in scoring recently, averaging 42 points during the last five games. They average 35.8 points per game on the season. The Rockets have America’s 24th-ranked running attack with 214.9 yards per game. Transitioning to the Toledo defense, there are some things to keep in mind when it is on the field. One of the keys to the game will be whether the Broncos can protect the ball against Toledo’s aggressive defense. It’s ranked 23rd in the nation in fumbles recovered with 0.9 per game. The Rockets make it hard on their opponents early, averaging 9.1 points in the first 15 minutes. Toledo’s special teams are one of its strengths. They earn 111 return yards per game, putting them 18th in Division I.
On the other side, the Broncos have a record of 6-5 for both ATS and SU. In the previous five games, Western Michigan has a record of 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS. If earlier games are any indication, the Broncos will throw the ball a lot. They average 284.8 passing yards per game, good enough for 25th in Division I. Toledo will be matching up against a stout Broncos defense which has been playing better. They only allowed 23 PPG over their last five matchups, well below their season average of 27.9. The Western Michigan pass defense has given teams problems during those games. During that time, opponents have gained an average of only 197.2 passing yards against this scary bunch. Toledo’s special teams has given up some big plays this season, possibly enticing the Broncos to work a little extra on the return game. The Rockets allow 141.6 return yards per game, ranking 125th in the nation.
Predictions: SU Winner – Toledo, ATS Winner – Toledo
Notes
Toledo is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Toledo’s last 10 games.
Toledo is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toledo’s last 6 games at home.
Toledo is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Western Michigan.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toledo’s last 6 games when playing Western Michigan.
Toledo is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Western Michigan.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toledo’s last 5 games when playing at home against Western Michigan.
Western Michigan is 6-1 SU when leading at the start of the 4th quarter this season. Toledo is 9-1 SU when leading after three quarters.
Toledo is 2-1 SU in games where it wins the turnover battle, yet undefeated (5-0 SU) in games where it loses the turnover battle.
Toledo has drawn an average of 8.3 penalties per game on opponents this season. Western Michigan is winless (0-3 SU) when penalized at least eight times in a game.
