Perfection isn't something to be trifled with, and Kent State is flirting with perfection — or imperfection — in the win column.
The Golden Flashes (0-8, 0-4 MAC) have the distinguished honor of being the only winless team remaining in the FBS.
With Kennesaw State recording a shocking upset win over Liberty a couple of weeks ago, the title of "Worst Team in the Nation" now belongs to Kent State.
Ohio (5-3, 3-1), coming off its largest win of the season, is looking to avoid a disastrous upset. The Bobcats' 31-point victory over Buffalo keeps Tim Albin's side in the thick of the MAC race.
Ohio is a 3-score favorite to keep the Golden Flashes out of the win column, coming in at -19 with an over/under of 52.5. While the outright win may be all but a given, can Kent State at least make a game of this?
Let's dive into my Ohio vs. Kent State prediction and college football picks for Wednesday, Nov. 6.
Ohio Bobcats vs Kent State Golden Flashes Prediction
- Ohio vs. Kent State Pick: Ohio -19
My Kent State vs. Ohio best bet is for the Bobcats to cover the spread. Find the best odds on our live NCAAF odds page.
Ohio vs Kent State Odds, Spread, Line
| Ohio Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-20.5 -110 | 52.5 -110o / -110u | -1400 |
| Kent State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+20.5 -110 | 52.5 -110o / -110u | +800 |
- Ohio vs Kent State Spread: Ohio -20.5 · Kent State +20.5
- Ohio vs Kent State Over/Under: 52.5 Total Points
- Ohio vs Kent State Moneyline: Ohio ML -1400 · Kent State ML +800
Ohio vs Kent State College Football Betting Preview
Ohio Bobcats Betting Preview: Rushing Attack Leads the Way
Ohio may not be playing at quite the level it has over the past two seasons, but the Bobcats are still within striking distance of returning to the MAC Championship for the second time in three seasons.
Albin’s Bobcats are one of three MAC teams tied for second with one conference loss.
The key to the Bobs’ success this season has been their ground game. Ohio is fresh off a 258-yard, three-touchdown rushing performance against Buffalo where its leading rusher, Anthony Tyus, didn’t even play due to injury.
Tyus, whose 610 rushing yards are the second most in the MAC, might be out for the rest of the year, but the Bobcats still have the legs of quarterback Parker Navarro, who has rushed for at least 80 yards in three of Ohio’s past four games.
While the Ohio quarterback is a dangerous runner, he’s not as efficient of a passer. In fact, he’s thrown the same amount of touchdowns (seven) as interceptions.
Ohio ranks just 89th in Pass Success Rate and has thrown for more than 205 yards only once this season.
Defensively, Ohio’s front seven leads the way. Ohio is 37th and 34th in Rush Success Rate allowed and Line Yards allowed. The Bobcats notably held Akron to -18 rushing yards when they met a few weeks ago.
The Bobcats, however, can be had through the air. Ohio is 97th in Pass Success Rate allowed and just 80th in Coverage.
Kent State Golden Flashes Betting Preview: Offense Continues to Struggle
The good news is that it can’t get any worse, right?
After opening the year with one of the most difficult nonconference slates (Penn State, Tennessee and Pittsburgh), the Golden Flashes have at least made it to the easier conference portion of their schedule.
Playing two of the best defenses in the nation certainly doesn’t help, but Kent State’s offense has proven its inefficiencies — even in MAC play.
There have been lows, like recording just 66 yards against Penn State, and there have been highs (461 yards against Ball State), but water seems to have found its level in recent weeks.
The Golden Flashes have scored three touchdowns and averaged 227 yards of offense in their past two games and rank in the bottom five nationally in Pass Success Rate, Rush Success Rate, Quality Drives and Havoc allowed.
Kent State’s 18 offensive touchdowns are the eighth fewest in the country.
For as flawed as the offense is, Kent State’s defense may be even worse. The Golden Flashes are a full 5.1 points worse than the next closest scoring defense in the FBS (46.6 points per game allowed) and have allowed five 50-burgers this season.
Kent State allows a remarkable 541.9 yards per game and has failed to hold a single team below 400 yards of offense this season.
If there’s a positive, it’s that the Golden Flashes are only the second worst when it comes to yards allowed per play (7.2), outdone by fellow MAC team Ball State.
Ohio vs Kent State Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Ohio and Kent State match up statistically:
Ohio Offense vs. Kent State Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 49 | 127 | |
| Line Yards | 72 | 133 | |
| Pass Success | 89 | 127 | |
| Havoc | 98 | 131 | |
| Finishing Drives | 82 | 125 | |
| Quality Drives | 84 | 134 | |
Kent State Offense vs. Ohio Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 130 | 37 | |
| Line Yards | 125 | 34 | |
| Pass Success | 131 | 97 | |
| Havoc | 131 | 61 | |
| Finishing Drives | 108 | 106 |  |
| Quality Drives | 134 | 67 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 120 | 102 |
| PFF Coverage | 80 | 125 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 91 | 123 |
| Middle 8 | 55 | 133 |
| Seconds per Play | 28.9 (110) | 27.7 (85) |
| Rush Rate | 61% (22) | 54% (80) |
Ohio vs Kent State Best Bet to Make
It’s no secret how poor Kent State is, but even Vegas has had a hard time putting a number on its struggles. Kent State is just 2-6 against the spread, with only one of those wins coming when it was a double-digit underdog.
Ohio is no juggernaut, but it just played one of its most complete games of the season, beating a quality Buffalo side by 31 points and tallying a season-high 489 yards of offense.
Initially, the opening total of this game (53.5) was interesting, but it’s been steamed down to 52. Kent State’s offense is putrid, but it can score against MAC defenses and has only been involved in one game this season that had fewer than 50 total points.
Ohio needs to win this to stay alive in the MAC, and with Eastern Michigan on deck, there’s no threat of a look-ahead spot for the Bobcats.
Pick: Ohio -19
Ohio vs Kent State Start Time, TV Channel, How to Watch
| Location: | Dix Stadium, Kent, OH |
| Date: | Wednesday, Nov. 6 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPNU |
Ohio vs Kent State Betting Trends
- 60% of bets and 56% of the money are on Kent State to cover the spread
- 91% of bets and 87% of the money on the moneyline are on Ohio to win outright
- 64% of bets and 45% of the money are on the over
Betting trends via our live, updating NCAAF public betting & money percentages page.
Ohio vs Kent State Weather
