The Toledo Rockets soar into Kalamazoo to settle their differences with the Western Michigan Broncos on Friday, November 25th. The contest between the MAC Conference’s two best teams is set to go off at 5 p.m. ET and will be televised on the ESPNU Network. Las Vegas has the Broncos as a -9 point favorite and the over/under for the game is penciled in at 67.5.
The Rockets are out to clinch the MAC Conference West, and can earn secure their 10th win for the first time in 15 seasons. Before that is possible, quarterback Logan Woodside will have to pull of the upset on the road.
Toledo (9-2):
Toledo signal-caller Logan Woodside is having himself quite the year for the Toledo Rockets. In fact, Woodside leads the country with 40 touchdown tosses. Woodside has been one of the nation’s most unsung quarterbacks, despite some bullish numbers. The rifleman has thrown at least three touchdown passes in every game this season. Overall, he has completed 258 passes for 3,653 yards with 40 touchdowns and seven picks.
Even with Logan Woodside’s success, Toledo likes to stay as balanced as possible when moving the chains down the grid-iron. When they tote the rock over the ground, the Rockets have Kareem Hunt and Terry Swanson to get the job done. As a duo, they have carried the ball for over 329 times for 1,690 yards and 10 scores.
Logan Woodside isn’t shy about who he passes the ball to. Four wide outs have caught more than 30 passes and all have scored multiple touchdowns. Cody Thompson leads this group of talented wide outs with 1,126 yards and 10 trips to the back of the end zone. Tight end michael Roberts is Woodside’s favorite red zone target, catching 39 balls for a team-high 12 scores.
The offense’s success has helped take some pressure off of Toledo’s defense. They are one of only four in the MAC allowing at least six yards per play. The Rockets give way to 22.5 points a game and 390 yards per contest. The defense is as average as it gets, but that has been enough for the amount of offense that Toledo produces.
#21 Western Michigan (11-0):
Western Michigan has been college football’s Cinderella story this year. With their 11-0 record, they’re carving a path to represent the MAC in the Cotton Bowl. First, they’ll have to finish off Toledo and then win the MAC championship game.
Zach Terrell has been flying under the radar in 2016. Western Michigan’s Corey Davis gets most of the attention, but Terrell’s 71.3 completion percentage ranks third in the nation. Also, his 183.91 passer rating is third, right behind Woodside’s 185.57 mark. His 2016 stats tell the story, amassing over 200 completions for almost 2,900 yards with 27 touchdowns and only one interception.
Just like their opponents above, Western Michigan likes to have a nice balance of the run and the pass. Jarvion Franklin and Jamauri Bogan are the perfect backs for the job. Together, the duo has galloped for over 1,800 yards on 328 carries and have 17 trips to the back of the end zone.
Last week, receiver Corey Davis caught two touchdowns, to give him a MAC-record 49 for his career. Last week, he snatched 13 passes for 173 yards and is making his case that he is the best wide out in the FBS. His numbers in 2016 are pointing to that, reeling in 75 balls for over 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Defensive end Keion Adams is a beast on the line, racking up a MAC Conference-high 15 tackles for loss. The rest of the front seven is no slouch either, ranking 45th in the nation giving up only 154.7 yards a game. What really stand out about the defense, is that they tighten up in the red zone. The Broncos rank ninth in the nation allowing only 17.7 points per contest.
Trends and Notes:
The Rockets are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 road games.
The Broncos are 26-10 ATS in their last 36 games overall.
The Under is 4-0-1 in the Rockets last 5 games overall.
The Over is 5-1 in the Broncos last 6 home games.
The Underdog is 9-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings.
Game Predictions:
The Toledo Rockets are out to clinch a MAC title and get their coveted 10th victory. Logan Woodside has been amazing and that will be the case in Kalamazoo once again. The Rockets are a balanced offensive club and will be the best that the Broncos have seen all year.
Western Michigan just keeps rolling. With the MAC conference’s best defense and an offense that puts up plenty of points on their own. An undefeated season and the Broncos will find themselves in the Cotton Bowl and on the national stage in a bowl game for the first time in their school’s history.
Both teams have plenty of motivation in this game, so I expect it will be tight. With both offenses having the ability to impose their will on the oppositions defenses, there should be plenty of points. Take the Rockets to cover the +9 in what could turn into a fourth quarter masterpiece. In a championship game type atmosphere, the 67.5 points might be a little to much.
