Toledo at Bowling Green Spread Wager

By Don Phillips
Toledo(8-1, 5-1 MAC) at Bowling Green(8-2, 6-0 MAC)
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015• 6:00 p.m.
Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH • ESPN2

This will be the 80th meeting between Toledo and Bowling Green, whose campuses are separated by a 20-mile stretch of I-75. The Rockets trail the series with the Falcons, 39-36-4. The “Battle of I-75” began in 1919, was halted from 1936 through 1947, then resumed as an annual affair since 1948.
Toledo is 8-1 following its 28-23 win over Central Michigan on Nov. 10. Toledo is tied for first place in the MAC West with Western Michigan and Northern Illinois, all sporting 5-1 league marks. Toledo and WMU play at the Glass Bowl on Friday, Nov. 27. NIU hosts WMU on Nov. 18. Toledo is 11-1 in its last 12 games dating back to the final three games of the 2014 season. Toledo’s 7-0 start was its best since 1997 when it opened up with an 8-0 mark. Toledo is 37-9 in MAC games since 2010. Toledo is 16-1 against MAC East Division opponents since 2010. The Rockets’ last loss to a cross-division foe came against Akron, 31-29, on Nov. 29, 2013.

Senior Phillip Ely’s performance this season should settle any questions about his comeback from injury. Ely has led the Rockets to an 8-1 start and has shown solid leadership for the offense. He has completed 174-of-318 passes for 2,192 yards and 18 TDs.

Star running back Kareem Hunt missed three of Toledo’s first four games, but UT’s rushing attack has remained strong thanks to what sophomore Terry Swanson dubbed “The Justice League.” Swanson leads a committee of four running backs with 749 yards and five TDs. He averages 7.0 yards per carry, tops in the MAC and ninth in the nation.

Hunt, a junior, has 602 yards and seven scores in six games played. Junior Damion Jones-Moore is third with 392 yards and five touchdowns. Fellow junior Marc Remy has rushed for 171 yards and leads the running backs with nine receptions. Hunt ranks second in the MAC with 100.3 yards per contest; Swanson is third with 93.6.

BGSU quarterback Matt Johnson leads the nation in passing with 3,686 yards through ten games this season. He has completed 268-of-380 passes (70.5%) with 33 touchdown passes compared to just three interceptions. Through ten games this season, Johnson’s 3,686 yards are the fifth-most in FBS football since 2000, despite Johnson having attempted 78 less passes and completing 58 less passes than anyone else in the top five.

Three Bowling Green receivers are riding impressive streaks, as all three have caught a pass in at least 23 consecutive games. In two cases, those streaks stretch back to the 2013 season. All three are on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.

Ronnie Moore has caught a pass in 25 consecutive games, dating back to the 2013 MAC Championship Game against Northern Illinois. Moore has 54 catches – second on the team – this season for 714 yards and five
touchdowns.

Sure-handed Ryan Burbrink has a reception in 24 straight games going back to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl game in 2013 against Pitt. Burbrink is fourth on the Falcons with 43 catches for 527 yards and four TDs through
ten games this season.

Roger Lewis, the Falcons leading receiver with 1,224 yards on the season, has caught a pass in all 23 career games thus far. He has 64 catches and 12 touchdowns in 2015.

BGSU has scored 135 more points than any other MAC East team in conference play and allowed 14 points less than any other team.

TOLEDO is 8-7 against the spread versus BOWLING GREEN since 1992
TOLEDO is 15-8 straight up against BOWLING GREEN since 1992

Key Player Injuries

TOLEDO
[LB] 10/19/2015 – Jaylen Coleman out for season ( Leg )
[QB] 10/01/2015 – Jalen Reese out for season ( Achilles )
[TE] 08/29/2015 – Adam Kulon out for season ( Knee )
BOWLING GREEN
[OL] 10/15/2015 – Christian Piazza out for season ( Undisclosed )
[DB] 10/01/2015 – Darrell Hunter II out indefinitely ( Undisclosed )
[K] 09/10/2015 – Anthony Farinella out indefinitely ( Back )
[DL] 09/10/2015 – Gus Schwieterman out for season ( Foot )

Selection: Toledo +7

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