Akron is hosting UMass on Tuesday night of Week 11. The game will take place at 7:00 p.m. ET in Akron, Ohio.
The Zips are 10.5-point home favorites in this game on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 50.5 points. This is a preview, prediction and pick for this MAC conference matchup.
UMass at Akron prediction, preview
UMass Preview
It would not be hard to make the case that UMass is the worst team in college football. After spending nearly a decade as an independent team, UMass rejoined the MAC prior to this season. Things could not be going worse for the Minutemen in their return to being a conference-affiliated program. UMass ranks dead last in the country in net EPA/play and has yet to win a game this season. The Minutemen lost to an FCS school, Bryant, and were pulverized by several mediocre to lower-tier MAC teams already in conference play. They have yet to find any sort of competency at quarterback. UMass has tried three different quarterbacks this season and they have a combined 3-7 TD-INT ratio.
It’s hard to translate how bad this team is. According to S&P+, it is not only the worst-ranked FBS team, but there are 71 FCS teams and 12 Division II teams that are rated ahead of it. UMass would be favored by just around a point against the nation’s top Division III school, the North Central Cardinals of Naperville, Illinois.
Akron Preview
Akron is also not having a season to remember, although nowhere near as poor as UMass. The Zips are 3-6 on the season, with two of those wins coming in conference play. The Zips are coming off a big road win over Buffalo last week, which could have sparked some confidence in the team. While UMass ranks 136th out of 136 FBS teams in S&P+, Akron ranks 126th out of 136 FBS teams. However, there is still a sizeable gap between UMass and Akron. Only one Division II school is rated higher than the Zips. Akron is led by a very experienced starting quarterback, Ben Finley. Finley has played for Cal, NC State and is in his second season as Akron’s starter. If Akron can handle business and win this game against UMass, it has an outside shot of getting to six wins for bowl eligibility.
UMass at Akron pick, best bet
My best bet for this game is Akron -10.5. If it hasn’t been made clear already, this UMass team is unfathomably bad. The Minutemen are coming off a 38-13 beatdown by Central Michigan and lost 42-6 to Kent State earlier this season, a team that is around Akron’s level in the MAC. Akron has a level of competency at quarterback and should be able to move it through the air against UMass. The Minutemen rank 131st in the nation in defensive EPA/pass. Akron is also tough on defense, ranking 48th in the nation in defensive EPA/play. The Zips should completely shut down the incompetent UMass offense. As long as Akron avoids making major mistakes, it should win this game comfortably by double digits.
