Ohio at Troy

The Ohio University Bobcats will be a slight underdog when they open the Bowl season vs. Troy of the Sun Belt Conference. Troy lost a big weapon and a lot of leadership when QB Levi Brown completed his four years here last season. This is not the same caliber team we have seen from Troy in the recent past. This is a team that is here as a product of their schedule, not the quality of the team that will take the field. Troy has seven wins and those seven wins were all generated against .500 or worse teams. The combined record of those seven opponents was 24-60 or a winning percentage of .286. Ohio has gone 7-1 to complete their season and is a much better team here getting points. It is an offense that has gone for 30+ in seven of their last eight while allowing the opponent to score 30+ just one time in the same stretch. The Bobcats are also 7-1 ATS in their last eight posted as a dog, while Troy just 2-7 ATS in their last nine posted as a favorite. Under head coach Larry Blakeney, this Troy squad is just 4-12 ATS on teh road after back-to-back ATS wins. Over the past three seasons, Troy is just 2-5 straight-up in road games vs. good passing teams like Ohio (those completing 58%+). My computer matchup sees this game as a toss-up. Take the Bobcasts in this one.