Akron shows up in Oxford still figuring out who plays quarterback. Miami (OH) shows up trying to get back to Detroit for a fourth straight year.
Bush’s Picks
AKRM-OH
AKRM-OH
OverUnder
Best BetMiami (OH)
Miami's the far more proven program here, with a returning starting quarterback and 3 straight MAC title game trips backing that up. Akron's still sorting out its quarterback room, which is a rough spot to be in against a team this experienced. Back the RedHawks to handle business at home.
Akron
+Poffenbarger has 6,000-plus career passing yards experience
+Added portal receiver Miles Burris from Charlotte
+Modest overall improvement from 2024 to 5-7 in 2025
−No settled starting quarterback entering the year
−Moorhead's tenure record is 13-37 through 4 seasons
−2025 team was postseason-banned over academic eligibility
Miami (OH)
+Gotkowski returns after 3 straight MAC title game trips
+4 returning starters anchor the offensive line
+Added TE Christian Ross via transfer from Memphis
−Lost 2025 MAC title game 23-13, offense stalled badly
−Gotkowski pulled in 3rd quarter after 7-of-17 passing
−New OC Gus Ragland means a scheme still being installed
Miami's whole operation runs through Thomas Gotkowski, who's back after leading the RedHawks to a third straight MAC title game a season ago. He's got a new voice calling plays too, with Gus Ragland stepping in as offensive coordinator, and 4 returning starters up front to lean on while that offense gets rebuilt around him. Akron's side of this is murkier. Joe Moorhead still hasn't nailed down a starting quarterback, with transfer Reese Poffenbarger — who threw for over 6,000 yards back at Albany but has been stuck as a backup the last two years — in the mix to finally get on the field.
Akron did add some pieces worth watching, including receiver Miles Burris in from Charlotte, and there's a real argument the Zips are a slightly better roster than the one that went 5-7 last year. Miami brought in its own portal help too, adding tight end Christian Ross from Memphis to give Gotkowski another weapon underneath. None of that changes the gap between these two programs heading into this one, and it's part of why the number here favors Oxford about as heavily as MAC games get.
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AKR Akron
M-OH Miami (OH)
The bigger swing factor for Miami is whether the new-look offense clicks fast enough, because the version that showed up in last year's title game sputtered. Gotkowski got pulled in the third quarter of a 23-13 loss to Western Michigan after going just 7-of-17 through the air. That's the version Akron would love to see again. The version RedHawks fans expect is the one that beat Ball State 45-24 a week earlier behind 3 Gotkowski touchdown passes.
Akron Zips
Oct 10?vs Eastern Michigan—
Oct 2?@ Central Michigan—
Sep 25?vs UNLV—
Sep 19?@ Minnesota—
Sep 12?vs Robert Morris—
Sep 3?@ Wake Forest—
Miami (OH) RedHawks
Oct 9?@ Massachusetts—
Oct 2?vs Bowling Green—
Sep 25?vs UConn—
Sep 19?@ Cincinnati—
Sep 12?vs Holy Cross—
Sep 5?@ Pittsburgh—
Recent form.
Akron's issue isn't really talent evaluation at this point, it's results. Moorhead's record in Akron reads 2-10, 2-10, 4-8, 5-7, and last year's team was also banned from the postseason over an academic eligibility violation before a single snap was played. That's a program still digging out, not one built to steal a MAC road game from a three-time conference finalist.
Akron Zips
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Miami (OH) RedHawks
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
Miami's front office clearly believes continuity up front plus a fresh scheme is the formula to get back to Detroit, and Akron's counting on a quarterback change to be the jolt this program needs. One of those bets is a lot more established than the other heading into Friday, October 16.
