Akron vs. Bowling Green: Odds & Player Props | November 18, 2025

Last week, Akron quarterback Ben Finley went off for over 420 passing yards in a heartbreaking loss to Kent State. Now the Zips head to Bowling Green looking to bounce back after a very hard fought game against the Golden Flashes. Meanwhile, the Falcons enter tonight as a short favorite while dealing with four straight losses.

The line opened at 4.5 in favor of the Falcons, and it has since dropped a full point. I lean toward the Zips in this one, and I think they bounce back. The total is currently sitting at 46. I debated the over, and I like the over, but it feels a little too low. Both teams have below average defenses, each allowing over 27 points per game during conference play. Smells fishy.

My focus is once again on quarterback Ben Finley. I know, I know, he is due for regression after a 424 yard game on almost 60 pass attempts. Can the senior even come close to replicating half that performance? I think he can.

Overrated Pass Defense

Despite the Falcons pass defense allowing only around 211 pass yards per game this season, I think their flashy numbers are a product of facing more run heavy opponents. On average they see around 25 pass attempts per game, which is the fourth fewest in college football. Keep in mind, this is a 3 and 7 football team. They are down in nearly every game. Why would their opponents need to pass?

When opponents do throw, they are averaging 8.3 yards per pass, which is the tenth worst in the country. On top of that, Bowling Green is allowing opponents to complete over 62% of their passes while generating very little pressure. They are 104th in sack percentage this season. Finley is going to love that. He has dealt with a lot of sacks this season.

On top of that, the Zips are slightly more pass oriented than most of the opponents Bowling Green has faced. MAC teams that do throw over 30 times per game have at least thrown for 200 yards against them. The only exception is Buffalo, who won by 25 points and only ran 51 total plays to Bowling Greens 72. They were barely on the field. During MAC play, Akron is averaging 36.5 pass plays per game. This should be a great spot for the senior gun slinger to again show off his arm.

Let Finley Throw

Big games like last week have been building for Finley throughout MAC play. He went for almost 300 yards four games ago against Ball State, followed that with a 230 yard game against Buffalo, then dipped to 197 yards against UMass, but they won by 33 and did not need to throw. This spot feels like another opportunity for him to ball out in his final game against Bowling Green. The Zips have not beaten the Falcons since 2021. Can Finley will his team to a massive victory? I think he can.

Bonus Bet: Akron +3.5

Best Bet: Ben Finley Over 218.5 Pass Yards (-114) odds via BetOnline