Ohio will play its final home game of the season when it hosts Toledo on Tuesday night.
The Bobcats (3-7, 3-3 Mid-American Conference) are on a winning streak for the first time this year. A pair of wins over Miami and Eastern Michigan have bolstered morale among the Bobcats and were two of their highest-scoring games this season.
The Rockets (5-5, 3-3 MAC) have won two of their last three games but a handful of close losses have kept them at .500 through 10 games.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Peden Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Below is a guide to game day with how to follow along, depth charts, what to watch for, who has the edge, a reading guide and The Post’s prediction:
Following along
How to watch: Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Michael Reghi and Je’Rod Cherry will be on the call.
How to listen: Ohio’s game can be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield. Russ Eisenstein and Rob Cornelius will be behind the mic per usual.
How to find stats: Stats are provided here.
Depth Charts
Provided from each team’s game notes.
Ohio Offense
Ohio Defense
Ohio Specialists
Toledo Offense
Toledo Defense
Toledo Specialists
Three things to watch for
Dequan Finn is a threat
The redshirt freshman has taken over the duty of starting quarterback for the Rockets since mid-October, and has excelled in the role. He’s passed for over 700 yards in his past two games and completed passes to eight or more receivers in both games.
Finn is also capable of running the ball efficiently should he need to. The quarterback averages 37.7 yards on the ground through 10 games, making him yet another dual-threat quarterback Ohio needs to shut down.
Toledo’s linebackers
Toledo’s conference-leading defense contains a solid linebacker corps, headlined by the trio of Jamal Hines, Dyontae Johnson and Jonathan Jones. The trio rank in the top five players on Toledo’s roster for tackles, tackles for loss and sacks.
The three have combined for 12.5 sacks for a loss of 71 yards this season. Ohio’s offensive line has adapted well to protect quarterbacks Kurtis Rourke and Armani Rogers, but Toledo’s linebackers could pose a problem come Tuesday night.
Ohio’s offensive consistency
The Bobcats have scored over 30 points in both of their November games and scored on all but three drives in their win over Eastern Michigan last week. That output is a massive turnaround from the beginning of the season, where the Bobcats averaged 13.8 points per game during their nonconference slate.
Ohio will have a tough time navigating Toledo’s defense, which holds opponents to 21.5 points per game. However, it’s cracked defenses of similar caliber before. Ohio put up 35 points against Miami, who has the best scoring defense in the MAC East Division, just two weeks ago.
The edge
When Ohio has the ball: Ohio’s offense has clicked in November and Rourke seems to have found a rhythm since being brought back onto the field in late October. However, it’ll be difficult for Rourke and Ohio’s receiving corps to break through the best passing defense in the conference. Toledo held Bowling Green to just 67 yards in the air last week. Still, Ohio’s on a hot streak and might be able to keep the game interesting.
The edge: Ohio
When Toledo has the ball: Finn has proven to Toledo that he’s capable under center. He’s thrown six touchdown passes in his last two games and passed for over 400 yards against Eastern Michigan two weeks ago. Add in running back Bryant Koback, who averages the second most yards per game in the MAC, and Ohio’s defense will be in for another hard night.
The edge: Toledo
Reading Guide
Prediction
Sports Editor Jack Gleckler: There’s a strong chance Ohio pulls out its third-straight win on Tuesday. Ohio proved against Miami it can break through tough defenses, and it proved against Eastern Michigan it can outgun one of the highest-scoring teams in the MAC. It’ll be a shootout, but Ohio’s been on a roll in November and I think the streak will carry on another night. Ohio wins 38-35.
