The Miami (OH) RedHawks and Northwestern Wildcats will each be playing their first game of the season on Saturday, August 31st. This game will be played at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston and televised on BTN.

Northwestern is the -2.5 point favorite in the matchup against Miami (OH), which is set to kick off at 3:30 ET from Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston. This will be the first game of the season for both teams. The over/under line is currently at 40 points, and the game can be seen on BTN. The money line odds are +122 for Miami (OH) and -147 for Northwestern.

Miami (OH) RedHawks vs Northwestern Wildcats

Miami (OH) Records And Recent Play

Northwestern Records And Recent Play

Miami (OH) Offense Breakdown

Quarterback Brett Gabbert, who threw for 1,634 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, is back to lead the Miami (OH) RedHawks offense. Miami (OH) ranked 48th in the country in scoring, averaging 25.6 points per game. They were more effective in the running game, averaging 160.1 rushing yards per game (48th), while their passing game ranked 101st, with an average of 165.4 yards per game.

On third downs, Miami (OH) converted at a rate of 35.9% (93rd). Overall, the RedHawks threw 20.9 passes per game last season. Kenny Tracy, who rushed for 250 yards last season, is the top returning running back, and the team has added Dylan Downing from Purdue. Cade McDonald, with 355 receiving yards, is the top returning receiver for the RedHawks.

Northwestern Offense Breakdown

Northwestern’s passing game averaged 202 yards per game last season, ranking 80th in the country. Overall, the Wildcats’ offense averaged 22.1 points per game, placing them 75th nationally. However, their rushing attack was a weakness, finishing 113th in the nation with just 105.5 yards per game on the ground.

Heading into this season, the Wildcats are looking for more production from their quarterbacks. Ryan Hilinski, who threw for 88 yards last season, is back, and they’ve also added Mike Wright from Mississippi State. Cam Porter, who rushed for 651 yards last season, returns to lead the backfield, and Northwestern will be looking for continued contributions from wide receiver Bryce Kirtz, who had 701 receiving yards and five touchdowns last year.

Miami (OH) Team Defense

Miami (OH) was strong against the run last season, allowing just 133.1 rushing yards per game, which ranked 52nd in the nation. Overall, they gave up 15.9 points per game, placing them 8th in the country. In the passing game, the RedHawks allowed 198.2 yards per game, which was 47th nationally. Opposing quarterbacks completed 59% of their passes and had a passer rating of 76, which was 21st lowest in college football.

Miami (OH) Team Defense

Northwestern’s defense was strong against the pass last season, allowing just 182.9 passing yards per game, which ranked 33rd nationally. However, they struggled to stop the run, giving up 158.9 rushing yards per game. Overall, the Wildcats ranked 32nd in the country in points allowed, giving up 22.5 per game. Opposing quarterbacks completed 64.8% of their passes against Northwestern last year.

Miami (OH) vs Northwestern Trends

• In their last ten games away from home, the Miami (OH) RedHawks have a straight up record of 7-3 while going 8-2 vs. the spread. The team averaged 23 points per game in this stretch.
• In their last three home games, Northwestern has averaged 26 points per game while allowing 23. The team’s record in this stretch was 2-1 while going 3-0 vs. the spread.
• Miami (OH) has done well both straight up and vs the spread as the underdog, going 3-2 SU and 3-2 ATS in their last five games.
• In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Northwestern Wildcats have a strong straight up record of 3-0. In addition, their ATS record was 2-1 in these scenarios.

RedHawks vs Wildcats Prediction

Our projections have Miami (OH) winning their week one matchup against Northwestern by a score of 21-18. Miami (OH) is coming into this game as the +2.5 point underdogs, and we like their chances to not only win straight-up but also cover the spread.

With the over/under line set at 40 points, we see a lot of value in taking the under, as our projections have the combined score at 39 points.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.