Ohio vs. Akron Recap: Under 58.5 and Marcel Williams Cash

Ohio beat Akron 28-20 on Tuesday night in a game that stayed low for three quarters and then broke open late. Akron kicked four field goals from Aidan Stire and led 17-14 early in the fourth after a Jordan Gant 1-yard run and a two-point catch by Marcel Williams. Ohio answered with two one-play touchdown drives: a 60-yard Nick Poulos pass to Dom Dorwart and a 91-yard Duncan Brune run. Two DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game.

What cashed

ALT: Under 58.5 total points (-244 DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: The main total sat at 51.5. Akron games had stayed under 58.5 in 9 of their last 10 and Ohio games in 8 of 10, with a combined last-10 average of 52.6, so the alt under gave us a big cushion. - What happened: The game landed on 48 total points, 10.5 under our number and 3.5 under the main total. It was 9-7 Akron after three field goals and a pick-six, and both teams settled for kicks or stalled for most of the night. Even with 14 Ohio points in the fourth quarter, it never got close. - Worth watching: Akron leaned on field goals and long, slow drives here (four field goals and 35:46 of possession). When both of these offenses play that way, alt unders with a full touchdown or more of room are worth a look.

ALT: Marcel Williams 30+ receiving yards (-200 FanDuel): CASHED - Our read: Williams had cleared 30+ receiving yards in 9 of the last 10 games and 13 of the last 19. At -200 (67% implied) against about 75% from recent games, the price looked fair. - What happened: Williams caught 3 passes for 42 yards, 12.5 over the line, with a long of 32. He also caught the two-point conversion that put Akron up 17-14 in the fourth. - Worth watching: One big catch did most of the work, so the volume was thin. Cibastian Broughton threw 34 times and spread it around, with Kyan Mason (6 catches, 71 yards) and Conner Cravaack (5 catches, 43 yards) also involved. A low alt line is the right way to play Williams.

How the game played out

Akron won the box score in most places: 26 first downs to 12, 392 total yards to 358, and 44 rushing attempts to 26. Gant ran 16 times for 112 yards. Ohio made its plays count instead. Poulos completed 12 of 20 passes for 197 yards, Dorwart caught 4 passes for 108 yards, and Brune ran 10 times for 111, almost all of it on the 91-yard score. DJ Walker's 45-yard interception return gave Ohio its first lead.

Trends to watch

• Akron controlled the ball for 35:46 and still scored only one touchdown. That kind of game keeps totals down.
• Ohio's big-play offense scored twice in the fourth on drives of 13 and 14 seconds. Late swings like that are the main risk to an under.
• Broughton threw 34 times for 232 yards with no touchdowns, so Akron receiving props sit on volume, not scoring.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. New to these bets? Read up on the alt line and the total, or head to the CFB hub.