Ohio vs Akron: five-game win streak meets six-game skid
Ohio brings a five-game winning streak into tonight's MAC game at Akron, which has dropped six straight after last week's loss to Kent State.
Why Ohio vs Akron is trending
Ohio vs Akron is a Week 10 MAC matchup kicking off tonight at 7 p.m. ET, and it's drawing attention because of how differently these two teams have been playing. Ohio has won five games in a row and sits at 6-2. Akron has lost six games in a row and sits at 1-7.
The game is part of the MAC's regular midweek schedule, known as MACtion, which puts conference games on national television on nights when most of the sport is off. Ohio comes in off a 24-20 win over Eastern Michigan in Week 8. Akron comes in off a 35-20 loss to Kent State in the same week. A five-game winning streak running into a six-game losing streak is the kind of split that makes a MACtion Tuesday worth watching, even for a game airing outside the sport's usual spotlight.
Ohio's offense behind Nick Poulos
Ohio's five-game run has been built around quarterback Nick Poulos. Against Eastern Michigan, Poulos had his best game of the season, throwing for 266 yards and a touchdown on 19 of 29 passing. He added 22 yards and a rushing touchdown on nine carries, giving Ohio a dual-threat look at the position.
Wide receiver Dom Dorwart was Poulos's top target in that game, catching four passes for 125 yards. The two connected on a 78-yard touchdown in the first quarter, the kind of explosive play that has helped Ohio pull away in games during the streak. That combination of an accurate, mobile quarterback and a receiver capable of the long score is the identity of this Ohio team right now.
Akron's one bright spot: Jordan Gant
Akron's six-game skid hasn't been for lack of effort from running back Jordan Gant. Against Kent State, Gant ran for a season-best 162 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries, by far his busiest workload of the year.
For the season, Gant has 711 yards and six touchdowns on 127 carries, an average of 77.25 yards per game that ranks fourth among all running backs in the MAC. The production just hasn't been enough to offset a defense that allowed 35 points in the most recent loss. Akron has the one player worth watching on tape even in a lost season.
What's next for both teams
Ohio will try to push its winning streak to six games as it works through the back half of the MAC schedule. Akron is looking for its first win since the skid started, with Gant as the one player who has kept producing through the losses. Both teams are coming off Week 8 performances that defined their seasons in different ways, and tonight is the next data point for each.
Whatever happens tonight, the matchup is a clean contrast in form. One team is building momentum behind its quarterback and receiver. The other is searching for a turnaround built around its running back.
Facts per CBS Sports. Opinion is the taproom's.