The set-up: Akron is 0-2 and Kent State is 2-0. I expect the Golden Flashes to take advantage of this matchup and of familiar surroundings and to keep the foot on the gas from start to finish. In a normal season, this could very well be a spot in which I would go against Kent State as such a big favorite here. This would tend to set up as a kind of natural letdown spot for it, but these teams are only playing six games this season, so every game counts. There's nobody letting up or looking past when you're only playing six games, as each and everyone counts more than ever. And with a game at Buffalo up next, who is 2-0 as well, this one vs. Akron becomes important (and running up the score and posting a major victory here is going to help in its rankings at the end.) Akron has a freshman quarterback in Zach Gibson this year and so far he has two touchdowns and three interceptions (two of those came in last week's loss to Miami Ohio.) Kent State quarterback Dustin Crum though has looked sharp in the early going, he has 490 yards, six touchdowns and one interception after two games. In the win over Bowling Green last weekend he had four touchdown passes.

The pick: The defenses of each team are completely polar opposite as well, as Kent State allows just 23.5 points per game, while Akron is conceding 41. Last year the Golden Flashes won this game 26-3, but I think this one will be an even bigger blowout. Akron has some talent, as running back Teon Dollard has 232 rushing yards on 38 carries, but Kent State features elite-level talent as well (including wide receiver Isaiah McKoy, who already has 14 catches for 178 yards and three touchdowns. Akron's a bad team. At some point it's going to grab a win, but it's still 0-19 straight up in its last 19 and only 4-17 in its last 21 against the spread following a straight-up loss. The Golden Flashes have averaged over 44.5 points per game in the early going and I simply can't see the Zips stopping them, OR keeping up with them. Consider laying the points in this one.

This is a 1* FREE PLAY on Kent State.