This article is part of our DraftKings College Football series.
MACtion kicks off Tuesday night with a two-game slate on DraftKings that features some high-flying offenses and one team with a major question at quarterback.
SLATE OVERVIEW
Kent State (-7) vs. Ball State O/U: 62.5
Buffalo (-3) @ Ohio O/U: 59
You have to downgrade the total in the BSU/KSU game due to the potential absence of Collin Schlee. Devin Kargman hasn't played badly in his absence, but an absence from Schlee would change a few endorsements. Otherwise, the Buffalo-Ohio game is full of potential as well, and we've thrown a lot of love Buffalo's way in this article.
WEATHER REPORT
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QUARTERBACK
Kurtis Rourke, Ohio ($7,100) vs. Buffalo
Though Rourke and the whole squad were destroyed by Penn State, he's fared very well against more even competition. His best game was a 537-yard, four-touchdown line against Fordham, a game that produced 111 total points. If Rourke is firing on all cylinders, the Bobcats can rack up a lot of points quickly. Roarke also has 189 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Cole Snyder, Buffalo ($7,400) @ Ohio
With Kent State's Collin Schlee a game-time call and John Paddock an unappealing alternative on the road, we're giving Snyder the nod as the second QB for our endorsement. Snyder provides a more well-rounded game. He threw two picks against Coastal Carolina and UMass, but his performances have been solid overall. He faces an Ohio defense that's just about as bad as you can get against the pass, allowing an average of 335 yards per game.
RUNNING BACK
Carson Steele, Ball State ($6,400) @ Kent State
Steele has broken the century mark in all of his last three contests, compiling four touchdowns and 404 yards of total offense during that span. His only subpar game happened in Week 1 against Tennessee, but otherwise, his numbers have been off the charts. Kent State surrenders about 170 yards per game against opposing running backs, so it looks like a green light for Steele, who comes in at a very favorable salary.
Marquez Cooper, Kent State ($4,900) vs. Ball State
Cooper's low salary is a little shocking given the current QB situation. The Golden Flashes played without Collin Schlee against Akron last week and they leaned on the run. Cooper put up 137 yards in that game. He's had a couple of disappointing outings but aside from a down game against Miami(OH), he's been on fire over the past month, including a monster 240-yard game against Ohio. That performance against Ohio allows us to endorse…
Ron Cook, Buffalo ($6,600) @ Ohio
When someone like Cooper can put up massive numbers against an opposing defense, you have to call Cook's number this week. Not only is Cook a productive runner, but he's also a good part of Cole Snyder's passing attack, so there's mini-stack potential here if you're already clicking on Snyder. Cook is coming off a solid 118-yard performance against Toledo, and he's set up very well against Ohio's defense.
WIDE RECEIVER
Before endorsing anyone, I want to first mention the situation I talked about earlier. Dante Cephas ($6,200) and Devontez Walker ($5,300) are two of the best wideouts on the slate, and If Collin Schlee is able to play, going with him and stacking Cephas and Walker would be an excellent way to go. They'll take a pretty significant hit if the QB turns out to be Devin Kargman, but I would still consider Walker, who caught both of Kargman's TD passes last week.
Jayshon Jackson, Ball State ($5,500) @ Kent State
Jackson is one of the best wideouts in the MAC and is at an insanely low salary. He's easily John Paddock's favorite target, and he's tallied 54 receptions for 633 yards this season. The one downside for Jackson is scoring, as he's only found the end zone twice, but he's still very viable at this low salary.
Justin Marshall, Buffalo ($5,000) @ Ohio
I love stacking the Bulls on this slate, and although Quian Williams ($5,600) is above Marshall on the board, I like Marshall's potential a bit better as an upside pick. We've already mentioned how bad Ohio's defense is, and the secondary is definitely their weakest spot. Either receiver is an ok bet as a stack with Snyder.