Northern Illinois vs. Ball State Prediction
The Ball State Cardinals are laying 15 points as a home favorite versus the Northern Illinois Huskies at 7:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Is that too many points or will the home side roll in this MAC matchup?
Game Snapshot
309 Northern Illinois (+15) at 310 Ball State Cardinals (-15); o/u 61.5
Scheumann Stadium, Muncie, IN
7:00 p.m. ET, Wednesday, November 18, 2020
TV: ESPNN
Northern Illinois Huskies Game Notes
Northern Illinois redshirt senior QB Ross Bowers completed 16-of-32 passes for 139 yards in a 40-10 loss to Central Michigan on Wednesday. Bowers (6’2/200) looked out of his depth against the 2019 MAC West champion Chippewas. His limited arm strength forced him to make short throws while the receiving corps struggled to get open. His longest completion on the day was just 24 yards and he was only able to convert two-of-sixteen third down opportunities. The Huskies are simply not gong to win many games if they continue to produce a paltry 244 total yards on offense. The once proud NIU program has taken a step back under HC Thomas Hammock. They will try to pick up the pieces against a potent Ball State offense next Wednesday night.
Ball State Cardinals Game Notes
Ball State redshirt senor QB Drew Plitt completed 22-of-31 passes for 232 yards and one touchdown in a 38-31 victory over Eastern Michigan on Wednesday. Plitt (6’2/215) was efficient in support of Ball State’s punishing ground game that rolled up a whopping 304 yards with a 5.8 yards per carry on the overwhelmed Eastern Michigan defense. His highlight reel pass came on a well-thrown 33 yard touchdown pass to Yo’Heinz Tyler to give Ball State a 28-24 lead in the fourth quarter. The redshirt senior played his best when the chips were down, leading the Cardinals to 17 fourth quarter points in the come from behind victory. Ball State faces Northern Illinois in another edition of Wednesday night MACtion.
Northern Illinois vs. Ball State Betting Prediction
The road team is 8-3 against the spread in their last 11 games between these two teams while the Huskies are 5-0 against the spread in their last five games in Ball State and 7-1 against the number in their last eight games versus the Cardinals. Northern Illinois is also 4-1 against the spread in their last five games as an underdog, is 19-7-1 against the number in its last 27 road games versus a team with a losing home record and 35-16-2 at the betting window in its last 53 road games. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are just 1-4 against the spread in their last five games overall, are 1-5 against the number in their last six games as a favorite and is 6-16 at the betting window in their last 22 games as a home favorite.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 12 BETTING PREDICTION: NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES +15