Central Michigan vs Ball State Odds, Picks, Predictions: Value on the Road Dog?
Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: Central Michigan quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr.
Central Michigan vs Ball State Odds
| Central Michigan Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 40.5 -110o / -110u | -210 |
| Ball State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 40.5 -110o / -110u | +175 |
It's MACtion time, baby. The Central Michigan Chippewas (4-3) head to Muncie to face the Ball State Cardinals (1-6).
Central Michigan has been a rollercoaster of a team all season long, while Ball State has been the conference punching bag.
However, these teams might be closer than current records indicate. Let's dive in and see if we can uncover any betting value in the Central Michigan vs Ball State Odds, Picks, Predictions.
Central Michigan has had a strange season thus far, featuring an extremely tough non-conference schedule to start it off.
They dropped a game against Michigan State by 24 points and followed it up with another 24-point loss to No. 15 Notre Dame. However, they did manage to cover a lofty 34.5-point spread against the Fighting Irish.
The team has yet to be challenged in conference play, so gauging where they are in the context of the MAC is somewhat tricky. They got hammered by Buffalo on the road two weeks ago but followed it up with a 17-10 win over Akron.
Central Michigan has no true identity, which has been their issue. They have been mediocre on both ends of the ball in almost every regard.
Despite a 2-1 start in the MAC, the Chippewas are a lot closer in overall strength to Ball State than it may appear. They have had the luxury of skating by without facing the conference class yet and might be overvalued.
Ball State has looked dreadful this season, managing just 40 points across three conference games. The offense is anemic, and the defense hasn't been much better, notably surrendering 42 points to Western Michigan three weeks ago.
The Cardinals have yet to find a rhythm with quarterback play. There has essentially been a rotation of three players at the position, with Kiael Kelly starting last week.
Kelly threw for just 38 yards against Toledo as the only player to throw a pass. He did manage to run for 98 yards on 18 carries, likely influencing the offensive scheme for this matchup against Central Michigan.
Ball State is built similarly to Central Michigan, adding some intrigue from a betting perspective. The two teams are almost identical in every advanced metric used to evaluate team strength.
The two teams are tied in the rankings for Quality Drives and are just a few spots away from each other in Success Rate in the air and on the ground.
The lone bright spot for Ball State came last week against Toledo. Despite losing, they managed to hold the high-octane Toledo offense to just 13 points. That's pretty damn impressive.
They can hang with Central Michigan this week if they can build on this momentum.
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Central Michigan and Ball State match up statistically:
Central Michigan Offense vs. Ball State Defense
 | Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 78 | 69 | |
| Line Yards | 67 | 87 | |
| Pass Success | 98 | 97 | |
| Havoc | 74 | 103 | |
| Finishing Drives | 43 | 83 | |
| Quality Drives | 114 | 114 |
Ball State Offense vs. Central Michigan Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 121 | 112 | |
| Line Yards | 64 | 103 | |
| Pass Success | 103 | 122 | |
| Havoc | 129 | 127 | |
| Finishing Drives | 129 | 113 | |
| Quality Drives | 98 | 110 |
Pace of Play / Other
| ||
| PFF Tackling | 45 | 39 |
| PFF Coverage | 106 | 107 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 114 | 108 |
| Middle 8 | 99 | 96 |
| Seconds per Play | 28.2 (88) | 29.3 (107) |
| Rush Rate | 56.8% (41) | 52.3% (84) |
Central Michigan vs Ball State
Betting Pick & Prediction
These two teams are pretty close overall. Central Michigan has the better season-long record, but Ball State doesn't appear to be separated by much.
Expect this game to go down to the wire in a low-scoring affair. The betting total for this game is currently set at a measly 41 points.
Not only are the Cardinals being given points, but they are also getting them as road dogs. Who doesn't love a good road dog?
What is QuickSlip?
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