Ball State Cardinals vs. Eastern Michigan Eagles Total Pick

Ball State Cardinals (1-4 SU, ATS 0-3-1) vs Eastern Michigan Eagles (2-3 SU, ATS 2-1)
Date: Saturday, October 7th
Location: Rynearson Stadium, Ypsilanti, MI
TV: ESPN+
Point Spread: Ball State +2.5/Eastern Michigan -2.5
Money Line: Ball State +108/Eastern Michigan -132
Over/Under: 45

The Ball State Cardinals and Eastern Michigan Eagles matchup in a Mid-American showdown at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, MI. The over/under for this matchup is currently 45 while Eastern Michigan is favored by -2.5.

Head-to-Head Matchup:

The most recent matchup between these teams finished with a 20-16 win for Eastern Michigan. Eastern Michigan’s defense made things tough for Ball State up front as Ball State only ran for 114 yards. On offense, Eastern Michigan ended the game with 197 passing yards and 161 rushing yards.

Ball State Cardinals Recent Form:

Ball State has an overall record of 1-4 as they prepare for this game. In their most recent game, they faced Western Michigan and were unable to secure a win, resulting in a 42-24 loss the Broncos.

Ball State and Western Michigan combined for 66 points in the game, which was enough to surpass the over/under line of 49.5 points. In addition to losing straight-up, Ball State did not cover the spread as 2-point underdogs.

Against Western Michigan, Layne Hatcher threw for 316 yards on a completion percentage of 70.3%. In the loss, he threw three touchdowns and had a passer rating of 123.25.

Marquez Cooper carried the ball 15 times vs. Western Michigan and led the team in rushing with 82 yards, but he couldn’t find the endzone on the ground during the game. Qian Magwood paced Ball State with his nine receptions for 110 yards and one touchdown.

Ball State’s defense gave up 461 yards of offense vs. Western Michigan. In the passing game, they allowed 328 yards while on the ground they gave up 133 yards. The Cardinals defense faces off against Eastern Michigan with eight sacks and are 1st in QB hurries. When it comes to points allowed, they’re giving up 35.6 points per game which is 108th in the nation. Against the pass, they’re 155th in the NCAA, allowing 275.2 passing yards per game. Ball State’s run defense is yielding 123.2 rushing yards per contest.

Away Injury Report

Eastern Michigan Eagles Recent Form:

As Eastern Michigan prepares to take on Ball State, they have a record of 2-3. The Eagles most recently lost to Central Michigan by a score of 26-23.

Even though Eastern Michigan lost straight-up, they did manage to cover as 9.5-point underdogs. The over/under line pre-game was 45, resulting in a hit for the over.

In Eastern Michigan’s most recent loss, Austin Smith not only threw for one touchdown but ran for one as well. For the game, he threw for a total of 186 yards while completing 76.9% of his passes.

In addition to his passing performance, quarterback Austin Smith showcased his skills in the running game against Central Michigan, rushing 19 times for a total of 71 yards. On his seven receptions, Tanner Knue finished with one touchdown and 68 yards.

Eastern Michigan’s defense gave up 411 yards of offense vs. Central Michigan. In the passing game, they allowed 218 yards while on the ground they gave up 193 yards. So far this season, the Eagles’ defense has given up 222.4 rushing yards per game against the run (44th). Opponents are averaging 192.4 passing yards and opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 77 against Eastern Michigan. In terms of points allowed, they are 53rd in the NCAA.

Home Injury Report

No Injuries Reported

Betting Trends

• Ball State are 2-2-1 Against the spread in their last five games on the road.
• Looking across Eastern Michigan’s ten most recent home games, they are 7-2-1 against the spread.
• Eastern Michigan’s ATS record in their five most recent games as an underdog is 4-1.
• When favored, Ball State has gone 4-6 vs. the spread (last 10).

Line Movement:

Considering the present moneyline odds, Eastern Michigan is currently given a 57% chance of victory, along with a moneyline payout of -134. In contrast, the Cardinals’ implied win percentage is 48% with a moneyline of +110. The point spreads have remained relatively steady up to this point. Presently, Eastern Michigan is the favorite with a -2.5 point spread and a payout of -111, while Ball State is at +2.5 (-110). The over/under market has seen a shift since when it opened, with the lines opening at 44.5 compared to where its currently at (45).

Free Pick

I’d stay away from the spread in this one, as anything could happen between these two teams. Instead, I’m going with the over, as there is a lot of value with the line sitting at 45. Look for this to be a higher scoring game than expected.