Ball State Cardinals vs Vanderbilt Commodores Betting Pick & Prediction 10/19/24

The Vanderbilt Commodores head into this week eight non-conference matchup with a 4-2 record, and they are set to host the Ball State Cardinals at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 ET, and SEC Network will be handling the broadcast. Vanderbilt is favored by -26.5 points, with the over/under line currently at 58.5 points. The money line odds have Ball State at +1428 and Vanderbilt at -5192.

BALL STATE CARDINALS VS VANDERBILT COMMODORES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Vanderbilt Commodores -26.5

This game will be played at FirstBank Stadium at 7:00 ET on Saturday, October 19th.

WHY BET THE VANDERBILT COMMODORES:

• We have the Vanderbilt Commodores winning this one by a score of 41 to 13
• Not only do we have the Vanderbilt Commodores winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at -26.5
• We see this game finishing below the line of 58.5 points

Will The Ball State Cardinals Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs

Ball State enters Week 8 with a 2-4 record, facing Vanderbilt. They rank 131st in our power rankings and have just a 0.4% chance of being bowl-eligible. The Cardinals are 1-3 on the road and 0-1 at home this season.

They’ve been favored in only one game, going 1-0 as the favorite. Their average scoring margin is -19, and their ATS record stands at 2-3.

The over/under line for this week is 58.5 points. Ball State’s games have averaged 73 points, with an over/under record of 5-0. Their average line has been 55.7 points, and they’ve exceeded it by 16.7 points per game.

Ball State’s offense is averaging 27 points per game heading into week 8, placing them 55th in the nation. They are ranked 106th in our offensive power rankings. Quarterback Kadin Semonza has thrown for 1,348 yards with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 89.

Ball State ranks 19th in passing attempts per game, averaging 36.5, and 18th in completions, with 23.7 per game. They are 67th in passing yards, averaging 228.8 yards per game. Semonza has completed 66% of his passes, while the team’s overall completion rate is 64.8%, ranking 35th nationally. On the ground, Ball State is averaging 111 rushing yards per game.

Ball State’s defense has struggled this season, allowing an average of 46 points per game. In their recent matchup against Kent State, they gave up 35 points but managed to secure a 37-35 victory. The defense allowed 461 total yards, including 394 passing yards and four passing touchdowns, though they did force one interception.

Opponents have averaged 316.8 passing yards per game against Ball State, completing 69.2% of their passes. On the ground, Ball State has allowed 190.7 rushing yards per game, with opponents averaging 31.2 rushing attempts per game, which ranks 28th fewest in the nation.

Are The Vanderbilt Commodores Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?

Vanderbilt enters Week 8 with a 4-2 record, ranked 35th in our CFB power rankings. They have an 83.3% chance of becoming bowl-eligible but only a 0.2% chance of winning the Southeastern. At home, the Commodores are 1-0, while they hold a 1-1 record on the road this season.

Vanderbilt is 2-1 against the spread, with a +11.2 average scoring margin. They’ve been favored in just one game, going 0-1 ATS as the favorite but 2-0 as the underdog.

This week’s over/under line is 58.5 points, higher than any of their previous games. Vanderbilt’s average over/under line is 48.7 points, and their games have averaged 58.2 points, with an average over/under margin of +10.1 points.

Vanderbilt’s offense is averaging 34.7 points per game, ranking 23rd nationally, and they are 12th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 8. Diego Pavia has thrown for 1,116 yards with a passer rating of 121, leading the Commodores’ passing attack. He has 10 touchdown passes and just one interception, completing 69.1% of his throws.

Vanderbilt ranks 19th in rushing attempts, averaging 166 yards per game on the ground. Sedrick Alexander leads the team with 339 rushing yards and five touchdowns, averaging 4 yards per carry. Quincy Skinner Jr. has 184 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Vanderbilt’s defense played a key role in their 20-13 win over Kentucky, allowing just 13 points. They gave up 324 total yards, including 166 rushing yards on 30 attempts and 158 passing yards, while also forcing an interception.

So far this season, Vanderbilt’s defense is ranked 42nd nationally, allowing 23.5 points per game. They’ve given up 219.3 passing yards per game and 123.8 rushing yards, facing the 20th fewest rushing attempts in the country at 30.2 per game.