Western Michigan Broncos vs Ball State Cardinals Betting Pick & Prediction 10/5/24

ESPN+ will be covering the week six matchup between the Western Michigan Broncos and Ball State Cardinals, set to kick off at 2:00 ET from Scheumann Stadium in Muncie. Both teams enter this game with a 1-3 record for the season. The Broncos are the heavy -9.5-point favorites, and the over/under line is currently set at 56.5 points.

WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS VS BALL STATE CARDINALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Ball State Cardinals +9.5

This game will be played at Scheumann Stadium at 2:00 ET on Saturday, October 5th.

WHY BET THE BALL STATE CARDINALS:

• We have the Ball State Cardinals winning this one by a score of 30 to 23
• Not only do we have the Ball State Cardinals winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +9.5
• We see this game finishing below the line of 56.5 points

Will The Western Michigan Broncos Win As Road Favorites?

Western Michigan heads into Week 6 against Ball State with a 1-3 record. They are ranked 111th in our power rankings, and their chances of being bowl-eligible are at 46.4%. So far, they are 0-3 on the road this season.

The Broncos have not been favored in any of their games this season and have a -12.2 average scoring margin. Against the spread, they are 1-2.

This week’s over/under line is 56.5 points. Western Michigan’s games have averaged 58.8 points, with their average over/under line at 55 points.

Western Michigan’s offense is averaging 23.2 points per game heading into week 6, placing them 71st in the nation. However, they rank 51st in our offensive power rankings. Their rushing game is their strength, with 183 rushing yards per game on 36.5 attempts.

Jaden Nixon leads the team with 360 rushing yards, averaging 6 yards per carry, and has scored three touchdowns. Quarterback Hayden Wolff has thrown for 643 yards, with four touchdowns and two interceptions. He has a passer rating of 92, completing 61.7% of his passes. Anthony Sambucci leads the receivers with 212 yards and one touchdown.

Western Michigan’s defense has struggled this season, allowing an average of 35.5 points per game. In their recent game against Marshall, they gave up 27 points, including three passing touchdowns, while allowing 422 total yards, 245 of which came on the ground.

Opponents have averaged 214 rushing yards per game against Western Michigan, ranking them 154th nationally. Through the air, they’ve allowed 223.8 passing yards per game, with quarterbacks completing 65.2% of their passes.

Are The Ball State Cardinals Going Win In At Upset At Scheumann Stadium

Ball State enters Week 6 with a 1-3 record, facing Western Michigan at home. They are ranked 133rd in our power rankings and have just a 1.3% chance of reaching bowl eligibility this season.

The Cardinals have a -28.2 average scoring margin and are 1-2 against the spread. They’ve been the underdog in all four games so far.

This week’s over/under line is 56.5, higher than their average line of 54.2. Ball State’s over/under record is 3-0, with their games averaging 69.8 points.

Ball State’s offense is averaging 20.8 points per game heading into week 6, placing them 99th in our offensive power rankings. Their rushing game has struggled, averaging just 100.8 yards per game. Braedon Sloan leads the team with 282 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Quarterback Kadin Semonza has thrown for 826 yards and eight touchdowns but has also been intercepted five times, giving him a passer rating of 87. Ball State ranks 36th in passing attempts per game and 27th in completions. They are 25th in completion percentage, connecting on 66.4% of their passes.

Ball State’s defense has struggled this season, allowing an average of 49 points per game. In their recent game against James Madison, they gave up 63 points, including five passing touchdowns and 523 total yards. The secondary allowed 286 passing yards, while the run defense surrendered 237 yards on the ground.

Opponents have averaged 310.8 passing yards per game against Ball State, completing 69.6% of their passes. The defense has faced the 25th fewest rushing attempts in the country, but they’ve still allowed 219.2 rushing yards per game.