by Rod Pearson
Wednesday, Sep 07, 2022
Game Time: 2:00 pm ET, Saturday, September 10, 2022
Venue: Scheumann Stadium, Muncie, IN
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: WMU -6.5, Ball State +6.5; Over/Under: 53 points
Bet365: Point Spread: WMU -6.5, Ball State +6.5; Over/Under: 52.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: WMU -6.5, Ball State +6.5; Over/Under: 52.5 points
Season Record
Western Michigan Broncos: 0-1 (6th place, MAC West)
Ball State Cardinals: 0-1 (4th place, MAC West)
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Western Michigan Broncos: lost their last game on the road against the Michigan State Spartans 35-13.
Ball State Cardinals: lost their last game on the road against the Tennessee Volunteers 59-10.
Western Michigan Broncos vs Ball State Cardinals Preview and Analysis
WMU is entering this game with a 0-1 record overall to start their college football season and they will be playing their 2nd road game of the season here as they are 0-1 in their road games this year. This will also be their 1st conference matchup of the season. They lost against the Michigan State Spartans in their last game on the road 35-13. Jack Salopek started that game at QB and he completed 21/36 passes for 193 yards. Sean Tyler led the team in rushing with 68 yards and 1 touchdown on 13 rushing attempts. Jehlani Galloway led the team in receiving with 70 yards on 4 receptions. Delano Ware led the defense in that game with 3 solo tackles and 2 assisted tackles. Andre Carter and Warren Dabney both led the defense in sacks with 0.5 each while Kenih Lovely came away with the only interception for them in that one.
Ball State is entering this game with a 0-1 record overall to start their college football season and they will be playing their 1st home game of the season here. They will also be playing their 1st conference game on their conference schedule this year. They lost against the Tennessee Volunteers in their last game on the road 59-10. John Paddock started that game at QB and he completed 27/43 passes for 269 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Carson Steele led the team in rushing with 27 yards on 11 rushing attempts. Jayshon Jackson led the team in receiving with 65 yards on 5 receptions. Jaquan Amos led the defense in that game with 6 solo tackles and 2 assisted tackles. Jordan Riley-Scott led the defense in sacks with 1 while no one on the defense recorded an interception for them in that one.
Western Michigan vs Ball State Prediction
The current betting odds have Ball State listed as a 6.5 point underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Ball State didn't look very good in their game last week as they were crushed on the road in Tennessee, but that was also a much better program they faced that has been building itself up for a few years now and they were going to win that game by a lot no matter what as the talent there just outweighs Ball State. Ball State is back at home here for their home opener though, and they will give a better effort than what was seen from them last week. WMU put up a good fight early in their last game, but they are also coming off a crushing loss on the road. They also played a very tough team in Michigan State but they put a lot of effort into that game to try and beat a big school from their state and this could very well be a let down spot for them here in another road game right after. Ball State still managed to move the ball well both on the ground and through the air in that game, and they will play a lot better being back at home here. The best way to place a bet here is on Ball State to cover the spread in this game as they have a good chance of winning this game outright and upsetting here at home.
Western Michigan Ball State Prediction: Our NCAAF Pick for Saturday, September 10, 2022 (2:00 pm ET start time) is Ball State 27 WMU 20.
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NCAAF Betting Trends
Western Michigan Broncos: 21-13 ATS after allowing 7.25 or more yards/play in their previous game. 17-10 UNDER as a road favorite of 7 points or less. 16-9 UNDER after allowing 7.25 or more yards/play in their previous game.
Ball State Cardinals: 10-19 ATS as a home underdog of 7 points or less. 10-19 ATS in a home game where the total is between 49.5 and 56. 8-1 UNDER in home games.
Key Injuries
Western Michigan Broncos: None.
Ball State Cardinals: B. Martin (LB) Ques Sat - Leg.
Notable Quotes
“We didn't get the job done. Our number one thing coming into the game was to take care of the ball and I don't think we did a good job of that. Obviously, we turned the ball over twice in the red zone, two lost fumbles. We need to be better to beat a good team like that.” - Tim Lester on the way his team played in their loss to MSU.
“We made a personnel adjustment with what we were going to play with on the field. A lot of the night, we played with three defensive linemen, two linebackers and six defensive backs. We wanted to try and make sure in those passing situations that we forced them to throw the check down, so we had more opportunities to attack them, make more plays and try not to give up the big one. They’re not going to let you play zone. We knew that. We tried to play several guys and send a different group out for the next series, so if there is a one-on-one we defended the play before, we can send a different group out there.” - Mike Neu on his team’s defense in their loss against Tennessee.
Starting Lineups
Western Michigan Broncos
WR Abbott, A.J.
WR Crooms, Corey
WR Galloway, Jehlani
TE Hence, Austin
QB Salopek, Jack
RB Tyler, Sean
Ball State Cardinals
WR Jackson, Jayshon
WR Tyler, Yo'Heinz
WR Abdur-Rahman, Amir
TE Hunt, Brady
TE Koziol, Tanner
QB Paddock, John
RB Steele, Carson
Statistical Leaders
Western Michigan Broncos
Passing: J. Salopek (193)
Rushing: S. Tyler (68)
Receiving: J. Galloway (70)
Touchdowns: S. Tyler (1)
Ball State Cardinals
Passing: J. Paddock (269)
Rushing: C. Steele (27)
Receiving: J. Jackson (65)
Touchdowns: T. Koziol (1)
Coaches:
Western Michigan Broncos: Tim Lester (6th season)
Ball State Cardinals: Mike Neu (7th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
