Ball State at Eastern Michigan

Time: 1 PM CST

Spread: EM -1

Total: 58

Odds c/o 5dimes

Ball State improved to 2-3 with its 27-20 road victory over Northern Illinois last week. The Cardinals started the game by falling behind 0-14, but once the clouds burst things changed. The Cardinals outscored NIU by a count of 27-3 after it started raining. This week Ball State stays on the road as it visits Eastern Michigan as 1-point underdogs according to NCAA Football oddsmakers at 5dimes. The over/under is set at 58 total points and the game will kick off at 1 PM CST.

BALL ST.

Last week, Caleb Huntley really carried Ball State. He rushed 35 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns, while starting quarterback Drew Plitt struggled, completing just 28 percent of his 14 passes for 34 yards and an interception. No Cardinal receiver even had more than a single reception. Ball State had its struggles but ultimately the ground game proved more reliable than NIU’s air assault, given the rain and the slippery football.

While Northern Illinois did pick up far more passing yards (241) it did not throw for a single touchdown and was limited to just 147 rushing yards. Ball State had just 34 passing yards but manage to amass 235 yards on the ground while averaging almost four yards-per-carry. Plitt had minimal success with his own rushing attempts, carrying the ball 12 times for just 23 yards (1.9 per-carry).

The Cardinals are accustomed to Plitt being much more of a factor, but the rain made the rushing game that much more important. Plitt has thrown for 1,407 yards this season, with just 34 last week. He averages 7.4 yards-per-pass and has 11 touchdowns (with five interceptions, and 13 sacks). Plitt is not typically an effective rusher, but Huntley is very consistent and good. He averages 4.5 yards-per-carry on the season and has five of the team’s seven rushing touchdowns. No. 2 running back Walter Fletcher has one TD and 126 yards on 40 carries.

Wide receiver Riley Miller is typically a huge threat, but with the rain, the Cardinals went away from him. Even so, his 321 receiving yards lead the Cardinals and he has caught two TD passes. Antwan Davis leads the team in TD receptions with three while ranking No. 2 in yardage (289) and No. 3 in total catches (19).

EMU

Eastern Michigan is 3-2 this season. IT defeated Coastal Carolina Week 1, Illinois in Week 3, Central Connecticut in Week 4, while losing to Kentucky in Week 2, and losing to Central Michigan 16-42 last week. The Eagles were beaten in nearly all facets by the Chippewas last week. Mike Glass did complete 20 of 34, but he had just one touchdown and one interception matching it. The backfield was horribly ineffective, as Eastern Michigan managed just 2.3 yards-per-carry.

Glass also led the team in rushing attempts (10) but he gained just 13 yards, although he did rush for the only touchdown Eastern scored via the rush. The wealth at the receiver positions was fairly spread out with 11 different players having at least one catch. Matthew Sexton’s five led the team, and he also accrued the most yardage (56) and the only TD.

Eastern Michigan has been pleased with Glass overall, despite his miscues last week. He has 1,387 yards on the season at a 66.8 percent clip with 13 TDs and five INTs. He has also only been sacked 1.4 times per game. Glass leads the team in rushing yardage and rushing attempts, but averages just 2.4 yards-per-attempt. Parker is No. 2 among running backs and has the only touchdown from a backfield performer. Shaq Vann is No. 2 in attempts behind Glass, but he too averages just 3.4 yards-per-carry and has no touchdowns to his credit yet.

EMU’s top-four receivers have all caught for better than 200 yards on the season with 11 touchdowns between them. Arthur Jackson III leads the way in yardage (237), while Dylan Drummond leads the way in total receptions (22). Both Jackson and Quian Williams have caught three TD passes, and EMU has 13 receiving touchdowns on the season. Kicker Chad Ryland is 5 of 6 on field goals, but his miss came from within 40—yards. He has hit 10 of 11 PATs.

The Eagles have 11 sacks (2.2 per game) this season for a total loss of over 70 yards. Meanwhile, its own starting quarterback has been sacked less, as a bright spot for the team. The rushing attack must improve, and last week was not a good passing one for Glass since he did not really capitalize on the ball movement with many scores and also threw his fifth pick of the season.