NCAAF: BALL STATE CHASING DREAMS
The Ball State Cardinals are dreaming about an undefeated season, but they first have to get past the Miami of Ohio Redhawks tonight. Sportsbook.com opened Ball State as 15 ½-point road favorites and they have leapfrogged all the way to 19.5 with a Total of 54.5. ESPN2 will broadcast starting at 7 pm ET.
The Cardinals are 9-0 (6-1-1 ATS) and have been in the Top 25 for the first time in school history since October 5th. They moved up two spots in the BCS standing to No. 14 with an impressive 45-14 conquest of Northern Illinois on a national telecast last week.
“Everybody talks about going undefeated, but we just talk about trying to make every play that we can,” Ball State quarterback Nate Davis said. “The biggest thing is we’ve got to keep our heads straight.”
That’s not as simple as it sounds for Ball State, who comes into this game 21-9-1 ATS in all games over the last three seasons. The Cardinals play Central Michigan next week, and they are unbeaten in the conference, but they can’t afford to look ahead.
The Cardinals are led by an offense that’s averaging 38.3 points and 458.4 yards, both 11th in the FBS, and had little trouble picking apart the conference’s top-ranked defense last week. Ball State amassed a season-high 529 yards against Northern Illinois and scored its most points since its season-opening 48-14 victory over Northeastern.
Davis, who is starting to attract NFL scouts’ attention, completed 18 of 22 passes for 300 yards and four touchdowns last week, breaking Mike Neu’s school record for career completions in the process. He’s led a team that is 9-2 ATS in road games over the last two seasons.
Miami-O (2-7, 3-5 ATS) does seem like easy pickings. Their only home win this year was against Charleston Southern and they have given up season highs in yardage in each of the last two games.
Coach Shane Montgomery is about to complete his third straight losing season and word around Oxford, OH is he might be finished. The Redhawks are 4-13 ATS off one or more straight Overs under Montgomery.
Ball State is 6-0 ATS in road games after scoring 31 points or more in two straight games and they are dreaming about another one.
Tuesday Night Football Prediction – Ball State covers
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