NCAAF: WEATHER, CHIPPEWAS POSE PROBLEMS
Weather could ground the high-powered Ball State Cardinals offense in Wednesday’s Mid-American Conference game against the Central Michigan Chippewas.
A 25-degree forecast that includes wind and snow could create adverse conditions and make the total a great Under bet.
It could also make it difficult for the Cardinals passing game to create separation from a conference foe that has given them a ton of problems in recent years.
Central Michigan has been a thorn in the side of the Ball State Cardinals over the past four seasons. They’ve beaten their West Division counterpart four straight times and covered the spread in the last three games. Over the past 10 meetings, the Chippewas have taken the cash seven times.
Despite that, 64% of Sportsbook.com members prefer the #17-ranked Cardinals as seven-point favorites for Wednesday night’s pivotal conference game, even though mid-week games have been torturous for Top 25 teams over the past few seasons.
At 10-0, Ball State has visions of a perfect season and a spot in a high-profile bowl game but they’ll need to get past a pair of Michigan teams, with Central Michigan on Wednesday and Western Michigan six days later. They’ll also need to survive the Conference Championship should they get that far.
Heading into this game, both of these teams are tied for the West Division lead at 6-0 each in conference play. The Cardinals are a profitable 7-2 against the spread (ATS) this season but those two losses have come over the last three games while the Chippewas are 6-3 ATS, having covered four of their last five.
Central Michigan’s recent success, which includes six straight wins, hasn’t garnered them much respect but they’ll attempt to earn it on the national stage as this game is being broadcast on ESPN2, starting at 7 pm ET.
The Chippewas offense matches up fairly well with the high-powered Ball State attack as they are ranked 14th in the nation with 410.4 yards of offense per game. Where Central Michigan runs into problems is on the ground; they are ranked 77th with 131.3 rushing yards per game.
Bettors that think that instantly tips the game in favor of a Cardinals team that averages 194.2 yards per game on the ground need remember that Central Michigan’s defense, which gives up a lot of yards through the air, is significantly better at stopping the run.
“Wind could be a factor too,” said CMU coach Butch Jones. “It may affect the passing game a little bit. We have to have the ability to run the ball and stop the run defensively.”
Thursday Night Football Prediction – If weather prevents either of these offenses from getting going, the Under could be a solid Total bet. The Total opened at 55.5 points and has since dropped to 54.5.
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