Ball State vs. Northern Illinois Prediction, Odds, Spread and Over/Under for College Football Week 11

Wednesday night MAC-tion is heading our way with a mid-week matchup between the Ball State Cardinals and North Illinois Huskies. This is a huge game in terms of the division as the Huskies and Cardinals are one and two right now in the MAC West. 

The Cardinals made things a bit closer last week with a win over Arkansas while the Huskies lost to Kent State. Now, NIU will be desperate to hang on to their top spot in the hopes of heading to the Mid-American Championship.

The loss to Kent State snapped a five-game winning streak for the Huskies and they will want nothing more than to get back into the win column. Likewise, the Cardinals are finally in striking distance and have the opportunity to beat the only team ahead of them in the standings. 

Here are the odds for this MAC West rivalry game, courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.

Ball State vs Northern Illinois Spread and Over/Under

Spread:

• Ball State: -1.5 (-110) 

• Northern Illinois: +1.5  (-110) 

Moneyline:

• Ball State: -125

• Northern Illinois: +105

Total:

• 61.0 (Over -110/Under -110)

Ball State vs Northern Illinois Betting Trends

• The Cardinals are 3-6 ATS in their last nine games.  
• The UNDER is 9-3 in the Cardinals' last 12 games. 
• The Cardinals are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games against the Huskies. 
• The UNDER is 5-2 in the Cardinals' last seven games against the MAC. 
• The Huskies are 4-2 ATS in their last six games.
• The OVER is 5-2 in the Huskies’ last seven games against the MAC. 
• The Huskies are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games against the MAC West. 

Ball State vs. Northern Illinois Prediction and Pick

The matchup between these two teams and the situation they are in is the perfect recipe for a competitive game. Ball State has the edge on the defensive side of things, ranking 74th in opponent's points per game compared 115th for the Huskies. However, NIU has a much stronger offense. The Huskies rank 36th in the nation with 30.5 points per game scored while the Cardinals are 81st with 24.5 points per game. 

One thing that worries me about NIU in this game is how much they rely on the run. The Huskies run the ball more than all but six other teams in the nation, but are 51st in yards per rush. So, while they might be trying to pound the ball down the opponent’s throats, they are having mixed results. They rank in the top-20 in total yards on the ground but use up too many touches getting there. 

The Cardinals have a much more balanced offense led by quarterback Drew Plitt and running back Carson Steele. They have three receivers over 350 yards and a Carson Steele in the backfield. Steel is having a strong season with 582 yards on 111 attempts with five touchdowns. 

This game is a real toss-up but I like the value that Ball State presents as they try to knock NIU from atop the MAC West. 

Prediction: Ball State +105 moneyline