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Ohio vs. Ball State Football Betting: Will the Bobcats bag a division title in Muncie?
Written by: Eddie Griffin
Last Updated:
Read Time: 5 minutes
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Prior to the start of the college football season, the Ohio Bobcats were picked to finish fourth in the MAC East Division, behind Miami (Ohio), Kent State, and Buffalo.
But if they win at Ball State on Tuesday night and Bowling Green loses at Toledo, the Bobcats will wrap up their first division title since 2016.
Even if Ohio loses in Muncie or the Falcons upset the Rockets, the Bobcats will secure a spot in next month’s title tilt in Detroit against Toledo–who has already clinched the MAC West Division title–with a home win over Bowling Green in their regular season finale.
But just as the Rockets are favored to do their part at the Glass Bowl, the Bobcats are favored to take care of business at Scheumann Stadium and render the final week’s results irrelevant. Do my Ohio vs. Ball State prediction and favorite bets for the matchup back the favorites? Read on to find out.
Ohio vs. Ball State Matchup Information and Betting Odds
Matchup Information
- Ohio Bobcats (7-3, 5-1 MAC, 1st in the MAC East) vs. Ball State Cardinals (5-5, 3-3 MAC, 2nd in the MAC West)
- Venue & Location: Scheumann Stadium (Muncie, Indiana)
- Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2022
- Game Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- How to Watch Ohio vs Ball State: ESPN2
Ohio vs. Ball State Odds
Odds are via BetOnline as of Sunday, November 13, 2022, at 4:55 p.m. ET. Odds from our other recommended legal sports betting sites may also appear in this article.
Spread
- Ohio -4.5 (-110)
- Ball State +4.5 (-110)
Over/Under
- Over 52.5 (-115)
- Under 52.5 (-105)
Moneyline
- Ohio -200
- Ball State +164
Ohio vs. Ball State Gameday Odds
Odds are via BetOnline as of Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Spread
- Ohio -3.5 (-115)
- Ball State +3.5 (-105)
Over/Under
- Over 57.5 (-110)
- Under 57.5 (-110)
Moneyline
- Ohio -182
- Ball State +150
Can Ball State Beat the Bobcats Through the Air?
Even though Toledo QB Dequan Finn returned last week after missing their win over Eastern Michigan due to injury, Ball State was able to hang with the Rockets the entire way last week, losing 28-21 on a late touchdown.
The Cardinals went in with one of the nation’s better pass defenses in terms of yards allowed per completion and opponent completion percentage. Finn completed just 55.2 percent of his passes, but he threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns, including a decisive eight-yard scoring toss to Jamal Turner with 1:18 left.
The Cardinals stayed in the game thanks to running back Carson Steele, who racked up a career-high 198 yards on 28 carries and tied a career high with three touchdowns.
The sophomore has run for 100+ yards eight times this season, including each of his last five games, and is third in the country in carries (249), fourth in rushing yards (1,280), and tied for 16th in rushing touchdowns (12).
But the result could have been much different had Ball State QB John Paddock been much better. Paddock was just 13 of 35 (37.1 percent) for only 94 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception.
It was the fourth time in his last five games that Paddock has hit on less than 60 percent of his passes, and he has been picked off at least once in eight of ten games this season.
But in this matchup, he will be facing a pass defense that is statistically one of the worst in the country.
Pass Defense Rankings for the Ohio Bobcats (2022 Season)
- Opponent Completion Percentage: 67.0% (125th out of 131 FBS teams)
- Yards Allowed Per Attempt: 8.4 (119th)
- Yards Allowed Per Game: 316.2 (131st)
- Touchdown Passes Allowed: 24 (tied for 123rd)
But while defending the pass is certainly a weak spot for Ohio, their only losses this year are to Penn State, Iowa State, and overtime at Kent State, when they gave up over 700 yards but led in the final minutes of regulation.
Steele’s likely to get his against the Bobcats, who allow an average of 4.4 yards per attempt and 148.8 yards per game. But Ball State won’t win unless Paddock can bounce back well from his ugly outing against Toledo.
Ohio vs. Ball State Prediction and Picks
Ohio vs. Ball State Prediction: Ohio to win
Ohio vs. Ball State Picks: Ohio/Ball State over (Best Value: over 52.5 @ -115 at BetOnline) & Ohio to cover (Best Value: -4.5 @ -110 at BetOnline)
Ball State’s last six games have been decided by seven or fewer points, so a close game is likely in the cards for the Cards.
But Ball State’s defense will have a hard time slowing down Ohio’s offense, which followed 45 points and 474 yards in a 21-point win over Buffalo with 37 points and 556 yards in a 16-point win at Miami last week.
QB Kurtis Rourke isn’t the prolific runner that his brother Nathan was, but he is seventh in the country in passing yards (3,087), ninth in passing yards per attempt (9.2), and tied for 13th in touchdown passes (24). And in 337 pass attempts this season, he has been picked off just four times.
The Bobcats aren’t prolific on the ground but running back Sieh Bangura (127 carries, 640 yards, 8 TD; 19 catches, 195 yards, 2 TD) ran for a season-high 145 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries against Miami after missing the win over Buffalo.
That production is part of a timely upturn in results for Ohio’s ground game, which has picked up 505 yards on more than 4.5 yards per carry in the last three games after averaging only 3.7 yards per carry and 113 yards per game in the first seven games this season.
I expect that improved balance to continue at Ball State, and it will lead the way for the Bobcats as they pick up their sixth straight win.
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