Ball State Cardinals vs Central Michigan Chippewas Matchup

ESPN+ will be covering the week four matchup between the Ball State Cardinals and Central Michigan Chippewas as they take the field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant. Kick-off is set for 1:00 ET, and the Chippewas are favored at -6.5 points. The money line odds have the Chippewas at -234 and the Cardinals at +189. The over/under line is currently at 53.5 points for this game. Ball State is 1-1 on the season, while Central Michigan comes in with a 1-2 record.

Cardinals vs. Chippewas Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: Ball State Cardinals at Central Michigan Chippewas
Where: Mount Pleasant at Kelly/Shorts Stadium
Date: Saturday, September 21st
Betting Odds CMICH -6.5, BALLST +189 | CMICH -234 O/U 53.5

Cardinals Preview:

After a 62-0 defeat at the hands of Miami, Ball State is looking to bounce back. The Cardinals were +37.5 point underdogs on the road and failed to cover the spread, resulting in a loss for both the team and their bettors. The over/under line was set at 55.5 points, with the combined score of 62 points surpassing it.

Miami dominated from the start, with Ball State trailing 10-0 after the first quarter. The Cardinals fell further behind in the second quarter, heading into halftime down 31-0. Miami added 10 more points in the third quarter, and the Hurricanes closed out the game with 21 points in the fourth quarter.

Cardinals Offense Breakdown

Ball State's offense was held to just 115 total yards in their 62-0 loss to Miami. The Cardinals managed only 6 rushing yards on 20 attempts, forcing them to rely heavily on the passing game. Kadin Semonza completed 61.5% of his passes for 111 yards, with his longest completion going for 26 yards. Semonza ended the game with a passer rating of 55.13 and threw one interception.

On the ground, Braedon Sloan was the leading rusher with just 13 yards, while he also led the team in receiving with four catches for 41 yards.

Cardinals Team Defense

Ball State's defense is looking to rebound after giving up 750 yards and 62 points to Miami. The Cardinals were unable to stop the pass, allowing 507 yards and six touchdowns through the air. On the ground, they gave up 243 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Miami's offense moved the chains 31 times, and Ball State's defense was unable to force any turnovers.

Chippewas Preview:

Chippewas Offense Breakdown

Central Michigan's offense, led by quarterback Joe Labas, finished with 309 total yards in their 30-9 loss to Illinois. Labas completed 12 of 25 passes for 125 yards, while his top target, Evan Boyd, caught three passes for 38 yards.

The Chippewas' offense moved the chains 18 times but struggled to find the end zone, finishing with just nine points. The ground game contributed 142 yards, with Myles Bailey leading the way with 49 yards on six carries. Labas threw one interception and ended the game with a passer rating of 46.25.

Chippewas Team Defense

Central Michigan's defense will need to tighten up after giving up 379 total yards in their last game. Illinois found success through the air, throwing for 242 yards and two touchdowns while completing 19 of 29 passes. The Chippewas' run defense was more effective, holding Illinois to 137 yards on the ground. Overall, Central Michigan allowed 30 points and 20 first downs in the game.

Cardinals vs Chippewas Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past ten road matchups, Ball State has an ATS record of 5-4-1 while averaging 15 per game. The team went 2-8 overall in these games.
Through their last ten home contests, the Central Michigan Chippewas offense has averaged 18 points per game while allowing an average of 35. Central Michigan posted an overall record of 1-9 while going 3-7 ATS.
Looking back on the team's last ten games as the underdog, the Ball State Cardinals have a straight up record of 2-8. Their record vs the spread in these games was 5-4-1.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the favorite, the Central Michigan Chippewas have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 1-4.