Ball State at NC State NCAA Football Game Picks 9/21/2019

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Carter-Finley Stadium

Drew Plitt and the Ball State Cardinals head to Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday where they'll meet the NC State Wolfpack. Ball State opens this game as 20-point underdogs. The O/U is set at 56. The Cardinals are 1-2-0 ATS and 2-1-0 when betting on the total. The Wolfpack are 1-2-0 when wagering on the over/under and 1-2-0 against the spread.

Key Ball State Cardinals Injuries

No key injuries to report

Key NC State Wolfpack Injuries

09/15/19 DE James Smith-Williams Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Ball State
09/02/19 WR C.J. Riley ACL is out for season

In their last game, the Ball State Cardinals took on the Florida Atlantic Owls and were beaten 41-31. Running the show from under center for the Cardinals was Drew Plitt who went 26/38 with 303 yards through the air and threw 3 touchdowns. He gave away 1 pick on the day. Caleb Huntley led the team on the ground for that game. He broke a long run for 22 yards but he wasn't able to rush for a TD on the day. He rushed for 86 yards on 14 carries which had him averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Antwan Davis was the leader in receiving yardage with a total of 76 yards on 5 catches. He earned an average of 15.2 yards per catch for that game. The Ball State Cardinals ran the ball a total of 35 times and earned a total of 169 yards which earned them an average of 4.8 yards per rush. For the game, they totaled 73 plays which gave them a total of 472 yards. For the contest, the Cardinals earned a total of 24 1st downs and they had 6 penalties for 49 yards which tells us their heads weren't always in the game. When it comes to their defensive performance, Ball State gave up 33 catches on 41 throws totaling 366 yards, and a completion percentage of 80.5%. For the game, they allowed 507 yards and forced 2 turnovers. On the ground, the Cardinals gave up 141 yards on 43 tries allowing their opponent an average of 3.3 yards per rushing attempt allowed.

The Cardinals head into this game 1-2 for 2019. They are one of top scoring teams in the nation with an average of 37.3 points per game, ranking them 36th in the country. As a team, they are averaging 140.3 yards on the ground per contest which is 7th in the MAC. For total yardage, they currently sit at 2nd in the conference and 21st in the country with 1,466 yards. The Cardinals have one of the most lackluster defenses in the country, allowing 34.7 points per contest ranking them 9th in the Mid-American Conference. When it comes to passing yards, the Cardinals have allowed 1,045 yards. Opponents are completing 65.8% of the passes they throw against them and averaging 7.8 yards per try. In terms of yards rushing, Ball State is allowing 131.3 yards per game ranking them 3rd in the MAC and 58th in college football. Opposing teams are running for an average of 3.5 yards per rush putting them 3rd in the Mid-American Conference and 49th in D-1 overall. In total, they have conceded 394 yards rushing through 3 games.

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In their last game, the NC State Wolfpack played West Virginia (Doc Sports is against this week) and took the defeat by a score of 44-27. Zonovan Knight paced the team on the ground for the game. He tore off a long run of 26 yards but he never crossed the endzone by way of the rush. He scurried for 72 yards by way of 12 carries which means he ran for an average of 6.0 yards per carry. Emeka Emezie was the leader in receiving yardage by racking up 103 yards on 12 catches. He earned an average of 8.6 yards per reception for the game. Taking the lead at quarterback for the Wolfpack was Matthew McKay who went 23/48 with 207 yards through the air and threw 1 touchdown. He ended the game with no interceptions. The NC State Wolfpack ran the ball 37 times and earned 144 yards which gave them an average of 3.9 yards per rush. For the game, they ran 86 plays for a total of 369 yards. Overall, the Wolfpack totaled 24 first downs and they had 9 penalties for 88 yards which is telling in terms of discipline. When discussing the defense, NC State conceded 27 completions on 40 tries totaling 272 yards, and a completion percentage of 67.5%. Against the run, the Wolfpack conceded 173 yards on 28 carries which gave them an average of 6.2 yards per attempt allowed. For this contest, they gave up a total of 445 yards and forced 1 turnover.

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The Wolfpack head into this game 2-1. In terms of offensive proficiency, the Wolfpack have one of the top tier offenses in Division 1. NC State is making teams fear their ground game this season by averaging 214.7 yards on the ground per game, ranking them 36th in the nation. As a unit, they have compiled a total of 644 rushing yards through 3 contests, and if they want to continue their dominance, they'll want to keep running the ball. The Wolfpack average 471.3 yards per contest overall putting them 32nd in D-1 and 3rd in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Wolfpack are allowing 16.7 points per game ranking them 2nd in the ACC and 35th in college football. In regard to points allowed, they have allowed 50 total points. When talking about yards rushing, they are allowing 74 yards per game which puts them at 14th in the country and 2nd in the Atlantic Coast Conference. For this season, they have conceded 222 yards rushing and 3 rushing TDs. Their pass defense is one of the top units in the country. They are conceding 199.3 passing yards per game. For yards through the air allowed per game, the Wolfpack currently sit at 7th in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Who will win tonight's Cardinals/Wolfpack college football game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Wolfpack -20

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