Ohio vs Ball State Expert College Football Picks Against the Spread 10/26/2019

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Scheumann Stadium

Scheumann Stadium is the venue where Drew Plitt and the Ball State Cardinals will play the Ohio Bobcats on Saturday. The odds on this game have Ball State as 3-point favorites. The Bobcats are 1-6-0 ATS and 4-3-0 when betting on the total. The Cardinals are 3-4-0 when wagering on the over/under and 5-2-0 against the spread.

The last time they took the field, the Ohio Bobcats played the Kent State Golden Flashes and won 45-38. Taking the lead at quarterback for the Bobcats was Nathan Rourke who went 19/28 with 342 yards through the air and added 2 touchdowns. He ended the game without an interception. De'Montre Tuggle led the team on the ground for that game. His longest run of the day went for 19 yards and he tallied 2 touchdowns for the contest. He ran for a total of 80 yards by way of 19 carries which had him averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Isiah Cox was the leader in receiving yardage by earning 115 yards on 4 receptions. He averaged 28.8 yards per catch for that game. The Bobcats ran the football 46 times and racked up a total of 229 yards which gave them an average of 5.0 yards per carry. In the game, the Bobcats had a total of 31 first downs and they had 9 penalties for 105 yards telling us that this team was extremely undisciplined. In the game, they finished with a total of 74 plays for a total of 571 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Ohio allowed 24 completions on 35 attempts for a total of 262 yards, and a completion percentage of 68.6%. Overall, they allowed 476 yards and forced 1 takeaway. Against the run, the Bobcats allowed 214 yards on 39 attempts which is an average of 5.5 yards per carry allowed.

The Bobcats step onto the field holding a record of 3-4 for this season. For total yards, they sit in 5th in the conference and 59th in the nation with 2,846 yards. In terms of scoring, they are one of the marginal teams in the country with an average of 29.9 points per contest, putting them 63rd in the nation. As a team, they have an average of 176 yards on the ground per contest which is 7th in the Mid-American Conference. The Bobcats have one of the most lackluster defenses in the country, allowing 30.7 points per game ranking them 7th in the conference. When talking about yards rushing, Ohio is allowing 199.7 yards per contest putting them 9th in the Mid-American Conference and 109th in the country. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 5.3 yards per rush putting them 11th in the MAC and 117th in college football overall. Overall, they have allowed 1,398 yards rushing through 7 contests. When it comes to yards through the air, the Bobcats have conceded 1,614 yards. Teams are completing 63.4% of the throws they are attempting against them and averaging 7.7 yards per attempt.

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In their last outing, the Ball State Cardinals went up against the Toledo Rockets and earned the victory by a score of 52-14. Caleb Huntley paced the team on the ground for that game. He broke a long run for 34 yards but he never crossed the endzone by way of the rush. He rushed for a total of 119 yards by way of 20 carries which gave him an average of 6.0 yards per tote. Riley Miller led the team in receiving yardage by earning 87 yards on 4 catches. He averaged 21.8 yards per reception for that game. Running the show from under center for the Cardinals was Drew Plitt who went 11/17 with 206 yards through the air and added 3 touchdowns. He threw 1 pick in the game. The Cardinals rushed the ball a total of 49 times and totaled 376 yards which had them averaging 7.7 yards per attempt. For the contest, the Cardinals racked up a total of 24 first downs and they had a total of 5 penalties for 60 yards which tells us that they had an average outing in terms of discipline. In the game, they finished with a total of 66 plays which added up to 582 yards. When it comes to their defensive performance, Ball State allowed 16 completions on 38 throws for a total of 171 yards, and a completion percentage of 42.1%. On the ground, the Cardinals allowed 138 yards on 38 runs which is an average of 3.6 yards per carry allowed. In the game, they gave up 309 yards and earned 3 turnovers.

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The Cardinals head into this game 4-3. Ball State has built a respectable ground game this year by averaging 187.4 yards on the ground per game, which has them at 46th in the country. As a unit, they have a total of 1,312 rushing yards through 7 games, so they will want to continue to try to improve on the run game so opponents will have to respect all facets of the game. The Cardinals average 455 yards per contest overall putting them 26th in college football and 1st in the MAC. The Cardinals are giving up 27.9 points per game which puts them at 5th in the MAC and 73rd in Division 1. Their pass defense is one of the mediocre units in Division 1. They are giving up 256.1 passing yards per game. For passing yards allowed per game, the Cardinals are currently ranked 8th in the MAC. When talking about points allowed, they have allowed 195 total points. In regard to yards rushing, they are allowing 139 yards per game ranking them 51st in D-1 and 3rd in the MAC. This season, they have conceded a total of 973 yards rushing and 16.1 rushing touchdowns.

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

Guy's Pick: Take the Bobcats +3

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