The Northern Illinois Huskies and Ball State Cardinals will battle for the top spot in the division when they meet in Wednesday night MACtion at Huskie Stadium. The Huskies (6-3, 4-1 MAC) lead the West Division but suffered their first loss in five games last Wednesday in a 52-47 shootout with MAC East leader Kent State. The Cardinals (5-4, 3-2) also have won four of their past five and are a game behind NIU. Ball State has won the past two meetings with NIU. It has been a series featuring long win streaks, and the Huskies won 10 in a row before the current two-game slide and hold a 24-22-2 edge all-time.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET in DeKalb, Ill. The Cardinals are 2.5-point favorites in the latest Northern Illinois vs. Ball State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 62.5. Before you make any Ball State vs. Northern Illinois picks or MACtion bets, make sure you check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 11 of the 2021 season on a 31-20 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has locked in on Northern Illinois vs. Ball State and just released its coveted MACtion picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Ball State vs. NIU:
- Ball State vs. Northern Illinois spread: Ball State -2.5
- Ball State vs. Northern Illinois over-under: 62.5 points
- Ball State vs. Northern Illinois money line: Cardinals -135, Huskies +115
- BSU: It is 5-6 ATS with the rest advantage since 2017
- NIU: It is 6-5 ATS with a rest disadvantage since 2017
Featured Game | Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Ball State Cardinals
Why the Cardinals can cover
Ball State is 14-3 against the spread in its past 17 against a team with a winning record, and it has won the past two meetings with NIU by at least six points. Quarterback Drew Plitt leads the offense and has 1,776 passing yards, 14 touchdown passes and four interceptions. Yo’Heinz Tyler and Justin Hall each had seven catches against NIU in last year’s meeting, combining for 181 yards. Hall is the team’s top receiver this season with 56 catches for 579 yards and five touchdowns. Taylor (32 catches, five TDs) and Jayshon Jackson (39 receptions) give Plitt plenty of options.
Running back Carson Steele (582 yards, five TDs) gives the offense balance, and the unit should find success against an NIU defense that gives up 34 points per game. The Huskies rank 115th in total yards (449 per game) and 117th against the run (205) and have just 11 sacks and seven takeaways. The Cardinals give up just over 400 yards (83rd) and 155 on the ground (71st). Safety Bryce Cosby (74 tackles, four sacks) and linebacker Jaylin Thomas (66 tackles, two interceptions) are the playmakers on a defense that has 20 sacks and eight interceptions.
Why the Huskies can cover
NIU suffered its first MAC loss, but it racked up 663 total yards against the Golden Flashes. Receiver Trayvon Rudolph had 14 catches for 309 yards and three TDs as quarterback Rocky Lombardi threw for 532. Rudolph averages 20 yards per catch, ranking 19th in FBS, and Tyrice Richie (44 catches for 540 yards) is one of the MAC’s most consistent receivers. The Huskies typically rely more on the run and average 221 yards per game on the ground (15th in FBS). Jay Ducker (579 yards), Harrison Waylee (574) and Lombardi (345) all average more than 5 yards per carry.
The Huskies are 9-2 against the spread in their last 11 games following an ATS loss. Defense has been their weakness, but the Ball State offense averages just 345 yards per game (105th in FBS) and scores just 25 points (87th). Safeties CJ Brown (64 tackles) and Jordan Hansen (48) are always around the ball, and the unit has allowed less than 400 yards five times. It gives up 449 per game overall (115th in FBS), but those numbers are skewed by 600-plus-yard games against strong Michigan and Kent State offenses. The Huskies are 5-3-1 ATS this season.
How to make Ball State vs. Northern Illinois picks
The model has simulated the Northern Illinois vs. Ball State matchup 10,000 times, and the results are in. The model is projecting under on the point total, suggesting the running games could be bottled up. The model also has generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the model’s MACtion picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Wednesday night’s MACtion pitting Ball State vs. Northern Illinois? And which side of the spread is hitting well over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the Northern Illinois vs. Ball State spread to back Wednesday, all from the advanced model on a 31-20 run on its top-rated college football side picks, and find out.
