In their last full season in 2019, the Ball State Cardinals entered their finale looking to halt a four-game losing streak. They accomplished the feat as Drew Plitt threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns en route to a 41-27 victory over Miami (Ohio). Ball State (5-6, 3-4 Mid-American) looks to avoid ending the 2021 campaign with a three-game skid when it hosts the Buffalo Bulls (4-7, 2-5) for a MACtion battle in the finale for both teams on Tuesday.
Kickoff at Scheumann Stadium in Muncie, Ind. is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Cardinals are 6.5-point favorites in the latest Ball State vs. Buffalo odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 58.5. Before locking in any Buffalo vs. Ball State picks or MACtion predictions, you need to see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say.
The 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 entered Week 12 of the 2021 season on a 36-23 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Ball State vs. Buffalo and locked in its MACtion picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the odds and college football betting lines for Buffalo vs. Ball State:
- Ball State vs. Buffalo spread: Cardinals -6.5
- Ball State vs. Buffalo over-under: 58.5 points
- Ball State vs. Buffalo money line: Cardinals -230, Bulls +190
- BSU: The Cardinals are 1-5 against the spread in their last six games following a loss
- BUF: The Bulls are 1-5 ATS in their last six road contests
Featured Game | Ball State Cardinals vs. Buffalo Bulls
Why Ball State can cover
After a slow start to his freshman season, Carson Steele is wrapping it up with a flourish. The Indiana native rushed for fewer than 80 yards in each of his first six games but has gained 90 or more in four of his last five outings. Steele finished with 93 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries in Ball State’s 37-17 loss to Central Michigan last week, giving him 543 yards in those five contests.
With top receiver Justin Hall sidelined with an undisclosed injury, junior Jayshon Jackson and senior Yo’Heinz Tyler picked up the slack for the Cardinals. Jackson made six catches for 61 yards while Tyler also hauled in six passes for 46 yards and his team-high sixth touchdown. Tyler needs two receptions against Buffalo to eclipse the career high of 42 he set last season.
Why Buffalo can cover
The Bulls also have a running back who has been excelling down the stretch in Dylan McDuffie, who rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown in last week’s 33-27 overtime loss to Northern Illinois. The junior has reached triple digits in four of his last five games, including a career-best 166-yard effort on Oct. 30 against Bowling Green. McDuffie is 18 yards away from becoming the 14th player in school history to record 1,000 in a season.
Scoring also has become a regular occurrence for McDuffie as he has run for a TD in six consecutive games and nine of 11 this season. His current streak is tied for the longest by a Bull since James Starks registered a nine-gamer in 2008. Junior running back Ron Cook Jr. ran for a touchdown and also hauled in a scoring pass last week after recording a total of two TDs in his first 10 games of the season.
How to make Buffalo vs. Ball State picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting 59 combined points. It also has generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the model’s picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Ball State vs. Buffalo? And which side of the spread hits nearly 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to back, all from the advanced model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.
