Pinned
Link copied
Through 3 Quarters
A great path to victory is to simply outgain your opponent on the field, and that's working so far for the Western Michigan Broncos (with 418 yards vs. 218 yards). Three quarters in and their offense has really been able to impose its will, dominating the Ball State Cardinals 27-13 three quarters in.
WMU has been led by RB La'Darius Jefferson, who so far has rushed for one TD and 133 yards on 19 carries. WR Justin Hall has led the way so far for Ball State, as he has caught seven passes for one TD and 101 yards.
This is the least points the Cardinals have had yet this season going into the fourth quarter.
Who's Playing
Western Michigan @ Ball State
Current Records: Western Michigan 4-1; Ball State 4-1
What to Know
The Western Michigan Broncos need to shore up a defense that is allowing 35 points per game before their contest Saturday. WMU and the Ball State Cardinals will face off in a Mid-American battle at noon ET at Scheumann Stadium. Keep an eye on the score for this one: these two teams posted some lofty points totals in their previous games, so things might heat up even more when they meet.
The Broncos came up short against the Eastern Michigan Eagles last week, falling 53-42. This was hardly the result WMU or its fans were betting on, as they were favored by 13.5 points over EMU heading into this matchup. Western Michigan's loss came about despite a quality game from RB La'Darius Jefferson, who rushed for two TDs and 130 yards on 21 carries.
Meanwhile, you can't lose the contest if you win every quarter, and that was precisely Ball State's strategy against the Central Michigan Chippewas last week. Ball State was the clear victor by a 45-20 margin over CMU. The matchup was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point the Cardinals had established a 38-14 advantage. QB Drew Plitt had a stellar game for Ball State as he passed for four TDs and 366 yards on 43 attempts in addition to punching in one rushing touchdown.
Ball State's defense was a presence as well, as it collected two interceptions and two fumbles. The picks came courtesy of S J.T. Wahee and S Brett Anderson II.
Ball State's win lifted them to 4-1 while Western Michigan's defeat dropped them down to 4-1. With a combined 1,032 yards of offense in their previous games, we can expect a fast-paced contest.
How To Watch
- When: Saturday at 12 p.m. ET
- Where: Scheumann Stadium -- Muncie, Indiana
- TV: ESPN Plus
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds
The Cardinals are a slight 1-point favorite against the Broncos, according to the latest college football odds.
Bettors have moved against the Cardinals slightly, as the game opened with the Cardinals as a 3-point favorite.
Over/Under: -110
See college football picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Western Michigan have won four out of their last five games against Ball State.
- Nov 05, 2019 - Western Michigan 35 vs. Ball State 31
- Nov 13, 2018 - Ball State 42 vs. Western Michigan 41
- Sep 30, 2017 - Western Michigan 55 vs. Ball State 3
- Nov 01, 2016 - Western Michigan 52 vs. Ball State 20
- Nov 05, 2015 - Western Michigan 54 vs. Ball State 7
