Ohio Bobcats vs Ball State Cardinals November 29th 2024
Ohio is the favorite in this week 14 matchup against Ball State, with a -14.5 point spread. The game is set for 12:00 ET at Peden Stadium in Athens and will be broadcast on CBSS. The over/under line is currently 53.5 points. The money line odds have Ohio at -718 and Ball State at +491. Ohio comes in with an 8-3 record, while Ball State is 3-8 on the season.
Ball State vs. Ohio Key Information
- Teams: Cardinals at Bobcats
- Where: Peden Stadium Athens
- Date: Friday, November 29th
- Betting Odds OHIO -718 | BALLST +491 O/U 53.5
The Cardinals Can Win If…
Ball State enters Week 14 with a 3-8 record, facing Ohio on the road. They rank 125th in our power rankings and have no chance of bowl eligibility. The Cardinals are 1-4 away and 1-3 at home this season.
Against the spread, Ball State is 5-4, with a 3-1 record at home and 2-3 on the road. They’ve been favored just once this season, and their average scoring margin is -14.2 points per game.
Their over/under record stands at 6-2-1, with an average line of 54.1 points. Ball State games have averaged 65.6 points, and this week’s line is set at 53.5 points.
Ball State’s offense is averaging 25.7 points per game, placing them 68th in the nation, and they are ranked 94th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 14. They have relied heavily on their passing game, ranking 25th in passing attempts and 23rd in completions, with an average of 236.6 passing yards per game. Their third-down conversion rate is 40%.
Kadin Semonza leads the team with 2,567 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, and he has a passer rating of 92. Ball State ranks 34th in completion percentage, connecting on 63.9% of their passes. On the ground, they are averaging 109.2 rushing yards per game. Braedon Sloan leads the rushing attack with 565 yards.
Ball State’s defense has struggled this season, allowing 39.9 points per game. In their recent 38-13 loss to Bowling Green, they gave up 38 points, including 259 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Opponents have averaged 286.4 passing yards per game against Ball State, completing 62.8% of their passes. The Cardinals have faced the 31st fewest rushing attempts nationally, but they’ve still allowed 169.5 rushing yards per game.
- Through their last three regular season contests, Ball State has a record of 0-3. This also includes going 2-1 ATS, and posting an over-under record of 1-1-1.
- Through their last ten regular season contests, Ball State has a record of 2-8. This includes going 6-4 vs. the spread along with an over-under mark of 7-2-1.
The Bobcats Can Win If…
Ohio enters Week 14 with an 8-3 record and a 4-0 mark at home. They have a 100% chance of being bowl-eligible and a 38.6% shot at winning the Mid-American. The Bobcats are ranked 82nd in our power rankings.
Ohio is 5-0 as the favorite this season, with a +8.8 average scoring margin. They’ve covered the spread in seven of ten games, going 4-1 ATS as the favorite and 4-0 ATS at home.
The over/under line for this week is 53.5 points. Ohio’s games have averaged 45.7 points, with an average line of 47.8 points. Their over/under record stands at 5-5.
Ohio’s offense has leaned heavily on their ground game, ranking 19th nationally with 207.1 rushing yards per game. They are also 26th in rushing attempts, averaging 38.9 per game. Anthony Tyus III leads the team with 851 rushing yards, eight touchdowns, and an average of 5 yards per carry. Overall, Ohio is scoring 27.3 points per game, placing them 58th in the nation.
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Quarterback Parker Navarro has thrown for 1,765 yards, but Ohio ranks 111th in passing yards per game. Navarro has seven touchdowns and nine interceptions this season. Ohio is 26th in third-down conversions, converting 45% of their attempts. Coleman Owen leads the receiving corps with 880 yards and five touchdowns on 57 catches.
Ohio’s defense has been a strong point this season, ranking 15th nationally by allowing just 18.5 points per game. They’ve also been effective against the run, giving up only 104 rushing yards per game, which is 15th best in the country.
In their recent game against Toledo, Ohio’s defense allowed just 7 points and 215 total yards. They held Toledo to 42 rushing yards on 24 attempts and gave up 173 passing yards.
- Ohio has put together a record of 3-0 over their past three games. Their strong play has also resulted in an ATS mark of 3-0 (last 3). They had an over/under mark of 1-2 in those same games.
- Ohio has put together a record of 9-1 in their last ten games (regular season). Their record against the spread in this stretch is 7-3 to go along with an over-under mark of 5-5.
The Lean
Our projections have Ohio winning this matchup 36-18 over Ball State. The Bobcats are -14.5 point favorites, and we expect them to cover the spread. With the over/under line set at 53.5 points, we see a total of 54 points, making the over the best play.