The No. 17 Western Michigan Broncos have their sights set on becoming the first MAC team to play in a New Year’s Six bowl under the new format. The Broncos are the only undefeated Group of Five team left at this point and haven’t been tested since a season-opening win over Northwestern. PJ Fleck and Western Michigan have dominated competition since then with the lowest margin of victory in any game being 14 points. The Ball State Cardinals will be the latest team to try to knock them off their pedestal in College Football Week 10.
Kickoff for this Week 10 game is set for Tuesday, November 1, 2016, at 8 p.m. ET at Scheumann Stadium. This game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Western Michigan -16
Ball State +16
Odds Analysis
Few teams have been as reliable as Western Michigan this season. The Broncos are sitting at 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS but will now have to deal with large spreads the rest of the way. As a double-digit favorite this season, Western Michigan is just 2-2 ATS.
The Redhawks started the season hot against the spread but have cooled off considerably since starting MAC play. Miami covered each of its first four games, but has now covered just one of its last four heading into Tuesday night’s clash with Western Michigan. Redhawks games have been pretty low scoring this season and each of their last four have gone under the total.
Last Year’s Meeting
It was all Western Michigan when these two sides squared off last season. The Broncos went into the game as 15-point home favorites and rattled off 40 straight points before Ball State was able to put points on the board.
From start to finish, Western Michigan controlled every aspect of the game. The Broncos tallied an impressive 711 total yards of offense on the day. QB Zach Terrell averaged 20 yards a completion and didn’t throw an interception, while starting RB Jamauri Bogan averaged 9.5 yards a carry. The offense was clicking on all cylinders and couldn’t be stopped all day.
The defense played a big factor in the win as well. The Broncos allowed just 152 yards and held the Cardinals to just under three yards per play. It was a stifling performance and set Western Michigan’s offense up for success.
Player to Watch
There aren’t many quarterbacks that have been as efficient as Zach Terrell this season. Terrell has completed 72.2 percent of his passes for 9.55 yards per attempt, but more impressively has thrown just one interception in 209 pass attempts. His ability to not turn the ball over has been a big part of Western Michigan’s success.
He’s also had a lot of help from his offensive line. Terrell has been sacked just 11 times this season and that’s not many for a quarterback that runs as often as he does. He has led the Broncos to at least 41 points in five straight games now and the offensive line has played a big part in the success.
Free ATS Pick
The Cardinals are averaging just 5.55 yards per play this season, but the team has been able to slowly move the ball up field because of its ability to convert on third down. Ball State is converting on 46.56 percent of its third down conversion attempts and that has led to more points on the board.
Ball State might be 4-4 this season, but the FBS teams it has defeated have a combined five wins. The Cardinals are a decent MAC team but no match for a team like Western Michigan. The Broncos won’t beat them as badly as last season, but will be able to control the game throughout and get the win and the cover.
College Football Odds: Broncos 45 Cardinals 24
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