The Ball State Cardinals visit the Akron Zips for a MACtion battle Tuesday on CBS Sports Network. After a light Saturday for the conference, the MAC takes center stage for mid-week festivities in the college football world. Ball State is 4-4 on the season with a 2-2 record in conference play. Akron enters at 2-6 overall with a 1-3 mark against MAC opponents.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Cardinals as 19.5-point road favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 57.5 in the latest Ball State vs. Akron odds. Before making any Akron vs. Ball State picks, 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 $3,700 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 10 of the 2021 season on a 28-15 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. Akron and just locked in its MACtion picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see all of the model’s CFB picks. Now, here are several college football odds and trends for Akron vs. Ball State:
- Ball State vs. Akron spread: Ball State -19.5
- Ball State vs. Akron over-under: 57.5 points
- Ball State vs. Akron money line: Ball State -1100, Akron +700
- Ball State: The Cardinals are 3-5 against the spread this season
- Akron: The Zips are 3-5 against the spread in the last eight games
Featured Game | Akron Zips vs. Ball State Cardinals
Why Ball State can cover
Ball State’s strengths and Akron’s weaknesses paint a favorable picture for the Cardinals. Ball State is a top-four team in the MAC in both completion rate and third-down efficiency on offense, leaning on a pair of receivers with 480 yards or more and a veteran quarterback in Drew Plitt. The Cardinals are facing an Akron defense that has struggled mightily this season. The Zips are last in the MAC in points allowed (38.9 per game), with bottom-two marks in total defense (449.1 yards allowed per game) and rushing defense (217.5 yards allowed per game).
On the other side, Ball State can also be confident in its ability to stop Akron, with the Zips as the worst statistical offense in the MAC. Akron is last in the conference in scoring offense (19.9 points per game), sacks allowed (46), yards per carry (3.3) and rushing touchdowns (six), with the second-worst mark in the MAC with only 333.9 total yards per game to this point in the season.
Why Akron can cover
Akron has the benefit of home-field advantage, and the Zips have some edges in this matchup. Akron has enjoyed some success through the air this season, and Ball State has struggled to defend the pass. Akron is No. 2 in the MAC with 15 passing touchdowns, and the Zips are No. 3 in the conference in completing 65.5 percent of passes in 2021. Akron is also above-average in the conference in averaging 7.5 yards per pass attempt, and Ball State ranks as a bottom-three passing defense in the MAC on a yardage basis.
The Zips also have three different rushers with at least 250 yards on the ground this season, and on the outside, Konata Mumpfield and Michael Mathison each have more than 400 yards receiving. With Ball State’s offense not ranking in the top half of the country in efficiency or overall production, Akron can also be confident in the game script, leaning on the pass to keep this one competitive.
How to make Akron vs. Ball State picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the point total, projecting 51 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in over 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Ball State vs. Akron? And which side of the spread cashes in over 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that finished the past five-plus years up nearly $3,700 on its FBS college football picks, and find out.
