Who’s Playing
Ball State @ Northern Illinois
Current Records: Ball State 5-4; Northern Illinois 6-3
What to Know
The Northern Illinois Huskies will be returning home after a two-game road trip. NIU and the Ball State Cardinals will face off in a Mid-American battle at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium. Ball State should still be riding high after a win, while the Huskies will be looking to right the ship.
NIU was within striking distance but couldn’t close the gap on Wednesday as they fell 52-47 to the Kent State Golden Flashes. NIU might have lost, but man — WR Trayvon Rudolph was a total machine. He caught 14 passes for three TDs and 309 yards. One of the most thrilling moments was Rudolph’s 75-yard TD reception in the second quarter.
Meanwhile, Ball State didn’t have too much breathing room in their contest with the Akron Zips on Tuesday, but they still walked away with a 31-25 victory. The Cardinals can attribute much of their success to QB Drew Plitt, who passed for three TDs and 185 yards on 31 attempts in addition to picking up 45 yards on the ground, and RB Carson Steele, who picked up 154 yards on the ground on 27 carries in addition to snatching one receiving TD.
The Huskies are now 6-3 while Ball State sits at 5-4. A pair of defensive stats to keep an eye on: NIU is 245th worst in the nation in rushing touchdowns allowed, with 25 on the season. Ball States have had an even harder time: they are stumbling into the matchup with the 207th most rushing touchdowns allowed in the nation, having given up 16 on the season. It’s possible one of these Achilles’ heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
How To Watch
- When: Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium — DeKalb, Illinois
- TV: ESPN2
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
Series History
Northern Illinois have won four out of their last six games against Ball State.
- Nov 18, 2020 – Ball State 31 vs. Northern Illinois 25
- Oct 05, 2019 – Ball State 27 vs. Northern Illinois 20
- Oct 06, 2018 – Northern Illinois 24 vs. Ball State 16
- Nov 09, 2017 – Northern Illinois 63 vs. Ball State 17
- Oct 01, 2016 – Northern Illinois 31 vs. Ball State 24
- Oct 10, 2015 – Northern Illinois 59 vs. Ball State 41
