Northern Illinois vs. Ball State odds: 2021 college football picks, MACtion predictions from advanced model

The Northern Illinois Huskies will try to rebound from a tough loss but don’t have an easy task when they host the Ball State Cardinals on Wednesday night. The Huskies (6-3, 4-1 Mid-American) are the West Division leaders but saw a four-game win streak end in a shootout with Kent State last Wednesday. NIU put up 663 yards but allowed 682 in the 52-47 loss to the Golden Flashes. Ball State (5-4, 3-2) is second in the West and comes in having won four of five after holding on for a 31-25 win against Akron last Tuesday. 

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET in DeKalb, Ill. The Cardinals are 2.5-point favorites in the latest Northern Illinois vs. Ball State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 60.5. Before you make any Ball State vs. Northern Illinois picks or MACtion bets, 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 $3,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 11 of the 2021 season on a 31-20 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has locked in on Northern Illinois vs. Ball State and released its coveted MACtion picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Ball State vs. NIU:  

• Ball State vs. Northern Illinois spread: Ball State -2.5 
• Ball State vs. Northern Illinois over-under: 60.5 points 
• Ball State vs. Northern Illinois money line: Cardinals -135, Huskies +115
• BSU: Ball State is 5-6 ATS with the rest advantage since 2017 
• NIU: Northern Illinois is 6-5 ATS with a rest disadvantage since 2017

Featured Game | Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Ball State Cardinals

Why the Cardinals can cover

The road team is 4-1 against the spread in the past five meetings, and Ball State’s balanced offense could give the Huskies trouble. The NIU defense ranks 115th in the nation in total yards (449 per game), gives up 205 on the ground (117th) and allows just under 34 points per game (112th). That means quarterback Drew Plitt (1,776 yards, 14 TDs) and running back Carson Steele (582 yards, five TDs) should find ways to exploit it. Plitt has a strong receiving corps at his disposal, featuring Justin Hall (56 catches), Jayshon Jackson (39) and Yo’Heinz Taylor (32).      

Hall and Taylor have both scored five touchdowns this season, and both had seven receptions against NIU last season, combining for 181 yards. The Cardinals don’t give the ball away, with Plitt throwing just four interceptions, and the Huskies have picked off just one pass and have seven takeaways overall (T-114th in FBS). They also have just 11 sacks, while the Cardinals have 20 takedowns and have picked off eight passes. 

Why the Huskies can cover

The NIU defense looks bad on paper, allowing 449 yards and 34 points per game. But those numbers are skewed by 600-plus-yard games by powerful Michigan and Kent State offenses, and the Cardinals don’t have that firepower. Ball State rank s105th in FBS in total yards (345 per game) and average 25 points (87th). The Huskies are 9-2 against the spread in their last 11 following an ATS loss. 

The Huskies are 5-3-1 ATS this season, and their offense was potent last week. Trayvon Rudolph had 309 receiving yards and three TDs and averages 20 yards per catch (19th in FBS). Tyrice Richie (44 catches for 540 yards) also is a consistent option in the passing game. Rocky Lombardi, a former Michigan State starter, has 1,853 passing yards and 345 on the ground, accounting for 17 total TDs.  

How to make Ball State vs. Northern Illinois picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting 62 combined points. The model also has generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the model’s MACtion picks at SportsLine. 

So who wins Ball State vs. Northern Illinois? And which side of the spread is hitting well over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the Northern Illinois vs. Ball State spread to back Wednesday, all from the advanced model on a 31-20 run on its top-rated college football side picks, and find out.

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