Can Ball State Silence Kent State’s Roar? The Ultimate Showdown Unfolds!

Ever wonder why some college football games sneak in under the radar yet somehow manage to steal a little piece of your attention? Tonight’s Kent State vs. Ball State matchup is exactly that kind of gem—a contest where the stakes might not be sky-high, but the intrigue is undeniable, at least for those of us who can’t get enough of football, no matter the marquee. Both teams sit at 3-5, but when Kent State allows an eye-popping 54.3 points per game on the road, and Ball State struggles to pass but dominates at home, it begs the question: Could a predictable trend morph into an unexpected upset? I’m here betting on the Cardinals to seize a solid win and make the most of playing on familiar turf. So grab a snack, maybe a drink, and let’s see if this one lives up to the quiet drama it promises. LEARN MORE.

Kent State vs. Ball State, 7:00 ET

I was wrong yesterday in MACtion, but we are lucky that we get more action today. I really enjoy the small sample of college football that we get each day instead of having to wait for a handful on Friday before the main course on Saturday. As a guy who will watch just about any sport that is on, I’m happy that an option is college football. Tonight, I look to gain back the unit I lost on action last night. We get a matchup between Kent State and Ball State.

Kent State comes into the game with a 3-5 record and just 2-2 in conference play. They are losers of three of the past five contests, and some of those losses have been rather ugly. I understand they are punching a bit above their weight in these games, but they lost 66-10 to Florida State, and then lost 44-0 against Oklahoma. Both of the games were on the road, but allowing 110 points in two games is a tough look no matter how you slice it up. They played very well against the University of Massachusetts in their next game. This time they were on the right side of the blowout, posting a 42-6 victory. However, it didn’t last long as they then fell to Toledo, again on the road, 45-10. To be extremely clear, Toledo is 2-2 in the conference and 4-4 overall, so they are not world beaters. It appears Kent State just can’t play on the road. They did win their most recent game against Bowling Green, winning 24-21, but again, it was at home. For the season, in road games, Kent State is allowing an average of 54.3 points per game.

Ball State is not exactly setting the world on fire. They enter the game with the same record as Kent State, and they have been just as productive over the past five games as their opponent. They are alternating wins and losses. Just like their opponent, they have dropped all of their road games, but they are winning at home. They lost to UConn on the road, then beat Ohio at home. They lost to Western Michigan on the road, and then beat Akron. Last week, they played Northern Illinois, which is not a good program, and they dropped that game 21-7. They are inconsistent at best, but the one spot you can lean on them a bit is here. In their home games, they have won by an average margin of about eight points. Their passing game has been ugly, and Kiael Kelly has under 1,000 passing yards. Overall, Ball State runs the ball twice as often as they pass it, which doesn’t bode well for them if they fall behind.

I’m going to warn you: This is probably not going to be the most exciting game on television tonight. However, I’m in the camp that more football is better. If there is a game, I want to at least check out a little bit of it. I think this game’s excitement comes from the fact that I can already count the money. Ball State is going to win this game and cover the spread. Kent State is trash on the road, and as long as Ball State doesn’t turn the ball over (which is a concern), I think they will win with ease. I’m going to take the Cardinals at -135 on the moneyline.

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