MACtion Will Be Explosive Tonight In Ball State Vs Buffalo

Ball State vs. Buffalo, 7:00 ET

We've made it through another week of the NFL after last night's game between the Dolphins and Rams. It was a bit of boring game with a lot of field goals kicked. I suppose that is better than punts, but most people don't enjoy watching kickers. They want to see touchdowns, explosive plays, and highlights. The unpredictable nature of the game was still there, but the excitement was lacking. With a game between Ball State and Buffalo in MACtion tonight, we shouldn't be lacking any excitement. 

Ball State comes into the game with a 3-6 record, looking to find some way to get a win in this one. They've been competitive in most games and have alternated wins and losses over the past five games. They lost their conference opener to Western Michigan, a game that saw a ton of points, but ultimately Ball State lost the game 45-42. The next game, at Kent, they were able to escape with a win 37-35. They played respectably against Vanderbilt, a non conference game, but ultimately came up short, losing 24-14. Against Northern Illinois, the team that beat Notre Dame on the road, Ball State was able to win 25-23. Last week, they dropped a close one to Miami Ohio 27-21. There seems to be a theme in all of these games. You aren't quite sure when Ball State will win, but they certainly will keep the game close. They have a decent run game, though it isn't going to tear you up. The passing attack is relied upon heavily, and for the most part, the quarterback play has been good. 

Ball State quarterback Kadin Semonza (3) hands off to running back Braedon Sloan (14) during the third quarter against Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.

Buffalo enters the game with a 5-4 record, and going 3-2 in conference play. They are just 2-2 in their past four conference games and 2-3 overall over their last five games. They beat Toledo 30-15, it was a nice well-rounded win for the team. They followed that game up with a loss to Western Michigan. Although it was a one-score game, the team has to be slightly disappointed they couldn't close out the victory on their home field. Even worse, the following week, they had Ohio, one of the top teams in the conference. Buffalo allowed Ohio basically everything it wanted and gave up 47 points in that one. They did seem to get back on track last week against Akron, but they still allowed a bad team to score 30 points on them. The offense of Buffalo can be described similarly to that of Ball State. They have a decent running game, and a capable quarterback. Buffalo seems to be a bit more run-oriented, but are still decently balanced overall.  

This game should be one that we get a good amount of points in. Buffalo has allowed at least 30 points in three straight games, and has allowed 47 or more in three of the past five games. Ball State hasn't allowed or scored that many points, but if this turns into a shoot out, they certainly have the ability to keep up. I like the over in this game. It wouldn't shock me to see Ball State cover in this game, but I can't get there. Instead, I'll take the over. 

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