The Northern Illinois Huskies look to avenge last season's disappointing loss at Ball State when they host the Cardinals in a MACtion matchup on Tuesday. Northern Illinois (4-5, 3-2) owned a 10-point lead with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter last year but squandered it and lost 44-38 in double overtime. The Huskies are 25-23-2 in the all-time series but have lost three of their last four meetings with the Cardinals (2-7, 1-4), who are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak on the road.
Kickoff at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Ill. is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network. The Huskies are 9.5-point favorites in the latest Northern Illinois vs. Ball State odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 44. Before making any Ball State vs. Northern Illinois picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a stunning profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Northern Illinois vs. Ball State and just revealed its picks and MACtion predictions. You can visit SportsLine to see the model's CFB picks. Here are several college football odds and trends for Ball State vs. Northern Illinois:
- Northern Illinois vs. Ball State spread: Huskies -9.5
- Northern Illinois vs. Ball State over/under: 44 points
- Northern Illinois vs. Ball State money line: Huskies -351, Cardinals +271
- NIU: The Huskies are 1-3 against the spread as favorites this season
- BSU: The Cardinals 1-3-1 ATS on the road this year
- Northern Illinois vs. Ball State picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Northern Illinois vs. Ball State live stream: fubo (try for free)
Why Northern Illinois can cover
Senior wide receiver Kacper Rutkiewicz made a pair of touchdown catches against Ball State last year but may miss his fourth straight game with a lower-body injury, meaning junior Trayvon Rudolph once again could play a big role in the Huskies' aerial attack. Rudolph set season highs in last week's 37-31 loss at Central Michigan, hauling in eight passes for 170 yards and a TD. It was the first 100-yard performance by Rudolph since Nov. 10, 2021, when he racked up 108 on eight receptions in a 30-29 triumph over the Cardinals.
Northern Illinois' ground assault is led by Antario Brown, who is second in the MAC with 843 rushing yards. Last week, the junior ran for 167 yards and his seventh touchdown of the season, matching the career high he set in 2022. Brown has gained at least 150 yards in three of his last five contests after accomplishing the feat just once in his first 23 games with the Huskies. See which team to pick here.
Why Ball State can cover
After losing 10 consecutive meetings with the Huskies, the Cardinals have had the upper hand in the series of late, winning three of the last four matchups. Ball State posted a 44-38 victory against Northern Illinois last year as it rallied from a 10-point deficit with less than four minutes left in the fourth quarter before winning in double overtime. Tight end Tanner Koziol played a major role in the comeback as he made a pair of touchdown catches in the fourth, including one with 36 seconds remaining.
Ball State racked up 217 yards on the ground in last week's 24-21 loss at Bowling Green, with sophomore quarterback Kiael Kelly and junior running back Marquez Cooper each gaining 90. Kelly, who rushed for 83 yards in his only appearance last season, has recorded at least 90 rushing yards in three of his last four contests. He's also ran for two TDs in back-to-back games. Cooper eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in each of his last two campaigns with Kent State and needs 326 to accomplish the feat in his first year with the Cardinals. See which team to pick here.
How to make Northern Illinois vs. Ball State picks
SportsLine's model is going Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 52 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in more than 50% of simulations. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Northern Illinois vs. Ball State, and which side of the spread hits over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Ball State vs. Northern Illinois spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has notched a profit of well over $2,000 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
