College Football Wagering - N. Illinois Huskies vs. Ball State Cardinals

1965 was the last time that (8-0, 6-1 ATS) Ball State posted nine consecutive victories to begin a season, and tonight the Cardinals will have a shot to erase that forty-three year layover against the visiting (5-3, 5-2 ATS) Northern Illinois Huskies.

This Mid American Conference NCAAF sports betting affair will be held at Ball State Stadium in Muncie, Indiana, a venue that the Huskies have been successful within, winning the last four contests in the Hoosier State. Kickoff is set for 8:00 pm Eastern with ESPN2 and ESPN360 carrying the contest nationally.

With only four games remaining on Northern Illinois' regular season schedule, the difference between being a four win team and a five win team came down to the final twelve seconds of the Huskies October 25th game against Bowling Green. Huskie Stadium was filled with over seventeen thousand fans, as Orland Park, IL native, Mike Salerno connected on four of five field goal attempts, none bigger than his game winning thirty-yarder to give Northern the 16-13 triumph. College football bettors could not rejoice along side black and red clad fans however, as the Huskies failed to cover the 7-point college football betting line, marking only Northern Illinois' second loss against the pointspread this season.

The victory was NIU's third in a row, and fifth in its last six contests. Huskies freshman, Chandler Harnish, became NIL's first quarterback to rush for one hundred plus yards in a game since 1990, as he rushed for 113 total yards on just 19 carries. Northern trailed 6-3 at halftime, but was able to eat the clock down the stretch to set up Salerno's moment. Northern Illinois dominated the box score not only on the ground, but also in first downs, out-gaining Bowling Green 233-76 and 19-10 respectively.

Undefeated Ball State was also idle to begin the month of November, but in its last match-up on October 25th, the 20th ranked Cardinals continued their Mid American Conference domination by clipping the wings of the Eastern Michigan Eagles, 38-16 in Muncie.

Ball State receiver Dante Love returned to the Cardinals' sideline to witness the victory, providing inspiration and motivation to his team; Love suffered a career ending spinal cord injury at Indiana on September 20th. Ball State head coach, Brady Hoke said of Love's presence, "I thought we were ready to go. We were excited to play. That gave us a lot of energy." While the final score could only put a smile on Love's face, NCAA football bettors scowled and scorned, as they suffered their first loss against the NCAA odds all season.

Ball State junior quarterback, Nate Davis, threw for two touchdowns in the win, while also catching a score, the first of his career. The Cardinals defense caused two EMU turnovers despite allowing 22-first downs, but for college football gamblers who played the ‘under’, Ball State provided a "W" for the third consecutive week.

Recent history belongs on the side of the Huskies, who have won seven of their last ten meetings with Ball State, but if NIU wants to avenge last season's 27-21 loss in Dekalb, they'll have to do so as 9.5-point underdogs; tonight's total sits at 47.5-points.

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