Tonight we got MAC East action between Ohio and Ball State both playing for their bowl lives. Despite being bowl eligible there are 6 MAC teams that are right now and we have seen in passed years with Temple at 8-4 missing a bowl game. Both teams want this game to improve their resume and you won't want to miss out on my play of the day backed with a full in depth analysis!


Everyone is down on Ohio it seems, but they were in a tough scheduling spot over the last few weeks as they played 3 games in a span of 12 days and lost two of them. That was not an easy thing to do and now they are on normal rest playing in a game where they can still get to the MAC title game if Bowling Green loses two games and they win out. It starts tonight and I feel this line is really off as Frank Solich is a very good game. The line is a clear indication based on Ball State’s big win last week and Ohio’s loss at home to Bowling Green a team with a top 10 defense. Ohio’s offense still moved the ball plenty in that game when they kept their RB Beau Blankenship in the game, but after they scored a TD on the first drive they pulled him for no apparent reason. Blankenship then started the drive in the 2nd half and Ohio scored a TD as he continued to get 6-9 yards at a time. Blankenship will get the majority of the action tonight with back up RB Ryan Boykin out for the season. Ohio will have a much easier time on offense going up against Ball State a team that’s 110th in the country in total defense and allowing 5.15 yards per carry and 5.51 in conference play. Blankenship with the combination of Tettleton will give Ball State’s defense fits all night as Ohio will be able to return to their balanced attack offense. Just to put things in perspective, Ohio’s defense is allowing 1.2 yards per play less than Ball State’s defense.

With that in mind Ball State too will be having a more challenging game this week facing a balanced defense for the first time since Northern Illinois beat them. Ball state just got done facing Toledo whose defense is one of the worst in the country ranking 106th while Ohio is 47th, and getting better. Ohio struggled by giving up third down conversions, but in their last three games they seemed to have cleaned that up allowing just 35.42%. Ohio’s pass defense is far better than Ball States and I give the QB battle a push. Wenning has been great, but he’ll throw an interception or two as he’s got 20 TD/ 10 interceptions to Tettleon’s 16 and 2. Tettleton has been even better on the road this year throwing 7 TD’s and 0 interceptions he’s been taking too many sacks of late which has slowed down the offense, but he faces a defense tonight that’s 93rd in sack % and only has a 2.48% sack percentage at home and he’ll be helped by a balanced attack running the ball. Just how much better is Ohio’s pass defense? Well they are allowing 2 yards less per attempt than Ball State 6.1 to 8.1. Tettleton is also averaging 7.4 y/att to Wenning’s 6.7. Ohio is only allowing 53% completion percentage in conference play and 55% overall so Wenning’s dink and dunk game is in for a challenge. Ball State’s RB Jahwan Edwards might have to pick up the slack, but Ohio’s run defense too is playing better allowing over a yard less per carry in conference play 4.47 to Ball State’s 5.51 and on the road they are only allowing 3.65 to Ball State’s 5.49 at home. Edwards has done well vs. bad run defenses he’s faced ypc run defense ranked 124, 110, 118, 114, 120, 83rd, and just 4 top 63 run defense in which Ball State went 2-2 and in their 2 wins they only won by 4 and 6. Ohio is ranked 55th and I expect a game to e decided by 3-6 points in this game especially since Ball State is only converting 48% of their red zone attempts for TD’s at home and 50% conference play while Ohio has converted about the same on the road and 61.5% in conference play. Ohio’s defense has also allowed less red zone attempts for a lower percentage.

Where to find Freddy?