I'm taking the points with Western Michigan at home. I know it's a lot of points and Ball State has played close in all of their MAC games until last week when they faced Central Michigan. Western Michigan was an early season favorite in the MAC, but it has been an up and down season. They have an outside shot at getting a bowl game but they'll need to win here to go 6-6.
The good news for them is whenever Ball State faces a team with a passing offense they give up points and lots of them. They've faced three teams with top 38 passing games. Toledo (gave up 37pts), Bowling Green (gave up 31 points), and Central Mich (gave up 35 pts). All three of those games have been at home now they'll go on the road to play a desperate team with a passing game. This game could get ugly, as Tim Hiller needs 2 passing TDs to pass Chad Pennington on the all time MAC career passing TD list. There is no doubt this means something and there is no doubt that he comes up with a big time performance.
On the other hand Ball State's offense has now gone down the tubes and with Tanner Justice at QB because the starting QB is out for the season. They haven't thrown for more than 134 yards in their last 5 games and with the Wmich defense forcing 3 interceptions a week ago I think they take that momentum into this game. They haven't been able to runt he ball as of late either, and they most likely will get down big ofrcing Justice to throw the ball. You know it's bad news when your coach Stan Parrish said the team lacked enthusiasm, " I think we ran out of juice." That was in a home game on Sr. night. What will happen on their final season game against a team that is thinking of this game as a playoff game.
