Sports Betting - Sportsbook Online, Casino at WagerWeb Sportsbook

Ball State won’t be playing in a BCS bowl and won’t even get to face fellow unbeaten Boise State in a mid-level bowl, but the Cardinals can keep a dream season going by beating Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game on Friday in Detroit.

No. 12 Ball State, the MAC’s only ranked team, is a 14.5-point favorite on WagerWeb.com.

The West Division champion Cardinals recorded their first perfect regular season since the 1949 team went 8-0. The East champion Bulls won the school’s first division title and will play in their first bowl (where to be determined) since moving up to Division I in 1999.

Under former Nebraska QB Turner Gill, Buffalo is an improving program. But it was outclassed last year against Ball State. The Cardinals led 28-0 at halftime on the way to a 49-14 victory. Ball State produced 507 yards of total offense to just 219 for Buffalo, which had two turnovers.

“That game was a turning point in last year’s season,” Gill said. And his team has won nine of 14 MAC games since. The Bulls won five games in a row this season before losing their regular-season finale to Kent State.



Buffalo is led by junior RB James Starks, who is sixth in the nation in averaging 122.6 rushing yards per game. Senior quarterback Drew Willy is fourth in the MAC in passing at 240.4 yards per game. In the past 18 games, he has 33 touchdown passes and just five interceptions. While the Bulls are averaging 30.2 points per game, Ball State’s defense allows just 16.7 a game.

Ball State is loaded on offense. RB MiQuale Lewis is the MAC leader with 1,570 yards rushing to go along with 234 yards receiving and 20 touchdowns. He ranks fourth in the country in rushing and second in touchdowns and 100-yard games (10).

Cards QB Nate Davis is the MAC offensive player of the year, ranking first in the conference in pass efficiency and second in passing yards per game (257.9). The junior has 25 touchdown passes, second best in the conference, and just six interceptions.

Buffalo, assuming it doesn’t pull the upset, likely will be headed to the International Bowl in Toronto, while the Cardinals’ likely bowl destination is the Motor City in Detroit or the GMAC in Mobile, Ala.

NCAA Betting at WagerWeb.com