2022 Ball State Cardinals Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions

Daniel Dobish Sports Betting Expert

2 minute read

2022 BALL STATE CARDINALS BETTING ODDS, PREDICTIONS, PREVIEW

The Cardinals of Ball State are a tricky bunch. Just when you least expect them to do anything, they rise up and have a tremendous season. Head coach Mike Neu has really gotten the most out of his team in Muncie the past two seasons, posting a 7-1 record during the odd COVID season of 2020, en route to a MAC Championship and an Arizona Bowl victory. Last season this team went a respectable 4-4 in the conference despite personnel losses, ended up 6-6 in the regular season and lost in the Camellia Bowl to Georgia State.

Can Neu and his staff do what no Ball State team has ever done before? The Cardinals are attempting to qualify for a bowl game for a third consecutive season.

Ball State must replace productive QB Drew Plitt, who graduated after a productive career in Muncie. QB John Paddock appears to be the heir apparent, and he'll have a couple of decent options in diminutive WR Jayshon Jackson, who could be a human pinball, and lanky WR Yo'Heinz Tyler.

RB Carson Steele, the team's leading rusher with 829 regular-season rushing yards, is back. He also found the end zone six times. RB Will Jones is a solid, yet unspectacular backup.

The defense was trampled in the bowl game to the GSU Panthers, and must be better stopping the pass and getting to the quarterback. Ball State was gouged for 169.8 yards per game on the ground, ranking 92nd in the nation, and it allowed 26.5 PPG overall. The secondary is rather experienced, and the linebackers could be above-average, too, so there is hope.

An opening game trip to Tennessee does the Cardinals no favors, and Ball State faces the conference opener against Western Michigan in Week 2. The middle of the schedule has a couple of winnable games, but no crossover game against Akron is a bummer. Instead, they travel to Miami-Ohio, the team expected to be the class of the East. This team looks to top out at five victories, as there are just a lot of holes to fill. But Ball State has exceeded expectations before, and it wouldn't be shocking to see them bowling again. The lean is to the UNDER in wins, though.

Best Bet: Ball State UNDER 5.5 Wins (+130)

2022 BALL STATE CARDINALS SCHEDULE

• Thu., Sept. 1 - at Tennessee
• Sat., Sept. 10 - vs. Western Michigan
• Sat., Sept. 17 - vs. Murray State
• Sat., Sept. 24 - at Georgia Southern
• Sat., Oct. 1 - vs. Northern Illinois
• Sat., Oct. 8 - at Central Michigan
• Sat., Oct. 15 - vs. UConn
• Sat., Oct. 22 - vs. Eastern Michigan
• Tue., Nov. 1 - at Kent State
• Tue., Nov. 15 - vs. Ohio
• Tue., Nov. 22 - at Miami-Ohio

WIN TOTAL ODDS

• Over 5.5 (-150)
• Under 5.5 (+130)

BALL STATE CARDINALS ODDS TO WIN MAC CHAMPIONSHIP

+6000

Ball State will simply be trying to attain bowl eligibility, and it's extremely unlikely this team will be heading for Ford Field and a West Division title this season. But it surprised in 2020, so you just never know. Still, there is no sense tying up a bunch of money that you likely won't see back.

BALL STATE CARDINALS ODDS TO WIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

+250000

In this crazy day and age of NILs, mega conferences and billions being tossed around by TV execs, the days of a team like Ball State even reaching the Top 25 rankings seem slim at this point. The Cardinals aren't going to the playoffs, unless the MAC decides to drop down to the FBS level someday.

BALL STATE CARDINALS 2022 HEISMAN CONTENDERS & ODDS

The Ball State Cardinals do not have any Heisman contenders to begin the 2022 season

2021 BALL STATE CARDINALS BETTING RESULTS

• SU: 6-7
• ATS: 4-9
• O/U: 4-9
• ATS-Home: 2-5
• ATS-Road: 2-4
• ATS-Favorite: 2-4
• ATS-Underdog: 2-5

MORE CONFERENCE ODDS

Daniel Dobish

Dan is a handicapper and sports betting expert for VegasInsider with years of experience writing for a number of top publications in the industry. More from Daniel Dobish