The Northern Illinois Huskies (4-3) face a fellow MAC opponent when they visit the Ball State Cardinals (2-5) on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at Scheumann Stadium.
The matchup is on ESPN+, if you’re searching for how to watch.
Watch Northern Illinois vs. Ball State live on ESPN+
When is Northern Illinois vs. Ball State and when does it start?
This matchup between the Huskies and Cardinals will happen on Saturday, October 26, 2024. Be ready to see the kickoff at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Where to watch Northern Illinois vs. Ball State
The Huskies and Cardinals will hit the gridiron at Scheumann Stadium for this matchup on Oct. 26, and if you want to see the game live, get your tickets now from Vivid Seats!
What channel is the game on?
You can catch Northern Illinois vs. Ball State live on ESPN+.
Watch Northern Illinois vs. Ball State live stream on ESPN+
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Read More About This Game
Northern Illinois vs. Ball State Predictions
Northern Illinois vs. Ball State Tickets
Northern Illinois vs. Ball State Game Preview
Northern Illinois Stats & Insights
The Huskies head into this matchup following a 13-6 loss to the Toledo Rockets in their most recent game.
Northern Illinois ranks 60th in total offense this year (401.0 yards per game), but has been playing really well on defense, ranking third-best in the FBS with 401.0 yards allowed per game.
On defense, the Huskies have been a top-25 unit in terms of passing yards, ranking eighth-best by allowing only 156.4 passing yards per game. They rank 108th on offense (185.4 passing yards per game).
Northern Illinois has been finding success on both sides of the ball in the running game, ranking 13th-best in rushing offense (215.6 rushing yards per game) and 15th-best in rushing defense (102.4 rushing yards allowed per game).
The Huskies own the 98th-ranked offense this season (23.4 points per game), and they’ve been better on the other side of the ball, ranking 13th-best with only 16.6 points allowed per game.
Ball State Stats & Insights
Their last time out, the Cardinals lost 24-14 to the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Ball State has been unproductive on both sides of the ball this season, ranking 25th-worst in total offense (328.9 total yards per game) and fourth-worst in total defense (494.4 total yards allowed per game).
The Cardinals rank 74th in passing yards per game (223.3), but they’ve been worse defensively, ranking worst in the FBS with 310.9 passing yards allowed per contest.
Ball State has plenty of room to improve in the running game, as it ranks 15th-worst in rushing yards per game (105.6) and 23rd-worst in rushing yards allowed per game (183.6).
The Cardinals’ defense has been a bottom-25 unit in scoring defense this season, surrendering 42.9 points per game, which ranks fourth-worst in the FBS. Offensively, they rank 86th with 25.1 points per contest.
Northern Illinois Key Players to Watch
Ethan Hampton has 932 passing yards (155.3 ypg) to lead Northern Illinois, completing 59.1% of his passes and throwing eight touchdown passes and four interceptions this season. He’s also chipped in on the ground with 113 rushing yards (18.8 ypg) on 35 carries with one rushing touchdown.
The team’s top rusher, Gavin Williams, has carried the ball 105 times for 487 yards (69.6 per game), with one touchdown this year.
This season Antario Brown has rushed for 454 yards (75.7 per game) on 100 carries with two touchdowns, while also hauling in 204 yards (51.0 per game) on eight catches and one touchdown.
Cam Thompson’s 244 receiving yards (34.9 yards per game) lead the team. He has 17 receptions with two touchdowns.
Andrew McElroy’s 15 grabs are good enough for 165 yards (23.6 ypg).
Ball State Key Players to Watch
Kadin Semonza has 1,538 passing yards (219.7 ypg) to lead Ball State, completing 66.5% of his passes and collecting 13 touchdown passes and seven interceptions this season.
Braedon Sloan’s team-high 451 rushing yards (64.4 per game) have come on 106 carries, with four touchdowns this year. He’s also added 270 yards (38.6 per game) on 23 catches with one touchdown.
This season Vaughn Pemberton has rushed for 128 yards (21.3 per game) on 22 carries with one touchdown.
Tanner Koziol’s team-leading 502 receiving yards (71.7 yards per game) have come on 55 receptions with four touchdowns.
Cam Pickett has put together a 271-yard season so far (38.7 receiving yards per game) with one touchdown, hauling in 29 passes.
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