Ball State looks to cover the Cardinals-Bulls point spread this week and improve its overall 2-1 mark when they host South Florida in Week 4 action.

They bring a 2-1 record (3-0 ATS) to the Week 4 battle against the 2-1 Bulls, who are 0-2-1 ATS against the spread. Over under bettors have seen Ball State go 3-0 so far and the Bulls go 1-1.



View South Florida vs Ball State Odds and Stats.

Betting Line: If you're siding with the visitors in this one you'll find the Bulls listed as 13-point favorites. Meanwhile, the over under line will be set shortly.

Power Rankings / Prediction: The Cardinals - Bulls odds would favor the Bulls if the lines were set according to power ranks. Ball State is rated No. 97 in our latest OddsShark poll, while the Bulls sit at No. 73. Math models based on recent stats and predictive formulas point to a 35-27 win for the Bulls.



How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Ball State's No. 40-ranked offense (35 PPG) against a Bulls defense that ranks No. 55 at 22.3 PPG. The Cardinals passing attack has averaged 209.7 yards per game, less than the Bulls give up through the air (216.7 YPG on average).

Defensively, the Bulls feature the league's No. 89-rated road run defense, allowing 278 yards per game. Ball State, meanwhile, ranks No. 12 in rushing offense at home.

South Florida was a 23-13 loser in its last match at home against Rutgers. They failed to cover the 7.5-point spread as favorites, while the total score of 36 sent UNDER bettors to the payout window. The Bulls suffered a Week 3 loss against Rutgers in their last game, falling 23-13 at Raymond James Stadium.

Ball State was a 41-39 Sportsbook in their most recent outing on the road against Indiana. They covered the 2.5-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (80) made Sportsbooks of OVER bettors. In their last game, the Cardinals were Week 3 Sportsbooks, coming out on top of the Hoosiers by a score of 41-39.


South Florida Bulls Trends:
When playing in September are 7-3
When playing on turf are 7-3
After being outgained are 4-6
When playing outside the conference are 9-1

Ball State Cardinals Trends:
When playing in September are 5-5
When playing on turf are 6-4
After being outgained are 6-4
When playing outside the conference are 4-6

A few Bulls at Cardinals trends to consider:
South Florida is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games on the road
South Florida is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
South Florida is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
South Florida is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ball State's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ball State's last 6 games at home
Ball State is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home


Next up:
South Florida home to Florida State, Saturday, September 29
Ball State at Kent State, Saturday, September 29