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Kent State Golden Flashes quarterback Devin Kargman.
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Two of the worst 3-5 college football teams you’ll ever see will do battle in beautiful Muncie, Ind., on Wednesday night. It should be a dandy.
Ball State is a 1.5-point favorite over Kent State, as both teams try to get within two wins of bowl eligibility with three more games to play after this one.
It may not sound like a big deal, but for either one of these teams to get to six wins would be a pretty significant step forward.
Ball State was 3-9 in 2024 and hasn’t gone bowling since 2021, while Kent State went 0-12 in 2024, 1-11 in 2023, and was winless in the MAC in both of those campaigns.
Weeknight MACtion is always a gift to be cherished, but it’s even more special when the line is this tight and the stakes are this high.
Kent State vs. Ball State odds, prediction
What a journey it’s been for Kent State head coach Mark Carney.
Seven months ago, Carney was the offensive coordinator for the Golden Flashes, but he was named interim head coach when Kenni Burns was fired for multiple violations of his contract, including how he used a personal credit card.
Kent State head coach Mark Carney. APThe sacking of Burns was just another blow to a program that was 1-23 in the previous two seasons and hadn’t defeated an FBS opponent since 2022.
Expectations could hardly be lower.
Things only looked bleaker for Kent State when the team followed up a 21-17 season-opening win against Merrimack with four straight losses, three of which came by at least 38 points.
A start like that on top of the offseason controversy gave the Golden Flashes every reason to just waltz their way through the season, but this group has some serious moxie.
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Kent State won two of its next three games to get to 3-5 and 2-2 in the MAC. Wins over UMass and Bowling Green aren’t going to get College GameDay to take a trip to campus, but they are noteworthy because Ball State ain’t that much better than either one of those teams.
The numbers suggest that these two teams are essentially on equal footing, but there seems to be some momentum behind Kent State right now. The same can’t be said of Ball State, which has essentially meandered between gutsy wins and disappointing losses all season.
This game is a coin flip. So we’ll back the romantic underdog at plus-money.
The Play: Kent State +106 (BetMGM Sportsbook)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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