Bowling Green (2-4, 2-0 MAC) has quietly put itself at the top of the league standings, and Eddie George's Falcons want to stay there. Ball State (1-5, 0-2) visits Doyt L. Perry Stadium at noon on ESPN+ hoping to turn around a tough October.
Bowling Green insider Darcy Fenwick is a former club-hockey goalie, and she treats pass defense like save percentage. She's riding high after a 38-10 win over Sacramento State. Jay Kastantin has 986 passing yards, and Austyn Dendy has three rushing touchdowns. Ball State insider Gus Ponder tells a dad joke on every punt. He'll tell you that quarterback Keldric Luster is back from a September foot injury and that TJ Horton has five touchdowns on just 43 carries.
Neither offense has been explosive this season, so expect field position, short fields and maybe a few punts to keep him busy. Ball State lost 45-14 at Northwestern last Saturday. The Falcons have home field and early-season confidence in the MAC. Mild weather makes this a straightforward test of who can sustain drives.
Our call: Bowling Green 27, Ball State 20.