THE SPORTS ADVISORS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5


COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Navy (1-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) at Ball State (1-0 SU, 0-0 ATS)
Navy and Ball State eased into the season with blowout victories in their openers against undermanned teams, and now the two will square off under the lights at Ball State Stadium in Muncie, Ind.
Ball State opened the season eight days ago with an easy 48-14 victory over Northeastern in an unlined contest. QB Nate Davis threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns as the Cardinals racked up 487 yards of total offense, including 190 on the ground behind RB MiQuale Lewis (11 carries, 95 yards, one TD).
Navy, the top rushing team in the nation the last three seasons, appears well on its way to defending that title after rushing for 558 yards in Saturday?s 41-13 rout of Towson in a non-lined game. RB Shun White had for a school-record 348 rushing yards and three TDs in the victory on just 19 carries. White broke a 27-year Middies? record by 50 rushing yards.
Navy won its final four games last season (2-2 ATS) to earn a berth in the Poinsettia Bowl, where the Midshipmen fell 35-32 to Utah, but covered as nine-point ?dogs. Navy is 49-19 ATS in its last 68 road games, but otherwise the program is on ATS slides of 3-7 in non-conference games, 1-4 against the MAC and 0-4 in Friday kickoffs.
Ball State won four of its last six (3-2 ATS) to end the 2007 campaign and earn a spot in the International Bowl against Rutgers, where the Cardinals got destroyed in a 52-30, falling way short as 11-point underdogs. Despite that result, they are on ATS runs of 11-5 overall, 7-2 in non-conference games, 11-3 against teams with a winning record and 4-0 in September contests.
These teams met almost a year ago with Ball State getting a 34-31 overtime victory, covering as a seven-point road ?dog. The teams combined for more than 1,100 total yards in the game.
The over is 8-3 in the Middies? last 11 overall, 4-1 in their last five September games, 5-0 in their last five on the road and 5-1 in their last six against teams with a winning mark. For Ball State, the over is on streaks of 10-1 in September and 5-2 in non-conference contests, but the under is 5-1 in the Cardinals? last six lined games overall.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER