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Ball State vs UMass Prediction: Can the Minutemen Turn This Around?
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- Ball State vs UMass Prediction: Can the Minutemen Turn This Around?
UMass was about to be the most wonderful story in college football – and it still can be.
After shocking Rutgers in the season opener, it beat two FCS schools, blew out Sacramento State, and then … October happened. Four straight losses later, it's going to take some work to win two more games to become bowl eligible.
Ball State was on its own four-game losing streak, but an overtime win over Bowling Green and a 34-17 win over Sacramento State put a halt to the run. Now it has to win three of its last four games to get to a bowl game.
Ball State vs UMass: Quick Hits
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UMass (4-4) gets two of the next three games at home, with a trip to Toledo next before hosting Akron.
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Ball State (3-5) finishes the season with two of the last three games at home, getting Buffalo next week.
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The two teams have only played four times, splitting the series 2-2. Ball State won the last meeting 20-10 back in 2015.
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How To Watch Ball State vs UMass
Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Game Time: 7:00 PM ET
TV: ESPNU
Location: Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium, Amherst, MA
– Week 10 Schedule, Predictions
– CFN Top 25
| Bowl Projections
– Expert Picks: Week 10
Why Ball State Will Win
So what has gone so right for the Cardinals over the winning streak? The offense worked – for the most part. The three wins came in the three games the Cardinals were able to crank out over 400 yards of offense, with the running game being the key in each one.
On the flip side, what has gone wrong for UMass? The scoring has stopped. The offense scored 35 or more in the four wins, fewer than 20 in the four losses, and …
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Why UMass Will Win
Ball State has allowed more than 25 points in every game, except for the 41-17 win over Stony Brook from the FCS.
And as for the Cardinals needing 400 yards to win, even during the losing streak, the UMass defense has been decent. It has yet to allow 400 yards in any game, helped by a strong pass rush that was great at forcing turnovers.
That has slowed, but get a few takeaways, run the ball on the struggling Cardinal defense, and everything should be okay.
Ball State vs UMass Prediction, Betting Lines
The UMass slide stops here.
It hasn't been playing all that poorly, but it's having a rough time putting the biscuit in the basket. Finally, the points will start to come – quarterback Pop Watson didn't play in the losses to Buffalo and Miami University – against a Ball State team that can't generate third down stops.
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UMass 27, Ball State 23
Latest Consensus Line: UMass -3.5, o/u: 49.5
ATS Confidence (out of 5)
: 2.5
Must See Rating (out of 5)
: 2
Consensus line based on BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
