The Western Michigan Broncos and Ball State Cardinals will meet on Saturday in a pivotal MAC matchup, with both teams sitting at 1-3 and desperately seeking a win. Western Michigan is coming off a close 27-20 loss to Marshall, where they struggled to stop the run, allowing 243 rushing yards. Offensively, the Broncos have leaned heavily on their ground game, averaging 178 rushing yards per game, led by running back Jaden Nixon, who has accumulated 360 rushing yards and four touchdowns this season. Quarterback Hayden Wolff has been solid but not spectacular, throwing for 643 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions. Ball State, on the other hand, is coming off a blowout 63-7 loss to James Madison, a game where they allowed 522 total yards and struggled in every phase of the game. The Cardinals’ defense has been a major weakness, allowing an average of 49 points per game and ranking last in the MAC. Quarterback Kadin Semonza has shown some promise, throwing for 826 yards and eight touchdowns, but his five interceptions have been costly.

The running game, led by Braedon Sloan, has been inconsistent, averaging just 100.5 rushing yards per game. For Western Michigan, the key will be to establish their running game early and avoid costly turnovers. If the Broncos can control time of possession and limit mistakes, they should be able to take advantage of Ball State’s porous defense. Defensively, Western Michigan will need to tighten up against the run and force Semonza into difficult passing situations. For Ball State, the primary focus will be on improving their defensive performance. They have struggled mightily against both the run and the pass, giving up 219 rushing yards and 320 passing yards per game on average. Offensively, the Cardinals need to protect Semonza and find a way to get the ball to their playmakers like receiver Tanner Koziol, who leads the team with 289 receiving yards and four touchdowns.