Ball State vs. Auburn Picks and Prediction, September 6, 2025
On Saturday, the Ball State Cardinals will face the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Week 2 NCAAF action. The Tigers are 42.5-point spread favorites, and the game total is 52 points scored. Kickoff from Auburn, AL, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.
This Ball State Cardinals vs. Auburn Tigers prediction highlights a Cardinals team that lost to Purdue in their 2025 opener against a Tigers squad that defeated Baylor in Week 1. This is the fourth-ever meeting between Ball State and Auburn. The Tigers lead the series 3-0, winning the last matchup 54-30 in 2009.
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Ball State is in its first year under Mike Uremovich
Ball State (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, and 0-1 O/U) went 3-9 last year, its fourth straight losing season. The Cardinals fired ninth-year head coach Mike Norvin and hired Mike Uremovich, who previously served as the head coach at Butler from 2022-24. The Indiana native and former assistant at Northern Illinois has a strong grasp on in-state recruiting and knows what it takes to win in the MAC. In short, he could be an underrated hire in a few seasons' time.
BSU was shut out by Purdue in its 2025 opener, as the Boilermakers outgained the Cards 433-203 in total yards. Ball State won the time of possession battle and didn't commit any turnovers, but was 4-for-13 on third down. Purdue jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and coasted to victory from there on out.
Uremovich's Butler squad ranked seventh in the FCS in rushing last season. Bettors can expect a similar blueprint at Ball State, but it may take some time. The Cardinals had to hit the portal to rebuild their running back room and only eked out 3.2 yards per carry last week. Most of the top starters from last year's team need to be replaced, but the o-line isn't short on size with tackles Adam Dolan and Chris Hood, who stand 6-foot-8 and 6-foot-10, respectively. The Cardinals lost a lot of their receiving talent in the offseason, most notably 94-catch tight end Tanner Koziol. Senior signal-caller Kiael Kelly (87 passing yards and 63 rushing yards last week) takes over QB1 duties for Kadin Semonza, who transferred to Tulane.
The Ball State defense will be solid at the linebacker position with Joey Stemler (56 tackles and 6.5 TFL in 2024) holding down the middle. He's joined by transfers Alfred Chea (UConn) and Ashton Whitner (Old Dominion). There are returning pieces on the line and at cornerback, with Avery Stuart (Kentucky) and Michael Gravely (Western Michigan) taking over the safety spots. The Cardinals hope former Butler DC Jeff Knowles can turn things around quickly, as last year's squad couldn't get off the field on third down and allowed over 40 points per game.
Ball State Cardinals Football Injury Report: No injuries to report for Saturday's NCAAF game against Auburn.
Auburn turned some heads last week at Baylor
Auburn (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, and 1-0 O/U) finished 5-7 last season, including 2-6 in SEC play, under second-year head coach Hugh Freeze. It was a disappointing result for Tigers fans, who have endured four straight losing seasons and witnessed only two bowl wins since 2011. The good news is that Auburn did a fantastic job addressing its needs in the transfer portal, improving overall depth and building optimism for 2025.
Among the top transfer portal additions was former Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold, who impressed in his Tigers debut last week. The former five-star recruit rushed for a team-high 137 yards and two touchdowns while completing 64 percent of his passes in Auburn's 38-24 win over Baylor. The Tigers dominated in the trenches, rushing for over 300 yards and holding the Bears to 64 rushing yards on 24 carries (2.7 YPC).
The Auburn receiving corps has the potential to be explosive this season. Cam Coleman had a breakout 2024 with eight touchdowns, Malcolm Simmons is back after catching 40 balls, and transfers Eric Singleton (Georgia Tech) and Horatio Fields (Wake Forest) provide additional depth. Damari Alston will be the Tigers' lead back, and the run game will be boosted by the dual-threat Arnold. The offensive line is strong inside with all three starters back, and the tackle positions were solidified through the transfer portal.
There's plenty of returning talent on the defensive side of the football, too. DE Keldric Faulk is a future pro, and cornerbacks Kayin Lee and Jay Crawford are tough to throw against (18 combined passes defended last year). There are talented players on each level of the Auburn D, including EDGE Chris Murray (Sam Houston), LB Caleb Wheatland (Maryland), and cornerback Raion Strader (Miami-Ohio). The Tigers may not be dominant, but they should be an improved unit after struggling on third down and ranking 92nd in takeaways last season.
Auburn Tigers Football Injury Report: RB Damari Alston (shoulder), WR Perry Thompson (undisclosed), WR Cam Coleman (undisclosed), and RB Jeremiah Cobb (finger) are questionable to play against Ball State.
Ball State vs. Auburn Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Earle Sports Bets | +2,298.00 |
| 2 |  Ross Benjamin | +1,840.00 |
| 3 |  Rob Vincilleti | +1,757.00 |
| 4 |  David Hess | +1,745.00 |
| 5 |  Dan Kaiser | +987.00 |
Spread Pick for Ball State vs. Auburn
- Ball State +42.5 (5 Units)
Ball State was shut out in its first game, and Auburn was impressive on the road against a Big 12 foe, resulting in a 42.5-point spread. I believe the Tigers will show up to play and will put plenty of points on the board, as they will emphasize moving the football through the air against a Cardinals secondary that was picked apart last week (340 passing yards and 11.7 yards per pass allowed). Auburn mostly stuck to the ground last week, too, so it will be eager to open up the playbook more in Week 2.
That said, this is a very large spread. Auburn is in a letdown spot after taking on a challenging opponent last week, and Ball State will be plenty motivated to play better after being held scoreless in coach Uremovich's first game. The Cardinals took care of the football and won the time-of-possession battle against Purdue, which will be important this week in The Plains. The Tigers may win in blowout fashion, but I don't recommend betting on them to cover the 42.5-point spread against the Cardinals.
Over/Under Pick for Ball State vs. Auburn
Under 52 (4 Units)
If the Cards can play keepaway with the football, the Tigers will lose time and interest in crushing them. I don't anticipate Auburn playing its starters in the second half if the score is lopsided, either. Butler was a run-focused team last season under Ball State's new head coach, and I expect the visitors to lean on the ground game on Saturday to run the game clock and reduce the Tigers' possession count. Their mobile QB Kelly led the team in rushing last week, as did the Tigers' QB Arnold. With two dual-threat QBs taking the field, the game clock will likely drain more quickly than normal, leading to a lower-scoring game.
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