Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning is perhaps the best quarterback in the Mid-American Conference.

He currently leads the conference in yards per game at 328.1 and has 2,625 total yards this year, according to MAC statistics. Both stats put him in first place at his position.

However, more importantly, he has led his team to first place in the Mid-American Conference standings. Ball State (7-1, 4-0 MAC) is the only team that has won four games without losing.

The Akron defense will have their hands full Saturday afternoon. The Zips will take on the Ball State Cardinals at 12 p.m. at Infocision Stadium.

The Akron defense, though they have been better than years previous, still has a lot of trouble in their passing defense. The Zips are currently ranked No. 12 out of 13 in defense. They have given up 258.1 yards per game on average through the air.

The Akron defense will need to step up in general. Behind the arm of Wenning, Ball State has the second best offense in the league. They are only behind Northern Illinois. Ball State has averaged 471.8 yards per game.

Ball State has an average running game. They are currently eighth in the league. Because Akron has one of the best defensive lines in the league, Ball State will likely depend on their passing game.

Akron’s defense is ranked fifth in the league. They on average only give up 414.9 yards per game. It could be possible that the outcome of the game is dependent upon the statistic. If Ball State can get closer to their average than Akron’s, they will have a good chance at running away from the Zips.

The Akron offense has not been the high-powered attack that many fans have expected out of head coach Terry Bowden. However, it has been effective. Though the Zips are only ranked tenth, they have come up with big drives that have kept their team in games until the very end.

Ball State has an average defense. They are ranked sixth. The Zips will have to attempt to score with Ball State throughout Saturday’s contest if they hope to come out with a victory. A low-scoring contest will likely not happen.

If the Zips stay in the contest they will likely have run the ball effectively. Running backs Jawon Chisholm and Conor Hundley have been effective over the last couple games. They will need to continue the trend.

Through the air, the Zips will have to rely on players that have come through for them already this season. Zach D’Orazio and Jerrod Dillard have been quarterback Kyle Pohl’s main targets. Dillard has been able to come up with some tough grabs so far.

Akron has to win all their remaining games to become eligible for a bowl game.

All images courtesy of Jeff Sabo–Miami University Photographer