Miami defensive line should dominate Ball State

In their season opening 42-34 win over FCS Missouri State, Ball State allowed 10 tackles for loss and three sacks. Miami is 14th nationally with 18 tackles for loss and sixth with eight sacks through its first two games. The veteran offensive line of Ball State will likely struggle with the Miami defensive line.

Per David Lake of Inside the U, the Ball State projected starting OL has played 8,531 offensive snaps in their collegiate careers. Ball State was 100th nationally in 2023 allowing 6.42 TFLs per game and 76rh allowing 2.17 sacks per game. Miami's DL has been dominant this season, despite playing without star Rueben Bain.

Bain who was the 2023 ACC Rookie Defensive Player of the Year suffered a soft tissue injury in the season opener and missed the Florida A&M game last week. Bain is expected to be out for a few more weeks. In Bain's absence, Tennessee transfer Tyler Baron is putting up All-American numbers.

Baron has eight tackles, 5.5 TFLs and 4.0 sacks in 2024. Missouri State linebacker Kanye Young had five tackles, three TFLs and two sacks versus the Cardinals last week. Baron should approach those numbers versus Ball State. Elijah Alston has also been dominant with four tackles, 2.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks.

Miami built depth on the DL in the offseason adding Alston and Baron at edge rusher and defensive tackles Simeon Barrow, C.J. Clark and Marley Cook. Clark quietly has 1.5 TFLs. Ten different Miami players have a TFL in 2024 and eight have sacks. Miami should be able to rotate the DL versus Ball State.

Ball State had 435 yards versus Missouri State last week. The Cardinals have a huge jump, going from playing an FCS opponent to 10th-ranked Miami. When Mario Cristobal was hired he made the line of scrimmage a priority. Expect the Miami DL to dominate a Ball State OL that has struggled in the past two years.