BALL STATE NORTHERN ILLINOIS 3-1, 0-0 (MAC) 0-4, 0-0 (MAC) Streak: Won 2 Streak: Lost 4 Head Coach: Mike Neu (1St Year) Head Coach: Rod Carey (4Th Year)
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BALL STATE NORTHERN ILLINOIS 3-1, 0-0 (MAC) 0-4, 0-0 (MAC) Streak: Won 2 Streak: Lost 4 Head Coach: Mike Neu (1st year) Head Coach: Rod Carey (4th year) Date: Oct. 1, 2016 | Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. | Site: Scheumann Stadium, Muncie, Ind. (capacity: 22,500) | TV: ASN, ESPN3 Storylines #CHIRPCHIRP 8Ball State will be looking for its first win in the series since 2008. Northern Illinois piled up 59 points against the Cardinals last year, equaling the most by either team in the 43 meetings between the teams. Sophomore QB Riley Neal threw for a career-best 393 yards Ball State is aiming for its against NIU last fall. 3 first three-game winning streak since the team 8The Bronze Stalk Trophy is on the line this weekend. These two MAC rivals began won seven straight late competing for this trophy in 2008. Designed by nationally recognized sculptor and DeKalb in the 2013 season. artist Renee Bemis, the trophy depicts several cornstalks in tribute to the prevalence of maize around the respective home states of the rivals. QB Riley Neal accounted 8RBs Darian Green and James Gilbert are both closing in on 1,000 career rushing yards. 4 for four touchdowns last Green needs 19 more yards while Gilbert is 62 yards shy. The duo has combined for 533 week at FAU. He threw rushing yards this year. for two scores and ran 8Ball State’s defense leads the nation in total sacks (17) and ranks 18th nationally in rush- for two more, including ing defense (97.0 yards per game). The Cardinals ranked next to last in the MAC in rushing the game-winner with defense last year (225.5 yards per game) and have already equaled last year’s season total 1:47 remaining. in sacks (17). 8Senior DE Joshua Posley has 6.0 tackles for loss the last two games. As a unit, the defense LB Sean Wiggins has amassed 25 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in the previous two contests. equaled his personal 13 high with 13 tackles in last week’s win at FAU. 2016 Statistical Comparison The Cardinals have Ball State Statistic Northern Illinois 25 notched 25 tackles for 30.8 . Scoring Average ...........................25.5 loss over the last two 23.0 . Scoring Defense ........................... 39.5 games. Fifteen different 221.0 ...............................Rushing Yards ...........................186.5 players have chipped in 215.2 ................................Passing Yards............................238.5 to the total. 436.2 ................................Total Offense............................425.0 97.0 . Rushing Defense..........................236.2 267.8 ..............................Passing Defense ..........................262.8 MAC Championships 364.8 ................................Total Defense............................499.0 9.6 ..............................Punt Return Average..........................8.9 1976, 1978, 1989, 1993, 1996 19.9 .............................Kick Return Average.........................23.1 MAC West Division Titles 33:35 ..........................Time of Possession Avg. ......................26:54 28/66 (42.4%) ..................3rd Down Conversions.............. 18/65 (27.7%) 2001, 2007, 2008 12/19 (63.2%) ...................Red Zone Touchdowns ................8/13 (61.5%) Bowl Appearances 1965, 1967, 1989, 1993, 1996, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 – 1 – BallStateSports.com • @BallStateSports • #ChirpChirp • 2016 Cardinal Football • @BallStateFB • @BSUCoachNeu – 1 – 2016 Ball State Cardinals Football 2016 Schedule Breakdown at Georgia State Notes: Ball State won its seventh consecu- Friday, Sept. 2 | 7 p.m. tive season opener … Mike Neu tallied his Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Ga. first win as Ball State coach … RB James W, 31-21 | TV: ASN, ESPN3 Gilbert ran for career-high 160 yards at Indiana Notes: Indiana raced out to a 30-0 lead Saturday, Sept. 10 | 4 p.m. before Ball State scored the final 20 points Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Ind. … these two teams will play again in 2018, Setting the Scene … L, 20-30 | TV: ESPNews 2019 and 2020 … IU leads the series, 5-3 Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET, Oct. 1, 2016 Eastern Kentucky Notes: The Cardinals won their seventh Saturday, Sept. 17 | 3 p.m. straight home opener … Ball State held EKU Site: Scheumann Stadium, Muncie, Ind. Scheumann Stadium, Muncie, Ind. to three yards rushing and tallied eight W, 41-14 | TV: ESPN3 sacks … Ball State scored the first 41 points (capacity: 22,500) Rankings: Notes: First-ever meeting between the two at Florida Atlantic Ball State (NR – AP; NR – Coaches) programs … FAU will return the game in Saturday, Sept. 24 | 6 p.m. Northern Illinois (NR – AP; NR – Coaches) FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Fla. 2019 … QB Riley Neal accounted for four W, 31-27 | TV: FAUSports.tv TDs (2 rushing, 2 passing) Television: American Sports Network/ESPN3 Northern Illinois* Notes: Annual game for the Bronze Stalk Mike Gleason, play-by-play Saturday, Oct. 1 | 3:30 p.m. Trophy … NIU has won seven straight meet- Brad Jackson, analyst Scheumann Stadium, Muncie, Ind. ings and leads the all-time series, 21-20-2 … Petar Hood, sidelines QB Riley Neal threw for 393 yards last year TV: ASN, ESPN3 Radio: Notes: Ball State has won four straight (Ball State Radio Network) at Central Michigan* WLBC 104.1 FM – Flagship Saturday, Oct. 8 | 3:30 p.m. meetings at Central Michigan … the Cardi- nals lead the all-time series, 24-23-1 Joel Godett, play-by-play Kelly/Shorts Stadium, Mt. Pleasant, Mich. Rich Spisak, analyst TV: ASN, ESPN3 Tyler Bradfield, sidelines at Buffalo* Notes: This will be Ball State’s first trip to Live Stats: Saturday, Oct. 15 | TBA Buffalo since 2011 … the Cardinals are 4-0 BallStateSports.com UB Stadium, Buffalo, N.Y. all-time at Buffalo … Ball State leads the all- time series, 8-1 Twitter: TV: TBA @BallStateFB, @BallStateSports Akron* Notes: 2016 Homecoming Game … Ball State Forecast: Saturday, Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. has won five consecutive games versus the Overcast with 20 percent chance of rain, Scheumann Stadium, Muncie, Ind. Zips including last meeting in 2014 … Ball high near 70 degrees TV: TBA State leads the all-time series, 11-10-1 Western Michigan* Notes: Western Michigan is the preseason Tuesday, Nov. 1 | 8 p.m. MAC favorite … WMU has won two Scheumann Stadium, Muncie, Ind. straight meetings and leads the all-time TV: ESPN2 or ESPNU series, 23-19 Eastern Michigan* Notes: LB Sean Wiggins tallied two inter- A Ball State Win Would … ceptions in last year’s victory … Ball State Tuesday, Nov. 8 | 7 p.m. … Snap a seven game losing streak to has won 10 of the last 11 meetings … the Scheumann Stadium, Muncie, Ind. Northern Illinois. Cardinals hold a 33-21-2 lead in the series TV: ESPN2 or CBSSN … Move Ball State to 1-0 in MAC action for the sixth time in the last seven years. Notes: Toledo held Ball State to just 26 yards at Toledo* … Give the Cardinals their first three- rushing in 2015 … the Rockets have won Wednesday, Nov. 16 | 7 p.m. game winning streak since the team won two straight meetings … Toledo leads the Glass Bowl, Toledo, Ohio seven straight late in the 2013 season. TV: ESPN2 or ESPNU all-time series, 21-19-1 at Miami* Notes: First meeting at Miami since 2012 … Tuesday, Nov. 22 | 7 p.m. Ball State has won the last three meetings … Yager Stadium, Oxford, Ohio Miami leads the all-time series, 16-12-1 TV: ESPNU or ESPN3 – 2 – BallStateSports.com • @BallStateSports • #ChirpChirp • 2016 Cardinal Football • @BallStateFB • @BSUCoachNeu – 2 – 2016 Ball State Cardinals Football Game #5 Chirps TEAM teams. The Cardinals scored the game-win- ning touchdown with 1:47 left in the 31-27 TOP 10 CHARTS 2015-16 HALL OF FAME WEEKEND victory. Career Receiving Yards • This weekend, the Ball State University The previous time Ball State played a 1. 3,030 Dante Ridgeway, 2002-04 Department of Athletics is inducting four game in the state of Florida was the 2012 2. 2,991 Willie Snead, 2011-13 individuals and one team into its Hall of 3. 2,778 Dante Love, 2005-08 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg against Fame – Eduardo Ferraz (men’s volleyball), 4. 2,723 Jordan Williams, 2012-15 UCF. Dee Nocero (soccer), Dante Ridgeway (foot- 5. 2,473 Darius Hill, 2005-08 ball), Brad Snyder (baseball) and the 1989-90 6. 2,256 Deon Chester, 1984-87 HOME, SWEET HOME 7. 2,218 Briggs Orsbon, 2008-11 men’s tennis team. • Thanks to a 41-14 win over Eastern Ken- 8. 2,150 KeVonn Mabon, 2012-Present Ridgeway was one of three finalists for tucky on Sept. 17, Ball State has now won 9. 2,111 Brian Oliver, 1991-94 college football’s Fred Biletnikoff Award, seven consecutive home openers. 10. 2,034 Jamill Smith, 2010-13 presented to the nation’s most outstand- ing wide receiver, as a junior in 2004. That Career Receptions RED HELMET MAKES ITS RETURN 1. 238 Dante Ridgeway, 2002-04 season, he ranked first in the NCAA in • Ball State debuted a new red helmet in 2. 223 Willie Snead, 2011-13 receptions per game (9.55), receiving yards the home opener on Sept. 17 against EKU, 3. 213 Briggs Orsbon, 2008-11 per game (127.18) and total receiving yards marking the first time the Cardinals used 4. 199 Dante Love, 2005-08 (1,399). For more information on the Ball red helmets since 1970. From 1971 through 5. 200 Jordan Williams, 2012-15 State Athletics Hall of Fame, please visit 6. 182 KeVonn Mabon, 2012-Present 2013, the Cardinals exclusively wore a BallStateSports.com. 7. 177 Jamill Smith, 2010-13 white helmet adorned with a Cardinal head 8. 158 Darius Hill, 2005-08 logo. A black helmet was introduced in CELEBRATING HISTORY 9. 146 Deon Chester, 1984-87 2014. 10. 138 Brian Oliver, 1991-94 • Ball State is welcoming back two of its championship teams this weekend – the CARDINALS VICTORIOUS IN NEU’S 1976 and 1996 MAC championship teams.