Ball State head coach Brady Hoke says you have to prepare forthe unexpected when facing Toledo counterpart Tom Amstutz.
That has also proven true twice when the Rockets came toMuncie.
In 1997 and 2001, the host Cardinals upset an unbeaten andnationally-ranked Toledo squad.
This year's Rockets are not in any Top 25, but they bring aformidable 5-2 overall record to Saturday's game. Toledo is also3-0 in Mid-American Conference play, tied atop the WestDivision.
"We talked about '97 and 2001," Amstutz said. "We went in there,and they played inspired football and beat us, so we respect theBall State program. They look like an improved team, and we'll haveour hands full."
The Rockets are coming off a 31-13 win at Central Michigan. Inthat game, they rolled up a stadium-record 643 yards of offense,including 422 on the ground. That total included 6-foot-8 inch,352-pound offensive tackle Erik Faasen rumbling for 22 yards on afake punt.
"With 'Stutz, there's no doubt you have to (prepare for that),"Hoke said "I've been friends with him a long time, and he will havethe unexpected."
Toledo showed some imagination in its last trip to Muncie, whentailback Chester Taylor passed back to quarterback Tavares Boldenfor an 11-yard touchdown.
Mostly, though, the Rockets prefer a lethally balanced attackbehind a giant offensive line (316 pounds per man) that is led byFaasen and 6-foot-5-inch, 305-pound tackle Nick Kaczur.
Central Michigan coach Mike DeBord called Toledo the mostphysical team in the MAC.
Hoke, whose team is 3-4 (2-1 MAC) , said he expects the team tobe a handful.
"It tells us we'd better be ready to play and we'd better beable to fight them," he said. "They're so daggone physical. Upfront offensively, they're unbelievably big."
Behind that line, sophomore quarterback Bruce Gradkowski hasthrown for 1,745 yards and 14 touchdowns. His leading receiver,Lance Moore, has caught a national-best 60 passes for 613yards.
Sophomores Trinity Dawson and Astin Martin have combined for 830yards and 12 touchdowns rushing.
Ball State counters with a defense that ranks No. 1 in the MACagainst the pass (188.1 yards) but is struggling to stop the run(10th, 185.6). On offense, the Cardinals have had major strugglesrunning the ball. Their 98.7 yards rank 11th in the MAC as Hoketries to make his team a more-physical group.
"I don't know if it's more difficult (than expected)," Hokesaid. "But I think any program, you go through phases and you gothrough a process. This is just another step of that process.
"Do I think we're a better football team than we showedSaturday? There isn't any doubt in my mind. But we didn't play withpoise or composure or a toughness and attitude that you have toplay with."
After Andy Roesch completed just one of 10 passes with threeinterceptions in his first start back from a shoulder injury,Talmadge Hill (1,002 yards, 10 touchdowns) will again step in atquarterback, although Hoke said Roesch will take some snaps.
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