Ball State football to take on Western Michigan in short week
By Chase Akins / November 5, 2015Ball State will travel to Western Michigan University in a must-win game if it hopes to keep its bowl eligibility alive.
Ball State will travel to Western Michigan University in a must-win game if it hopes to keep its bowl eligibility alive.
When used properly, Ball State has one of the best 1-2 combos at the running back position in the Mid-American Conference.
Ball State running back and kick returner Darian Green was named the MAC West special teams player of the week. Green was awarded the accolade after returning the second half opening kick off 85 yards to start the offense at UMASS' 15 yard line.
Offensive production was no issue during Ball State's 20-10 win over the University of Massachusetts Oct. 31, especially from the wide receiving core.
Ball State football put together a solid defensive performance against UMass, allowing 259 yards through the air and 189 yards on the ground, with only allowed 10 points.
Halloween's 24-10 win over the University of Massachusetts gave Ball State its most complete game since September’s loss at Northwestern. The offense put together a combination of production through the air and on the ground, while the defense held the opposition to just 10 points.
First Quarter The Minutemen started off their drive with a 20-yard pass to Tajae Sharp.
On Halloween, the Ball State Cardinals will face off against a wide receiver with a proven history against them. University of Massachusetts senior wide receiver Tajae Sharpe had a career day against Ball State last season, hauling in 13 grabs for 239 yards.
Ball State Secondary vs. Blake Frohnhapfel Ball State: The past three weeks, the secondary has allowed opposing quarterbacks completion percentage to ballon up to 82.8 percent.
Another former Ball State football player has found a home with the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts announced today they have signed safety Sean Baker to the practice squad.
If there was one problematic area for Ball State on a week-by-week basis, it is the inconsistency of the secondary in pass coverage.
Ball State football will officially not have senior defensive tackle Darnell Smith back in the lineup for the rest of the season. It has been announced that the senior defensive tackle will be redshirted this season.
In Oct. 26's Nation Football League action the Indianapolis Colts faced off against the New Orleans Saints in a matchup that had two former Cardinals on the same field for the first time since playing at Ball State.
The Achilles' heel for Ball State thus far has been the inconsistency of the defense. This season, the Cardinals are allowing 484 yards per game to opposing offenses, which ranks 11th in the Mid-American Conference.
Today’s weather provided a significant advantage for whichever team was playing with Scheumann Stadium’s westbound wind at their backs in the Cardinals’ 23-21 loss to Central Michigan. Head coach Pete Lembo said it's something his team practices with.
On a day where Ball State had a chance to beat Central Michigan for the sixth consecutive season, ineffectiveness from the offense led to them snapping that. The Cardinals' offense, which has been effective over the last few weeks, struggled today.
First Quarter The Central Michigan Chippewas started with the ball and drove down the field with ease against the struggling Ball State defense in less than three minutes. Central Michigan's quarterback, Cooper Rush capped off the six-play, 75-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Corey Willis. Ball State took over at the 23-yard line, but could not do anything with it.
Sitting at 2-5, with their backs against the wall the rest of the season, Ball State (2-5, 1-2) will be playing Central Michigan (3-4, 2-1) on Oct. 24.
In the midst of Ball State football's second-longest losing streak this decade, head coach Pete Lembo is looking for answers.
The Ball State football team ranks in the nation's top 10 in two statistical categories. But head coach Pete Lembo isn't happy about it. The Cardinals rank tied for sixth in the nation with 12 field goals made, and are tied for seventh with 16 field goal attempts. Despite freshman Hagee's efficiency this season - especially from 30 yards and in - part of Ball State's problem is the inability to move the ball in the red zone.
