Ball State University Athletics
Football Completes 2009 Non-Conference Schedule
January 26, 2009 | Football
Ball State University has completed its 2009 non-conference football schedule, according to Ball State athletics director Tom Collins.
The Cardinals will open the 2009 season with a pair of home games -- Thurs., Sept. 3, vs. North Texas and Sat., Sept. 12 vs. New Hampshire. Ball State will play at Army Sat., Sept. 19, and at Auburn Sat., Sept. 26.
North Texas tallied a 1-11 overall record last season, posting its lone victory at Western Kentucky by a 51-40 margin. The Mean Green compete in the Sun Belt Conference, and will be in their 93rd year of playing college football. North Texas moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1995. This will be the first ever meeting between Ball State and North Texas.
New Hampshire is a member of the Football Championship Subdivision, and is coming off a 2008 season when the Wildcats managed a 10-3 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association. New Hampshire was ranked eighth in the final FCS poll, advanced to the NCAA FCS Playoffs for the fifth consecutive season and played into the quarterfinal round for the fourth time during the five year span last season. New Hampshire, which earned the CAA North Division title last season, has defeated four straight opponents from the FBS -- Army in 2008 (28-10), Marshall in 2007 (48-35), Northwestern in 2006 (34-17) and Rutgers in 2004 (35-24). Ball State and New Hampshire have never met in football.
Army posted a 3-9 overall record in 2008, including a win over Mid-American Conference foe Eastern Michigan (17-13) and a loss to MAC opponent Buffalo (27-24 in OT). The 2009 meeting will be the second between Ball State and the Black Knights. Army managed a 41-21 win at West Point in 1999.
Ball State and Auburn will be playing against each other for the third time in a series which dates back to 2001. The Tigers defeated the Cardinals 30-0 in Ball State's season opener in 2001 at Auburn, and managed a 63-3 win at Auburn in 2005. The Tigers posted a 5-7 overall record as a member of the Southeastern Conference in 2008.
2009 Ball State Football Non-Conference Schedule
Thurs., Sept. 3 -- NORTH TEXAS
Sat., Sept. 12 -- NEW HAMPSHIRE
Sat., Sept. 19 -- at Army
Sat., Sept. 26 -- at Auburn
Home Games in BOLD AND ALL CAPS
