Ball State University Athletics
Football Team to Play Tulsa in GMAC Bowl Tuesday
January 06, 2009 | Football
GMAC BOWL
in Mobile, Ala.
Ball State Cardinals
(12-1; MAC 8-0)
Mid-American Conference
West Division Champions
vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane
(10-3; CUSA 7-1)
Conference USA
West Division Champions
Jan. 6, 2009 -- 8 p.m. (ET)
ESPN
Ladd-Peebles Stadium
(Capacity: 40,646)
Mobile, Ala.
FieldTurf
Ball State Quick Hits
? Stan Parrish was named Ball State's head football coach Dec. 18, 2008. His first game as Ball State's head coach will be the GMAC Bowl. Parrish owns a 57-41-3 career record in 11 seasons as a head coach at Wabash, Marshall and Kansas State.
? Ball State completed the regular season with a 12-0 record. This marks only the third undefeated regular season in Ball State's 84 campaigns. The 1949 squad completed the year at 8-0. The 1965 team posted a perfect 9-0 regular season before tying Tennessee State in the Grantland Rice Bowl to end the year at 9-0-1.
? This year's 12 straight victories was the third longest winning streak in school history. The longest winning streak in school history is 14, which was the last six games of 1948 and all eight in 1949. Ball State also won 13 straight in 1977 and 1978.
? The 12 victories in 2008 set a Ball State school record for most wins in a single season.
? Ball State's Mid-American Conference West Division Championship was the Cardinals first-ever outright division title since the league went to divisions in 1997. Ball State tied for the division title in 2001 and 2007, but lost the tiebreaker in both seasons.
? Ball State's football program has had two 10 plus win seasons in 84 seasons. The 1978 team posted a 10-1 overall record.
? The 8-0 MAC season marks the second undefeated league campaign in Ball State history. The 1978 squad also completed the league slate at 8-0.
? The Cardinals 10 straight MAC wins -- last two in 2007 and all eight in 2008 -- marks the second best streak in BSU annals. The school record is 12 -- the last four in 1977 and all eight in 1978.
? Ball State's national rankings this season are the first in school history. The Cardinals were ranked as high as 12th in the BCS Standings (11/30), 12th in the AP (11/30) and 13th in the USA Today Poll (11/30). Ball State has been ranked in all three polls for nine straight weeks.
? Ball State was one of only four of the 119 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the nation to complete the regular season undefeated in 2008 (Ball State, Alabama, Boise State and Utah).
? Ball State's eight straight home victories ties the fifth best mark in school history, and the six straight road victories ties for the second best in BSU annals.
? The Cardinals have gone 45 straight games without being shutout, which is the third longest stretch in Ball State history. The last time a Ball State team did not score in a game was Oct. 1, 2005, at Boston College.
? In 11 of Ball State's 12 victories this season, the Cardinals won by double-digit margins. In Ball State's 12 wins this season, the Cardinals won by an average of 21.0 points.
? Ball State's defense allowed 20 points or fewer eight times this season.
? The Cardinals have scored 51-of-60 (.850) times in the Red Zone this year, including 42 touchdowns and nine field goals.
? Ball State ranks ninth in the country in third down conversion percentage. The Cardinals have converted on 74-of-146 (.507) third downs.
? Ball State ranks first in the nation for fewest penalties (2.77) and fewest penalty yards (26.85) per game.
? Ball State has not been behind at the half in a game this season. The Cardinals were tied with Central Michigan, 10-10, at the half. The Cardinals have only been behind in four games all year -- at Indiana, at Miami University, at Central Michigan and vs. Buffalo.
? Ball State has 16 interceptions this season. The Cardinals have posted two or more interceptions in four games and at least one interception in 10 outings. Ball State has three interception returns for touchdowns this year.
? Ball State has 31 rushing touchdowns this season, which is the third best single season mark in school history, behind the school standard of 32 set in 1965 and 1977.
? The Cardinals have scored a school record 476 points and a school standard 62 total touchdowns this season.
? Ball State will be making back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time in the school's 84-year history. The Cardinals played in the International Bowl last season, the 1996 Las Vegas Bowl, the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl, the 1989 California Raisin Bowl and the Grantland Rice Bowl in 1965 and 1967.
? The GMAC Bowl will mark Ball State's ninth television appearnce in the 2008 season. This will mark the Cardinals seventh appearance on national television this season. The GMAC Bowl will mark the team's sixth straight game on ESPN or ESPN2. In addition to the six national TV appearances, Ball State was on the Big Ten Network and ESPN Plus. Ball State hosted Navy in a nationally televised game on ESPN Sept. 5, at Scheumann Stadium.
