Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Northern Illinois
Game Day Central: Ball State Begins #MACtion Against Northern Illinois
September 28, 2016 | Football
GAME NOTES
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Bronze Stalk Trophy is on the line this weekend when the Ball State football team welcomes Northern Illinois to Scheumann Stadium Saturday afternoon. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m.
Saturday's game will be broadcast on the American Sports Network and ESPN3 while radio coverage will be on Ball State's flagship station, WLBC 104.1 FM.
Ball State (3-1) will be looking for its first win in the series since the 2008 season. Northern Illinois (0-4) 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 against NIU last fall.
On offense, the Cardinals have been among the most balanced in the league, averaging more than 215 yards per game on the ground and through the air. Ball State racked up a season-high 488 yards of offense in the win at Florida Atlantic last weekend.
Ball State's defense continues to wreak havoc behind the line of scrimmage. The Cardinals lead the nation with 17 sacks and have totaled 25 tackles for loss the last two games. Fifteen players have been involved in a tackle for loss the previous two weeks.
Northern Illinois reached the MAC championship game for the sixth consecutive season in 2015, but the Huskies are still searching for their first victory this year. NIU has dropped games to Wyoming, South Florida, San Diego State and Western Illinois. Drew Hare, the Huskies' starting quarterback, went down with a significant injury in week two and has not returned.
For the most up-to-date news on the football team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateFB and @BSUCoachNeu.
