Ball State, Miami meet for Red Bird Rivalry

Tuesday, November 22

Oxford, Ohio

7:00 PM ET

Ball State University

Miami (Ohio)

Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services

November 21, 2022 | Football

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Cardinals travel to RedHawks for 7 p.m. ET kickoff Tuesday

MUNCIE, Ind. – It doesn't get much bigger than Tuesday night #MACtion between two heated rivals.

The Red Bird Rivalry has some extra juice this season as Ball State and Miami meet for the 46th time in series history in Oxford, Ohio with the winner becoming bowl-eligible while the loser will end the regular season at 5-7.

The RedHawks have won five of the last six matchups, dating back to 2016. The Cardinals had won four of the five previous duels.

"Obviously, it's a big week with the Red Bird Rivalry against Miami," head coach Mike Neu said. "There's a lot on the line. Both teams are fighting for bowl eligibility. We're fired up to get to work. There's really not a whole lot that needs to be said. This is the last game of the regular season and we love being around each other too much, so we've got a lot of hard work that we need to accomplish this week.

"I have a lot of respect for Miami. They had a great win at Northern Illinois in tough conditions. They did a great job of going on the road and coming up with a huge win. It sets the stage for an exciting game where both teams are fighting for the exact same thing."

Fresh off its second consecutive season with a bowl appearance, Ball State is aiming to accomplish something that has never been done in program history: make it to a bowl game in three straight seasons. The Cardinals have appeared in two straight seasons three times: 2007-08, 2012-13 and 2020-21, and have won 18 games over the past two-plus campaigns, which is tied with Toledo for the most in the Mid-American Conference.

The game will be broadcast on the airwaves with Voice of the Cardinals Mick Tidrow, Haven Fields and Jack McMullen on the Ball State Gainbridge Radio Network, WLBC and SiriusXM 387 (977 in the app). The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi and Je'Rod Cherry describing the action.

Ready for a battle ??#1AAT x #WeFly pic.twitter.com/ch2oO6f9f8
— Ball State Football (@BallStateFB) November 21, 2022

Inside the Series: Miami

Ball State and Miami are set to square off for the 46th time in series history Tuesday night in Oxford.

With the game kicking off on Nov. 22, it marks the ninth time in the last 10 meetings that the two rivals meet on the gridiron in November. Tuesday's matchup will tie for the third-latest date on the calendar that the two teams face off in series history. The two teams also matched up on Nov. 22, 2016. The latest matchups occured in 2013 (Nov. 29) and 2012 (Nov. 23).

The RedHawks have won five of the last six Red Bird Rivalry games, dating back to 2016. The Cardinals had won four of the five previous duels.

Ball State and Miami were granted rivalry status by the MAC in 2017. The cross-division foes play each year for the Red Bird Rivalry trophy. BSU has been known as the Cardinals since 1927, while Miami adopted the RedHawks moniker in 1997. The series dates back to 1931 but really heated up in the 1970s when BSU joined the MAC.

Coach Neu on Miami…
"They're going to be well coached and a good football team in all three phases. You don't look at Miami and say, 'here's a weakness.' You're going to have to bring your best effort and have a great week in all three phases. You know they're going to be ready. Both teams are fighting for the same thing. They've had some battles. They've been in several one-possession games this year. We've been in several one-possession games this year. When you're in a game like this - a rivalry game - I don't know that anything else matters or what anybody has done in the season leading up to this point. It's still a rivalry game. If you can't ready for this one, then you can't get ready for any one of them."

Unicorn Tight Ends

TE Brady Hunt and Tanner Koziol have emerged as big-time targets for the offense this season. Hunt was a quarterback at nearby Delta High School in Muncie and Koziol was a wide receiver as a prep. Both made the transition to tight end for Ball State.

Hunt stands in a 6-foot-6, 215 lbs, while Koziol is 6-foot-7, 230 lbs. Koziol is tied for the fourth-tallest tight end in the FBS with the only three players measuring one inch taller.

The duo has combined for 76 catches, 6832 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. Koziol alone has seven touchdowns, which is tied for the second-most by a tight end nationally, the second-most by any freshman regardless of position and tied for 31st overall.

With Hunt having caught five touchdowns, Ball State is the only team in the country to have multiple tight ends with at least five touchdowns this season.

Coll Nominated for Wuerffel Trophy

ILB Clayton Coll was nominated for the prestigious Wuerffel Trophy, given annually to the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.

A team captain and member of the leadership council, Coll has led the Cardinals to back-to-back bowl games for the third time ever.

He's a two-time Academic All-MAC selection while boasting a 3.77 GPA in progress towards a degree in biology.

In the community, Coll has volunteered numerous hours at nursing homes, serving meals to families in need at his hometown high school and has been a mentor among much more.