Saturday, September 17
Muncie, Ind.
2:00 PM ET
Ball State University
vs
Murray State
Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Cardinals welcome Racers for Family Weekend
September 16, 2022 | Football
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Ball State to square off with Murray State at 2 p.m. ET at Scheumann Stadium
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State is set to host Murray State Saturday afternoon for its annual Family Weekend. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET inside Scheumann Stadium.
Despite a plethora of highlight-reel plays in the home opener last weekend, the Cardinals fell in a Mid-American Conference battle to Western Michigan.
However, recent history shows there are encouraging signs as Ball State turns its focus to its third game of the year.
Over the last three seasons, the Cardinals are 6-3 in their next home game following a home loss. In addition, Ball State is 3-0 in the second leg of back-to-back home games when suffering defeat at Scheumann Stadium since 2018.
"I believe in our team - I really do," head coach Mike Neu said. "I think we've got a chance to be a really good football team, but we've got to continue to work on us. We played against a good team last week. They've got good players on that team, and we've got good players on our team.
"It's the details and the little things. We've got to continue to keep working on that. We've got to clean up the penalties and the miscues that happen. We've got to convert at a higher level on third down."
As the winningest team in the MAC over the last two seasons, Ball State will aim to get back to its winning ways Saturday afternoon.
The game will be broadcast on the airwaves with Voice of the Cardinals Mick Tidrow, Nick Traub and Jack McMullen on the Ball State Gainbridge Radio Network, WLBC and SiriusXM 990. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Jim Barbar and Ryan Cavanaugh describing the action.
Inside the Series: Murray State
The Cardinals are slated to welcome the Racers from Murray State for their annual Family Weekend at Scheumann Stadium in the first matchup of the series.
Ball State has won seven straight games vs. teams from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) ranks, including all five opportunities under head coach Mike Neu. In that span, the Cardinals have defeated Western Illinois (2021), Fordham (2019), Central Connecticut (2018), Tennessee Tech (2017), Eastern Kentucky (2016), VMI (2015) and Colgate (2014). Ball State's last loss to an FCS team came in 2014 to Indiana State, 27-20.
Coach Neu on Murray State…
"This is a good football team. I love the way they play on offense, defense and special teams when I turn the tape on. I respect the effort that they play with. They had a couple of tough games to start out with on the road at Texas Tech in which their starting quarterback DJ Williams went down with an injury. That's a tough loss for them and I wish him a speedy recovery. Then they came home and really battled with Jacksonville State this past week. It's going to be a good challenge for us. Coach Hood has done a tremendous job there."
It All Starts Up Front
Offensive line play has been a major key to Ball State's offensive success through the first two weeks of the season. The Cardinals have yet to allow a sack this season in 141 offensive snaps. Ball State is one of just nine teams in the country to not allow a sack yet this season, joining Air Force, Georgia Southern, Kansas, Minnesota, Northern Illinois, Oregon, Tulane and Western Kentucky.
In addition, Ball State has produced only four negative plays thus far into the season on offense. The Cardinals' four tackles-for-loss allowed is tied for the fourth-fewest in the country with Michigan and TCU. Only Florida State, Georgia and Georgia Southern have allowed fewer negative plays, all of which have allowed three.
Offensive Outburst
Ball State broke out in a big way on offense in its first home game of the season vs. Western Michigan. The Cardinals put up a season-high 447 yards of total offense. It was the highest yardage total in 17 games, in which the Cardinals had 519 yards at Central Michigan on Dec. 5, 2020.
QB John Paddock threw for a career-high 301 yards after going 24-of-41 and a pair of touchdowns in his first career home start. RB Carson Steele ran for 137 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown. It marked the fourth time in his young career he has exceeded the 100-yard plateau on the ground and stood as the highest rushing total by any MAC player through the opening two weeks.
Pass catchers Amir Abdur-Rahman and Jayshon Jackson had nearly identical stat lines with seven catches for 89 yards and seven receptions for 80 yards, respectively. Yo'Heinz Tyler added six receptions for 63 yards. It marked the second consecutive game that each member of the trio recorded at least five catches in a contest.
Despite a plethora of highlight-reel plays in the home opener last weekend, the Cardinals fell in a Mid-American Conference battle to Western Michigan.
However, recent history shows there are encouraging signs as Ball State turns its focus to its third game of the year.
Over the last three seasons, the Cardinals are 6-3 in their next home game following a home loss. In addition, Ball State is 3-0 in the second leg of back-to-back home games when suffering defeat at Scheumann Stadium since 2018.
"I believe in our team - I really do," head coach Mike Neu said. "I think we've got a chance to be a really good football team, but we've got to continue to work on us. We played against a good team last week. They've got good players on that team, and we've got good players on our team.
"It's the details and the little things. We've got to continue to keep working on that. We've got to clean up the penalties and the miscues that happen. We've got to convert at a higher level on third down."
As the winningest team in the MAC over the last two seasons, Ball State will aim to get back to its winning ways Saturday afternoon.
The game will be broadcast on the airwaves with Voice of the Cardinals Mick Tidrow, Nick Traub and Jack McMullen on the Ball State Gainbridge Radio Network, WLBC and SiriusXM 990. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Jim Barbar and Ryan Cavanaugh describing the action.
Game 3? on deck.#1AAT x #WeFly pic.twitter.com/gAzJa2dUD4
— Ball State Football (@BallStateFB) September 16, 2022
Inside the Series: Murray State
The Cardinals are slated to welcome the Racers from Murray State for their annual Family Weekend at Scheumann Stadium in the first matchup of the series.
Ball State has won seven straight games vs. teams from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) ranks, including all five opportunities under head coach Mike Neu. In that span, the Cardinals have defeated Western Illinois (2021), Fordham (2019), Central Connecticut (2018), Tennessee Tech (2017), Eastern Kentucky (2016), VMI (2015) and Colgate (2014). Ball State's last loss to an FCS team came in 2014 to Indiana State, 27-20.
Coach Neu on Murray State…
"This is a good football team. I love the way they play on offense, defense and special teams when I turn the tape on. I respect the effort that they play with. They had a couple of tough games to start out with on the road at Texas Tech in which their starting quarterback DJ Williams went down with an injury. That's a tough loss for them and I wish him a speedy recovery. Then they came home and really battled with Jacksonville State this past week. It's going to be a good challenge for us. Coach Hood has done a tremendous job there."
It All Starts Up Front
Offensive line play has been a major key to Ball State's offensive success through the first two weeks of the season. The Cardinals have yet to allow a sack this season in 141 offensive snaps. Ball State is one of just nine teams in the country to not allow a sack yet this season, joining Air Force, Georgia Southern, Kansas, Minnesota, Northern Illinois, Oregon, Tulane and Western Kentucky.
In addition, Ball State has produced only four negative plays thus far into the season on offense. The Cardinals' four tackles-for-loss allowed is tied for the fourth-fewest in the country with Michigan and TCU. Only Florida State, Georgia and Georgia Southern have allowed fewer negative plays, all of which have allowed three.
Offensive Outburst
Ball State broke out in a big way on offense in its first home game of the season vs. Western Michigan. The Cardinals put up a season-high 447 yards of total offense. It was the highest yardage total in 17 games, in which the Cardinals had 519 yards at Central Michigan on Dec. 5, 2020.
QB John Paddock threw for a career-high 301 yards after going 24-of-41 and a pair of touchdowns in his first career home start. RB Carson Steele ran for 137 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown. It marked the fourth time in his young career he has exceeded the 100-yard plateau on the ground and stood as the highest rushing total by any MAC player through the opening two weeks.
Pass catchers Amir Abdur-Rahman and Jayshon Jackson had nearly identical stat lines with seven catches for 89 yards and seven receptions for 80 yards, respectively. Yo'Heinz Tyler added six receptions for 63 yards. It marked the second consecutive game that each member of the trio recorded at least five catches in a contest.
Players Mentioned
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