Saturday, October 1
Muncie, Ind.
2:00 PM ET
Ball State University
vs
Northern Illinois
Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Ball State hosts Northern Illinois, aims to reclaim Bronze Stalk trophy
September 30, 2022 | Football
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Cardinals aim to reclaim trophy from annual rivalry game
MUNCIE, Ind. – Make no mistake about it, this Saturday means something to Ball State. The Cardinals host rival Northern Illinois in the Battle for the Bronze Stalk at Scheumann Stadium.
"It's the next year, so it just means more than it did a year ago," head coach Mike Neu said. "Anytime it's a trophy game, our guys want to do their part to make sure we give ourselves a chance to win and get that trophy back in Muncie, Indiana. I'm sure their approach is the same. They want to keep that trophy in DeKalb, Illinois.
"It's going to be a great game with two football teams that are hungry. It's all going to come down to the week of preparation and going out and executing on Saturday."
There's still a sour taste in the mouths of the Cardinals with how the game ended last season in DeKalb.
In a pivotal Mid-American Conference matchup, Ball State marched down the field a kicked a go-ahead 48-yard field goal to make it 29-27 in favor of the Cardinals with 1:42 remaining. However, the Huskies had just enough time to respond and made a 32-yard field goal as time expired to regain the trophy and also end Ball State's bid to repeat as MAC champions.
Turning the page to 2022, the Cardinals and Huskies are in for a four-quarter battle as each of the last four matchups have been decided by one possession with each team winning twice.
"We're playing against a good football team that is good in all phases," Neu added. "Coach (Thomas) Hammock has done a great job. That's his alma mater, so certainly he takes great pride in leading them to a MAC title. This is their first MAC game. It's the Battle for the Bronze Stalk. I'm sure the intensity level will be high for both teams. I know our guys are excited. We'll be ready to go."
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 982. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Jim Barbar and Marcus Ray describing the action.
In addition, a special edition of Query & Schultz will be recorded live inside the gates of Scheumann Stadium from 12-2 p.m. on the ISC Sports Network and YouTube.
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Inside the Series: Northern Illinois
Ball State and Northern Illinois are slated to meet on the gridiron for the 49th time in series history Saturday at Scheumann Stadium.
The last three games have been decided by a combined 14 points. Since the two teams had their first matchup in 1941, 19 games have been decided by one score. The Cardinals have won two of the last three, despite falling in a last-second field goal last season in DeKalb. The win by Ball State in 2019 snapped a 10-game winning streak by Huskies that dated back to the 2009 season.
Ball State and Northern Illinois have played for the Bronze Stalk trophy since 2008. Designed by nationally-recognized sculptor and DeKalb artist Renee Bemis, the trophy depicts several cornstalks in tribute to the prevalence of maize around the respective home states of the rivals.
Each teams holds the advantage on the other's home field with Ball State leads 13-12-1 at Northern Illinois, while the Huskies lead 13-9 in games played in Muncie. The Cardinals at one point won 15 of 16 in the series between 1974-98, which included nine straight victories on the road.
Coach Neu on Northern Illinois…
"They're an extremely well-rounded football team. They're a very good defensive team and a very good offensive team. They've got playmakers all over the field. They're very sound on special teams. They're not a team where you could look at and say, 'if we can just take this away, we're going to be in good shape.' They've got multiple runners. Both of those guys are putting up really good numbers this year. Rocky Lombardi - I know he was limited some this past week - led them to a MAC Championship a year ago, so he's a championship quarterback that is playing at a high level up to this point in the season. They play good defense and are second in the league in sacks right now. They gave Kentucky a heck of a football game and gave them everything that they wanted the other night."
Offensive Onslaught
Ball State has been a force to be reckoned with offensively this season. The Cardinals average 440.5 total offensive yards per game, which is second in the MAC. Through four games this season, Ball State put up at least 440 yards of offense three times, which is the most in the MAC and tied for the sixth-most nationally. Only Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, SMU and Washington have done it four times.
Air Jordan
Safety Jordan Riley continued his impressive start as a key member of the back end of Ball State's defense with eight tackles, including 1.0 tackle-for-loss, and four pass breakups at Georgia Southern. Riley is one of only two players in the country to have a game of at least eight tackles and four pass breakups this season, joining Penn State's Joey Porter Jr. In addition, Riley is one of just 10 players nationally to have four pass breakups in a game this year.
In total, Riley is tied for the fourth-most pass breakups in the FBS with six, and of those players with at least six pass breakups nationally, Riley's 23 tackles trail only New Mexico's Jerrick Reed II with 34 stops.
"It's the next year, so it just means more than it did a year ago," head coach Mike Neu said. "Anytime it's a trophy game, our guys want to do their part to make sure we give ourselves a chance to win and get that trophy back in Muncie, Indiana. I'm sure their approach is the same. They want to keep that trophy in DeKalb, Illinois.
"It's going to be a great game with two football teams that are hungry. It's all going to come down to the week of preparation and going out and executing on Saturday."
There's still a sour taste in the mouths of the Cardinals with how the game ended last season in DeKalb.
In a pivotal Mid-American Conference matchup, Ball State marched down the field a kicked a go-ahead 48-yard field goal to make it 29-27 in favor of the Cardinals with 1:42 remaining. However, the Huskies had just enough time to respond and made a 32-yard field goal as time expired to regain the trophy and also end Ball State's bid to repeat as MAC champions.
Turning the page to 2022, the Cardinals and Huskies are in for a four-quarter battle as each of the last four matchups have been decided by one possession with each team winning twice.
"We're playing against a good football team that is good in all phases," Neu added. "Coach (Thomas) Hammock has done a great job. That's his alma mater, so certainly he takes great pride in leading them to a MAC title. This is their first MAC game. It's the Battle for the Bronze Stalk. I'm sure the intensity level will be high for both teams. I know our guys are excited. We'll be ready to go."
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 982. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Jim Barbar and Marcus Ray describing the action.
In addition, a special edition of Query & Schultz will be recorded live inside the gates of Scheumann Stadium from 12-2 p.m. on the ISC Sports Network and YouTube.
Â
Got something to play for Saturday at The Scheu ??#1AAT x #WeFly pic.twitter.com/9N8hz8Rulg
— Ball State Football (@BallStateFB) September 29, 2022
Inside the Series: Northern Illinois
Ball State and Northern Illinois are slated to meet on the gridiron for the 49th time in series history Saturday at Scheumann Stadium.
The last three games have been decided by a combined 14 points. Since the two teams had their first matchup in 1941, 19 games have been decided by one score. The Cardinals have won two of the last three, despite falling in a last-second field goal last season in DeKalb. The win by Ball State in 2019 snapped a 10-game winning streak by Huskies that dated back to the 2009 season.
Ball State and Northern Illinois have played for the Bronze Stalk trophy since 2008. Designed by nationally-recognized sculptor and DeKalb artist Renee Bemis, the trophy depicts several cornstalks in tribute to the prevalence of maize around the respective home states of the rivals.
Each teams holds the advantage on the other's home field with Ball State leads 13-12-1 at Northern Illinois, while the Huskies lead 13-9 in games played in Muncie. The Cardinals at one point won 15 of 16 in the series between 1974-98, which included nine straight victories on the road.
Coach Neu on Northern Illinois…
"They're an extremely well-rounded football team. They're a very good defensive team and a very good offensive team. They've got playmakers all over the field. They're very sound on special teams. They're not a team where you could look at and say, 'if we can just take this away, we're going to be in good shape.' They've got multiple runners. Both of those guys are putting up really good numbers this year. Rocky Lombardi - I know he was limited some this past week - led them to a MAC Championship a year ago, so he's a championship quarterback that is playing at a high level up to this point in the season. They play good defense and are second in the league in sacks right now. They gave Kentucky a heck of a football game and gave them everything that they wanted the other night."
Offensive Onslaught
Ball State has been a force to be reckoned with offensively this season. The Cardinals average 440.5 total offensive yards per game, which is second in the MAC. Through four games this season, Ball State put up at least 440 yards of offense three times, which is the most in the MAC and tied for the sixth-most nationally. Only Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, SMU and Washington have done it four times.
Air Jordan
Safety Jordan Riley continued his impressive start as a key member of the back end of Ball State's defense with eight tackles, including 1.0 tackle-for-loss, and four pass breakups at Georgia Southern. Riley is one of only two players in the country to have a game of at least eight tackles and four pass breakups this season, joining Penn State's Joey Porter Jr. In addition, Riley is one of just 10 players nationally to have four pass breakups in a game this year.
In total, Riley is tied for the fourth-most pass breakups in the FBS with six, and of those players with at least six pass breakups nationally, Riley's 23 tackles trail only New Mexico's Jerrick Reed II with 34 stops.
Players Mentioned
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