Cardinals Prepare For 97th Homecoming Game Versus The Huskies

Ball State (2-5, 1-2 MAC) vs. Northern Illinois (4-3, 1-2 MAC)
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MUNCIE, Ind. -- Ball State welcomes Northern Illinois to Scheumann Stadium on Saturday for the 17th rendition of the Bronze Stalk rivalry game, as part of the Cardinals' 97th homecoming contest. Saturday's homecoming tilt is sponsored by Community Hospital of Anderson.

** Established in 2008, the Battle for the Bronze Stalk is the youngest rivalry game in the Mid-American Conference, but it hit full stride two years ago when Ball State won a doubleovertime thriller in Muncie, 44-38. In what was the third-largest comeback in Ball State history, the Huskies led 21-0 before the Cardinals got on the board before halftime. Ball State outscored NIU 31-14 in the second half including a 6-yard pass from John Paddock to Tanner Koziol with 36 seconds left in regulation, to force overtime. Carson Steele's one-yard run provided the winning margin in the second OT session. Last year, freshman placekicker Jackson Courville drilled a 36-yard field goal as time expired to lift Ball State to a 20-17 road win and their second straight triumph in the rivalry series.

** NIU has been a part of four previous Ball State homecoming matchups, but not since 1998. The Cardinals are 3-1 against the Huskies on homecoming in Muncie, winning in 1981 (23-0), 1985 (29-0) and 1998 (18-13), and losing 27-14 in 1983. Ball State is 56-38-2 through 96 homecoming contests overall, having won against Connecticut and Central Michigan the past two years.

** Ball State scored on a Kadin Semonza-to-Tanner Koziol TD pass with 6:03 left in the third period Saturday to knot the score with Vanderbilt at 14-14. In what was the Cardinals' lowest scoring game of the year, Vandy outdistanced Ball State in the fourth for a 24-14 final score. Koziol matched his career high with nine catches for the fourth time this year and became the third tight end in Ball State history to eclipse 50 catches and 500 yards in a season.

** The 100th anniversary of Ball State's first season in 1924 coincides with the 100th season on the field, given that the Cardinals didn't field a team in 1943 due to World War II. Seasonlong celebrations of the 100th season will be displayed at Scheumann Stadium this season. Similarly, it is the program's 50th season in the MAC -- formally joining the league in 1973 and playing its first football games in 1975.

WHAT A WIN MEANS:
** Ball State will even its MAC record at 2-2 while rising to 2-1 at Scheumann Stadium.
** Ball State's third straight win vs. NIU will reflect its longest win streak in the rivalry series.
** Currently the fifth winningest coach in Ball State football history, Mike Neu will capture his 40th victory as head coach of his alma mater, tying Dwight Wallace (40) with the fourthmost wins as the Cardinals' head coach.

BY THE NUMBERS:
0, 0, 2-10 - At Vandy last week, neither team had an interception or a single fumble. Each team had exactly two penalties for 10 yards. Clean game.

7.9 - Tanner Koziol is 6th in FBS rankings with 7.9 catches per game. Receptions over the last five weeks: 9, 9, 9, 8 and 9.

6:34 & 6:54 - Ball State's TD drives at Vandy both encompassed 11 plays and nearly 7 minutes - one of 75 yards, one of 94 yards.

50 & 500 - Only three TEs in Ball State history have eclipsed 50 catches and 500 yards in a single season. Tanner Koziol has done it in 7 games.

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Cardinals Prepare For 97th Homecoming Game Versus The Huskies

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Players Mentioned

Jackson Courville

Tanner Koziol

Kadin Semonza