2020 Ball State Cardinals football
MAC champion
MAC West Division champion
Arizona Bowl champion
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 23
APNo. 23
Record7–1 (5–1 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorKevin Lynch (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorTyler Stockton (2nd season)
Home stadiumScheumann Stadium
2020 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
No. 25 Buffalo xy  5 –0   6 –1  
Kent State  3 –1   3 –1  
Ohio  2 –1   2 –1  
Miami (OH)  2 –1   2 –1  
Akron  1 –5   1 –5  
Bowling Green  0 –5   0 –5  
West Division
No. 23 Ball State xy$  5 –1   7 –1  
Western Michigan  4 –2   4 –2  
Toledo  4 –2   4 –2  
Central Michigan  3 –3   3 –3  
Eastern Michigan  2 –4   2 –4  
Northern Illinois  0 –6   0 –6  
Championship: Ball State 38, Buffalo 28
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • Note: Due to COVID-19, the Mid-American suspended the season on August 8, but later decided to begin play on November 4.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll.

The 2020 Ball State Cardinals football team represented Ball State University during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cardinals were led by fifth-year head coach Mike Neu and played their home games at Scheumann Stadium in Muncie, Indiana. They competed as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference.

In a season impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cardinals played to a 5–1 record in a limited regular-season schedule. The team then defeated Buffalo in the conference championship game. The season ended with a victory over San Jose State in the Arizona Bowl for the first bowl game victory in program history.[2]

Schedule

Ball State had games scheduled against Indiana, Maine, and Michigan, which were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4] On July 28, it was announced that Ball State had added Iowa State to the schedule.[5] Soon after, the MAC decided to cancel its season, followed by the same announcements from the Big Ten Conference, Pac-12 Conference, and Mountain West Conference.

On September 25, the Mid-American Conference changed course, playing a six-week scheduled football season starting the week of November 4.[6]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
November 47:00 p.m.at Miami
CBSSNL 31–380
November 117:00 p.m.Eastern Michigan
CBSSNW 38–311,183
November 187:00 p.m.Northern Illinois
ESPNewsW 31–250
November 2812:00 p.m.at Toledo
ESPN3W 27–240
December 55:30 p.m.at Central Michigan
ESPNUW 45–20N/A*
December 1212:00 p.m.Western Michigan
  • Scheumann Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
ESPN+W 30–27823
December 187:30 p.m.vs. Buffalo
ESPNW 38–280
December 312:00 p.m.vs. No. 22 San Jose State*
CBSW 34–130
Schedule Source:[8]

Game summaries

Miami

Red Bird Rivalry
1 234Total
Cardinals 7 7710 31
• RedHawks 0 101414 38
  • Date: November 4, 2020
  • Location: Yager Stadium
    Oxford, OH
  • Game start: 7:02 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 42 minutes
  • Game weather: Temperature: 58 °F (14 °C) • Weather: Clear Skies • Wind: 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h), SW
  • Referee: J. Valentine
  • TV announcers (CBSSN): John Sadak (play–by–play), Ross Tucker (analyst)[9]

Eastern Michigan

Ball State vs. Eastern Michigan
1 234Total
Eagles 14 737 31
• Cardinals 7 6817 38
  • Date: November 11, 2020
  • Location: Scheumann Stadium
    Muncie, IN
  • Game start: 7:02 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 39 minutes
  • Game attendance: 1,183
  • Game weather: 38 °F (3 °C) • Weather: Clear • Wind: 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h), N
  • Referee: Greg Sujack[10]
  • TV announcers (CBSSN): Ben Holden (play–by–play), Ross Tucker (analyst)[11]

Northern Illinois

Bronze Stalk Trophy
1 234Total
Huskies 7 7011 25
• Cardinals 0 14611 31
  • Date: November 18, 2020
  • Location: Scheumann Stadium
    Muncie, IN
  • Game start: 7:02 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 22 minutes
  • Game attendance: 859
  • Game weather: 45 °F (7 °C) • Weather: Clear • Wind: 12 miles per hour (19 km/h)
  • Referee: Ron Hudson[12]
  • TV announcers (ESPNews): Clay Matvick (play–by–play), Rocky Boiman (analyst)[13]

Toledo

Ball State vs. Toledo
1 234Total
• Cardinals 14 373 27
Rockets 0 3615 24
  • Date: November 28, 2020
  • Location: Glass Bowl
    Toledo, OH
  • Game start: 12:05 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 43 minutes
  • Game attendance: 0
  • Game weather: 41 °F (5 °C) • Weather: Sunny skies • Wind: 9 miles per hour (14 km/h) W
  • Referee: Bryan Banks[14]
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Michael Reghi (play–by–play), Devin Gardner (analyst)[15]

Central Michigan

Ball State vs. Central Michigan
1 234Total
• Cardinals 10 14147 45
Chippewas 0 776 20
  • Date: December 5, 2020
  • Location: Kelly/Shorts Stadium
    Mount Pleasant, MI
  • Game start: 2:02 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 13 minutes
  • Game attendance: 0
  • Game weather: 34 °F (1 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h) W
  • Referee: Tom Stapleton[16]
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Clay Matvick, Rocky Boiman[17]

Western Michigan

Ball State vs. Western Michigan
1 234Total
Broncos 3 1770 27
• Cardinals 6 7017 30
  • Date: December 12, 2020
  • Location: Scheumann Stadium
    Muncie, IN
  • Game start: 12:05 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 33 minutes
  • Game attendance: 823
  • Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C) • Weather: Mostly sunny • Wind: 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) SW
  • Referee: Ron Hudson[18]
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Joel Godett, Jay Walker[19]

Buffalo (MAC Championship Game)

Ball State vs. Buffalo
MAC Championship Game
1 234Total
• Cardinals 7 2830 38
Bulls 14 770 28

San Jose State (Arizona Bowl)

Ball State vs. San Jose State
Arizona Bowl
1 234Total
• Cardinals 27 070 34
No. 22 Spartans 0 0130 13
  • Date: December 31, 2020
  • Location: Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ
  • Game start: 2:13 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 31 minutes
  • Game attendance: 0
  • Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C) • Weather: Scattered clouds • Wind: 8 miles per hour (13 km/h) ESE[21]
  • Referee: Joe Lehring
  • TV announcers (CBS): Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Rick Neuheisel (analyst) and Jenny Dell (sideline)[22]

References

  1. ↑ Wells, Adam (September 25, 2020). "MAC Approves 6-Game College Football Schedule Beginning November 4". Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Cardinals Finish Memorable 2020 With Arizona Bowl Win". ballstatesports.com. December 31, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  3. ↑ Myerberg, Paul. "Big Ten football reduces season schedule to only conference games, maybe setting stage for others to follow". USA TODAY. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  4. ↑ Singelais, Mark (July 16, 2020). "Reports: CAA football won't play this fall". Times Union. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Iowa State replaces Iowa with Ball State on schedule as Big 12 aims to play 12-game season in 2020". CBSSPORTS.com. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Mid-American Conference Announces Resumption of Football". ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Game 1 Preview: Cardinals Set to Defend Red Bird Rivalry Trophy at Miami". ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  8. ↑ "2020 Ball State Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Game Notes (11/4/20 at Miami)" (PDF). ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  10. ↑ "EMU vs. Ball State scoring summary" (PDF). ballstatesports.com. Ball State Athletics. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Game Notes (11/11/20 Eastern Michigan)" (PDF). ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  12. ↑ "NIU vs. Ball State scoring summary" (PDF). ballstatesports.com. Ball State Athletics. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Game Notes (11/18/20 Northern Illinois)" (PDF). ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Football vs Toledo box score". ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Game Notes (11/28/20 Northern Illinois)" (PDF). ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Football vs Central Michigan box score". ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Game Notes (12/5/20 Central Michigan)" (PDF). ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Football vs Western Michigan box score". ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Western Michigan preview" (PDF). ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Buffalo summary". ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Arizona Bowl box score". ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  22. ↑ "BSU Arizona Bowl notes" (PDF). ballstatesports.com. Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
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