2020 Ball State Cardinals football team

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.

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
(Capacity: 22,500)
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.

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]
See also: 2020 Miami RedHawks football team

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]
See also: 2020 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team

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]
See also: 2020 Northern Illinois Huskies football team

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]
See also: 2020 Toledo Rockets football team

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]
See also: 2020 Central Michigan Chippewas football team

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]
See also: 2020 Western Michigan Broncos football team

Buffalo (MAC Championship Game)
Ball State vs. Buffalo
MAC Championship Game
1 234Total
• Cardinals 7 2830 38
Bulls 14 770 28
See also: 2020 Buffalo Bulls football team and 2020 MAC Championship Game

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]
See also: 2020 San Jose State Spartans football team and 2020 Arizona Bowl

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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