American college football season
2020 Ball State Cardinals football Conference Mid-American Conference Division West Division Coaches No. 23 AP No. 23 2020 record 7–1 (5–1 MAC) Head coach Offensive coordinator Kevin Lynch (1st season) Defensive coordinator Tyler Stockton (2nd season)Home stadium Scheumann Stadium (Capacity: 22,500)Seasons
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]
Schedule Source:[8]
Game summaries [ ]
Miami [ ]
Red Bird Rivalry
1
2 3 4 Total
Cardinals
7
7 7 10
31
• RedHawks
0
10 14 14
38
Date: November 4, 2020Location: Yager Stadium Oxford, OH Game start: 7:02 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3 hours and 42 minutesGame weather: Temperature: 58 °F (14 °C) • Weather: Clear Skies • Wind: 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h), SWReferee: J. ValentineTV announcers (CBSSN ): John Sadak (play–by–play), Ross Tucker (analyst)[9]
Eastern Michigan [ ]
Ball State vs. Eastern Michigan
1
2 3 4 Total
Eagles
14
7 3 7
31
• Cardinals
7
6 8 17
38
Date: November 11, 2020Location: Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN Game start: 7:02 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3 hours and 39 minutesGame attendance: 1,183Game weather: 38 °F (3 °C) • Weather: Clear • Wind: 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h), NReferee: Greg Sujack[10] TV announcers (CBSSN): Ben Holden (play–by–play), Ross Tucker (analyst)[11]
Northern Illinois [ ]
Bronze Stalk Trophy
1
2 3 4 Total
Huskies
7
7 0 11
25
• Cardinals
0
14 6 11
31
Date: November 18, 2020Location: Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN Game start: 7:02 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3 hours and 22 minutesGame attendance: 859Game 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
2 3 4 Total
• Cardinals
14
3 7 3
27
Rockets
0
3 6 15
24
Date: November 28, 2020Location: Glass Bowl Toledo, OH Game start: 12:05 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3 hours and 43 minutesGame attendance: 0Game weather: 41 °F (5 °C) • Weather: Sunny skies • Wind: 9 miles per hour (14 km/h) WReferee: Bryan Banks[14] TV announcers (ESPN3): Michael Reghi (play–by–play), Devin Gardner (analyst)[15]
Central Michigan [ ]
Ball State vs. Central Michigan
1
2 3 4 Total
• Cardinals
10
14 14 7
45
Chippewas
0
7 7 6
20
Date: December 5, 2020Location: Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI Game start: 2:02 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3 hours and 13 minutesGame attendance: 0Game weather: 34 °F (1 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h) WReferee: Tom Stapleton[16] TV announcers (ESPNU): Clay Matvick, Rocky Boiman[17]
Western Michigan [ ]
Ball State vs. Western Michigan
1
2 3 4 Total
Broncos
3
17 7 0
27
• Cardinals
6
7 0 17
30
Date: December 12, 2020Location: Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN Game start: 12:05 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3 hours and 33 minutesGame attendance: 823Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C) • Weather: Mostly sunny • Wind: 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) SWReferee: Ron Hudson[18] TV announcers (ESPN+): Joel Godett, Jay Walker [19]
Buffalo (MAC Championship Game) [ ]
Ball State vs. Buffalo MAC Championship Game
1
2 3 4 Total
• Cardinals
7
28 3 0
38
Bulls
14
7 7 0
28
Date: December 18, 2020Location: Ford Field Detroit, MI Game start: 7:31 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3 hours and 25 minutesGame attendance: 0Game weather: n/a (indoor stadium )Referee: Tom Stapleton[20] TV announcers (ESPN ): Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Rocky Boiman (analyst) and Katie George (sideline)
San Jose State (Arizona Bowl) [ ]
Ball State vs. San Jose State Arizona Bowl
1
2 3 4 Total
• Cardinals
27
0 7 0
34
No. 22 Spartans
0
0 13 0
13
Date: December 31, 2020Location: Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ Game start: 2:13 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3 hours and 31 minutesGame attendance: 0Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C) • Weather: Scattered clouds • Wind: 8 miles per hour (13 km/h) ESE[21] Referee: Joe LehringTV announcers (CBS ): Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Rick Neuheisel (analyst) and Jenny Dell (sideline)[22]
References [ ]
^ Wells, Adam (September 25, 2020). "MAC Approves 6-Game College Football Schedule Beginning November 4" . Bleacher Report . Retrieved September 25, 2020 .
^ "Cardinals Finish Memorable 2020 With Arizona Bowl Win" . ballstatesports.com . December 31, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2020 .
^ Myerberg, Paul. "Big Ten football reduces season schedule to only conference games, maybe setting stage for others to follow" . USA TODAY . Retrieved 10 July 2020 .
^ Singelais, Mark (16 July 2020). "Reports: CAA football won't play this fall" . Times Union . Retrieved 17 July 2020 .
^ "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 .
^ "Mid-American Conference Announces Resumption of Football" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 25 September 2020 .
^ "Game 1 Preview: Cardinals Set to Defend Red Bird Rivalry Trophy at Miami" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 7 November 2020 .
^ "2020 Ball State Football Schedule" . FBSchedules.com . Retrieved October 21, 2020 .
^ "Game Notes (11/4/20 at Miami)" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 7 November 2020 .
^ "EMU vs. Ball State scoring summary" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State Athletics. Retrieved 15 November 2020 .
^ "Game Notes (11/11/20 Eastern Michigan)" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 10 November 2020 .
^ "NIU vs. Ball State scoring summary" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State Athletics. Retrieved 21 November 2020 .
^ "Game Notes (11/18/20 Northern Illinois)" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 21 November 2020 .
^ "Football vs Toledo box score" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 13 February 2021 .
^ "Game Notes (11/28/20 Northern Illinois)" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 27 November 2020 .
^ "Football vs Central Michigan box score" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 13 February 2021 .
^ "Game Notes (12/5/20 Central Michigan)" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 13 January 2021 .
^ "Football vs Western Michigan box score" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 13 February 2021 .
^ "Western Michigan preview" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 13 February 2021 .
^ "Buffalo summary" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 14 February 2021 .
^ "Arizona Bowl box score" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 14 February 2021 .
^ "BSU Arizona Bowl notes" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 14 February 2021 .
Venues
Ball State Field (1924–1967)
Scheumann Stadium (1967–present)
Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons