Tag: Ball State Cardinals

Ball State Cardinals Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

Ball State College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

Ball State Cardinals Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Ball State season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

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Ball State Cardinals Preview
Head Coach: Mike Neu, 7th year, 28-41
2021 Preview: Overall: 6-7, Conference: 4-4
Keys To The Season | Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Ball State Top 10 Players | Ball State Schedule

Ball State Cardinals Preview 2022

Ball State is able to get a little greedy now.

After six straight losing seasons, the program pulled off a surprising MAC championship in 2020, and then wanted even more with several of the key parts returning to 2021.

It was a fine year, but after a bowl loss to Georgia State it turned into a seventh losing season in eight years. Now there’s a bit of an overhaul, but there’s still enough around to push for the first time ever with three straight bowl seasons.

The downfield passing game has to be better, the offense has to be more consistent, and the defense has to be more disruptive and stronger at getting into the backfield.

It’s going to be a fight to get to six wins with this schedule and the lack of depth, but after the last few years, it’s bowl game or bust.

Ball State Cardinals Preview 2022: Offense

It should be John Paddock’s quarterback job to lose. The 5-11, 196-pound senior worked behind Drew Plitt for the last few years and has yet to throw a touchdown pass, but he’s been in the system long enough to know what he’s doing. Getting the ball down the field is a must after way too much dinking and dunking.

The smallish Jayshon Jackson and 6-3 Yo’Heinz Tyler form a good 1–2 reciting punch, and and the backs can catch, too.

The running backs are in place if the line can give them room to move. Paddock won’t run all that much, so the ground game is up to leading rusher Carson Steeler in a rotation with Will Jones, who combined for close to 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns. However, the Ball State ground game averaged just 3.8 yards per carry, but …

The offensive line did a decent job in pass protection and from keeping defenses out of the backfield. There’s a good size of experience and size returning with the tackles set, but the interior needing a little time.

Ball State Cardinals Preview 2022: Defense

The defense was okay. It had its meltdowns, but for the most part it was okay against the run. The pass defense had its problems – it allowed 243 yards per game – partly because there wasn’t enough of a steady pass rush.

It wasn’t what the D full of upperclassmen was supposed to do, and now there’s some reworking to be done. Seven of the top eight tacklers were seniors, but …

The top pass rusher is back. DE Tavion Woodward came up with a team-high five sacks with 8.5 tackles for loss, and now he’s the veteran leader of the front three.

Size is a huge concern up front – there isn’t much. 5-11, 298-pound senior Justen Ramsey will work on the nose, and 6-4, 292-pound senior Jack Sape will be on the other side of Woodward. Those two represent most of the bulk.

The back eight might have lost some of last year’s star, but enough are back to not be in total rebuild mode. CB Ameche Uzodinma is one of those seniors who finished in the top eight in tackles last year. He’s back, and so is Malcolm Lee at one of the safety spots after coming up with 50 stops.

The linebacking corps loses top tackler Jaylin Thomas, but it’s in good shape round Clayton Coll, a good inside linebacker who should be one of the team’s leading tackler.

Keys To The Season | Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Ball State Top 10 Players | Ball State Schedule

Ball State Cardinals: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats NEXT

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Ball State Cardinals Top 10 Players: College Football Preview 2022

Ball State Cardinals Preview 2022: Who are the top 10 players going into the season?

Ball State Cardinals Preview 2022: Who are the top 10 players going into the season?

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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Ball State Cardinals Preview
Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen | Schedule 

Oregon walks it off in the raindrops to take series from Ball State

The Ducks played through the rain and managed to beat Ball State 7-6 thanks to Tyler Ganus’ walk-off single.

It wasn’t the best of conditions with the rain coming down, but it didn’t affect Tyler Ganus.

The pinch-hit specialist came up in the bottom of the ninth with a chance to win the game and Ganus didn’t waste any time. He lined the first pitch he saw off of Ball State reliever Sam Klein down the left field line for a hit and Oregon walked off with the 7-6 win over the Cardinals.

With the victory, not only did the Ducks take three-of-four from the visitors from the Mid-American Conference, but they improved to 21-11 overall.

This game went back-and-forth and today was a good reason why hitting last can be a huge advantage. Oregon scored three in the second, but Ball State scored four runs in the fifth inning to take the 4-3 lead.

The Ducks tied it at 4-4 in the bottom half of the inning and then Gavin Grant gave Oregon the 5-4 lead with an opposite-field home run through the raindrops.

Oregon eventually took a 6-4 lead, but just like the entire weekend, the Cardinals wouldn’t go down without a fight. Ball State’s Adam Christianson and Ryan Peltier belted back-to-back homers to tie the game once again at 6-6 in the eighth.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the ninth.

Brennan Milone led the frame off with a walk and he was replaced with pinch-runner Taylor Holder. He went to second on a wild pitch. Slugger Jacob Walsh, who is capable of hitting balls 400 feet, instead hit a little dribbler down the first base line that stopped directly on that line about 40 feet from home plate.

With runners on the corners, Ball State intentionally walked Josh Kasevich to load the bases and set up a force play at home. It worked for one hitter as Bryce Boettcher grounded to third. But Ganus ended the game with his hit down the left field line to send everyone home happy. They were drenched, but they were happy.

Now the Ducks go back into conference action when they go up to Seattle to take on Washington for a three-game weekend series. The Huskies are 15-15 overall and 6-9 in Pac-12 play.

Ducks and Cardinals split mid-series doubleheader at PK Park

The Ducks avoid being swept today with a 10-4 win over Ball State in the nightcap of a doubleheader.

The Oregon Ducks baseball team would have obviously preferred to sweep this afternoon’s doubleheader with Ball State, but given the alternative, the Ducks will happily take the split.

Ball State rallied late to take Game 1 and in the nightcap, the Oregon team we’ve all got used to seeing showed up and defeated the Cardinals 10-4.

With the win, Oregon earns its 20th win of the season with 11 losses. Ball State fell to 18-11 overall.

Brennan Milone and Anthony Hall each homered. It was Hall’s fourth home run in his last five games and he now has seven for the season. Milone also drove in four.

Ball State jumped on the Ducks with three runs in the first, but Oregon answered quickly with three runs of its own in the second. Smith’s two-run single tied the game.

The Cardinals briefly took the lead in the fifth with a run, but Milone’s home run to deep right-center field gave the Ducks the lead for good. Oregon added two in the sixth, one in the seventh, and two more in the eighth.

Logan Mercado earned his fourth victory of the year by throwing four innings and allowing just one run on four hits and striking out five.

The Ducks will now go for the series win when they face Ball State at 12 p.m. at PK Park.

Game 1
Oregon has been able to rally in the late innings many times this season, but in the opening game of today’s doubleheader with Ball State, the Ducks couldn’t muster up a rally and the Cardinals took Game 1 by the score of 3-2.

Tanner Smith opened the game up with a lead-off homer, his eighth of the season, to give Oregon the early 1-0 lead. That advantage held up until the seventh inning when Trenton Quartermaine’s run-scoring single off of Kolby Somers tied it at 1-1.

Oregon was able to take the lead right back in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Smith scored and Oregon briefly led 2-1.

But Ball State tied it 2-2 on a wild pitch and Zach Cole hit a go-ahead home run to right-center for the 3-2 lead.

Oregon threatened when Jacob Walsh doubled to left. But he was stranded on second and that would be the Ducks’ last chance as the Cardinals’ Sam Klein went 2 1/3 innings, including throwing a perfect ninth to earn the win.

Starting pitcher Isaac Ayon deserved a better fate as he probably had his best game of the season going 6 1/3 innings, giving up one run and seven hits, striking out five, and walking none.

Oregon’s bats come alive to down the Cardinals 13-7

The Ducks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 13-7 win over Ball State Friday night at PK Park.

Welcome to Oregon Baseball 2022.

The Ducks needed a couple of two-run homers in order to down Ball State 13-7 and snap a three-game losing streak as Oregon took Game 1 of this four-game weekend series with the Cardinals.

Oregon is now 19-10 overall, while Ball State fell to 17-10.

The Cardinals fell down 3-0 early but was able to bounce back with four runs in the fifth off of Oregon starter RJ Gordon. As they have many times this season, the Ducks answered in the very next half-inning with three runs of their own.

It was tied 4-4 when Jacob Walsh broke out of his slump in a very big way. He crushed a two-run homer off of Cardinal reliever Ryan Brown. It was Walsh’s fifth home run of the season.

Unfortunately, the Ducks couldn’t stand the prosperity as Ball State scored one run in the sixth and one more in the seventh to tie the game at 6-6.

But to no one’s surprise, Anthony Hall belted his sixth homer of the season. It was a two-run shot that landed in the Duck bullpen beyond the right field wall to give Oregon the 8-6 lead and eventual win.

Kolby Somers was primed to come in for his fifth save of the season, but the Duck bats scored five insurance in the eighth and ruined the save situation. Instead, Christian Ciuffetelli came in to finish the game. He made it interesting by giving up a run and Ball State had the bases loaded, but a harmless flyout to center ended the game.

These two teams will take Ernie Banks to heart when he said, “Let’s play two!” The Ducks and Cardinals will begin a doubleheader at 12 p.m. with Game 2 starting around 4 p.m. Neither squad has announced who will start on the mound.

Listen: How Penn State Jesse Luketa’s pick-six sounded vs Ball State

LISTEN: Compare how the call of Jesse Luketa’s pick-six for Penn State sounded on TV and on radio.

Penn State’s defense once again helped to set the tone for a win in Week 2 against Ball State. The Nittany Lions saw contributions from all over the field on defense, including from Jesse Luketa. Luketa has been thrown in a couple of different assignments to start the year as Penn State looks to figure a few roster spots out, and he has handled that dual responsibility just fine.

On Saturday, Luketa turned in one of the more athletic plays of the day with an interception and a return for a touchdown. Here’s how the play sounded to those watching on TV…

O course, Penn State fans want to know how the play sounded on radio with the voice of Penn State athletics Steve jones at the microphone…

Penn State is now 2-0 on the season and preparing for a top 25 battle with the Auburn Tigers on Saturday in front of the Whiteout at Beaver Stadium on ABC Saturday Night Football.

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Report Card: Grading Penn State’s win over Ball State

The grades are in and Penn State earned high marks for its win over Ball State in Week 2

Penn State won in fashion on Saturday, 44-13, against the Ball State Cardinals. Just like last week, let’s break down the team from a grading standpoint.

Quarterbacks: A

STATE COLLEGE, PA – SEPTEMBER 11: Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions attempts a pass against the Ball State Cardinals during the first half at Beaver Stadium on September 11, 2021 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Sean Clifford had immense improvement from last week. He had a few hiccups, but his performance was considerably better than last week. Auburn will be tough, but not only are they at home, but Clifford also enters this game with a lot of momentum going his way.

Next: Receivers benefit from spreading the ball around

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Inside the Box Score: The key factors in Penn State’s fashionable win

Inside the box score of Penn State’s 44-13 victory over Ball State

Penn State looked stellar on both sides of the ball today. We saw involvement from several receivers and running backs throughout the game.  

Let’s take a look at the box score from key players from both teams.  

Penn State Offense 

Sean Clifford – 21/29 230 yards and a touchdown 

Clifford looked like a much more confident quarterback today. Not sure if it was the jitters of playing under a new offensive coordinator for the first game last week, but he looked more comfortable against Ball State today.  

Noah Cain – 20 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown 

Cain was involved early in this game. One point that is worth noting is that Cainn didn’t see action for almost two and a half quarters last week against Wisconsin. Today, he had a very productive game, despite what the stat line shows.  

Keyvone Lee and Devyn Ford also showed a lot of promise and the Penn State backfield as a whole was exciting to watch.  

Jahan Dotson – 5 receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown 

We talked about shiftiness in the running back room. Talk about shiftiness in Dotson. Dotson. Dotson continues to put himself on the map as a slept on receiver prospect in college football.  

Next: Penn State Defense

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Penn State defense shines in latest showing against Ball State

Penn State’s offense got off to a better start, but the defense set the tone once again in Week 2 vs Ball State

Going into the 2021 college football season, it was widely expected the Penn State defense would be the biggest strength on the team. Two weeks into the year, that idea has carried through. Penn State’s defense was once again solid in all areas in a win against an experienced Ball State team and the defense is providing reasons to continue being optimistic about what the Nittany Lions could do this season.

Ball State racked up 295 yards of offense on Penn State, with a good chunk coming in the second half once the first-team players started coming out for Penn State. Despite playing with its first string a little bit longer, Ball State was unable to get the football across the goal line until late in the fourth quarter, when the game was all but official.

Penn State has now played eight quarters of football and forced five turnovers and allowed just two touchdowns. Not too many teams around the country can say the same thing right now. In fact, Penn State’s defense has now scored half as many touchdowns as they have yielded.

WATCH: Jesse Luketa snags INT with one hand, returns it for TD vs Ball State

Penn State’s secondary, led by Jaquan Brisker and Tariq Castro-Fields, was up against one of the better under-the-radar receivers in college football, but Ball State’s Justin Hall caught six passes for just 35 yards. Ball State accomplished its goal of getting their top offensive player the football, but Penn State excelled in not letting him turn a big play.

It’s still just two games, but the Penn State defense has lived up to its billing against two competent opponents in Wisconsin (on the road) and a heavily experienced Ball State program. Bigger challenges still are coming, beginning next week against an Auburn team that has already put up 120 points in two games, an Iowa team that is locking down a spot in the top 10 this week, and, of course, Ohio State.

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Instant Reaction: Penn State cruises past Ball State 44-13

Instant reaction: Penn State goes on cruise control in home opener against Ball State

Penn State had themselves a day, cruising past the Ball State Cardinals 44-13. Penn State’s defense got it going early, routing the Ball State offense to two straight three-and-out drives.  

Ball State’s offense didn’t really start to get it going until late in the first quarter, and even then, Penn State’s red zone defense put a stop to that quite easily.  

Ball State just couldn’t find their groove today on offense. Whenever they got moving, Penn State’s defense always found a way to prevent them from putting six points on the board. They weren’t able to score a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter.  

The Nittany Lions defense didn’t miss a beat after last week’s upset win over Wisconsin, especially after losing linebacker Ellis Brooks for the first half of this game due to his targeting penalty from last week. There were several big defensive plays throughout the game, including a pick-six from linebacker Jesse Luketa late in the third quarter.  

We saw plenty of struggles from Sean Clifford last week. However, that was not the case today. Clifford looked much more confident in this revamped offense under Mike Yurcich. We saw a good amount of mobility from Clifford and his ability to get several of his receivers involved in the passing game.  

There was also a ton of involvement from the running back room of Penn State. Noah Cain was involved early in both areas of the game, Keyvone Lee and Devyn Ford showed shiftiness and power to their game.  

Penn State hosts the Auburn Tigers next weekend, who are coming off two strong wins and strong performances from quarterback Bo Nix.