American college football season
Ball State Cardinals' current wordmark since 2011 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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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)[ edit ]
Ball State vs. Buffalo MAC Championship Game
1
2 3 4 Total
• Cardinals
7
28 3 0
38
Bulls
14
7 7 0
28
San Jose State (Arizona Bowl)[ edit ]
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
^ 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 July 10, 2020 .
^ Singelais, Mark (July 16, 2020). "Reports: CAA football won't play this fall" . Times Union . Retrieved July 17, 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 September 25, 2020 .
^ "Game 1 Preview: Cardinals Set to Defend Red Bird Rivalry Trophy at Miami" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved November 7, 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 November 7, 2020 .
^ "EMU vs. Ball State scoring summary" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State Athletics. Retrieved November 15, 2020 .
^ "Game Notes (11/11/20 Eastern Michigan)" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved November 10, 2020 .
^ "NIU vs. Ball State scoring summary" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State Athletics. Retrieved November 21, 2020 .
^ "Game Notes (11/18/20 Northern Illinois)" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved November 21, 2020 .
^ "Football vs Toledo box score" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 13, 2021 .
^ "Game Notes (11/28/20 Northern Illinois)" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved November 27, 2020 .
^ "Football vs Central Michigan box score" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 13, 2021 .
^ "Game Notes (12/5/20 Central Michigan)" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved January 13, 2021 .
^ "Football vs Western Michigan box score" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 13, 2021 .
^ "Western Michigan preview" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 13, 2021 .
^ "Buffalo summary" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 14, 2021 .
^ "Arizona Bowl box score" . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 14, 2021 .
^ "BSU Arizona Bowl notes" (PDF) . ballstatesports.com . Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved February 14, 2021 .
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