Ball State (3-1, 3-1 MAC) at Central Michigan (3-1, 3-1 MAC)
Saturday, Dec. 5 (2:02 p.m. kickoff)
Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Kelly/Shorts Stadium)
Watch: ESPNU | Listen: 104.1 WLBC | Live Stats
Social: @BallStateFB, @BallStateSports, #ChirpChirp, #WeFly, #DOB, #MACtion
Game Notes: Ball State | Central Michigan | Game Week Press Conference
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State football team knew it had a shortcoming it needed to address in order to take the next step this season.
The Cardinals made great strides in 2019, but notably a string of defeats in close games down the stretch prevented them from achieving their ultimate goal. Three losses by eight points. They knew how close they were.
They didn't hide from the problem but instead hit it head on. They went to work in the preseason, habitually practicing late-game situations. Two-minute drills on offense. Defending small leads on defense. Even tackling more than most teams would in those practice scenarios to make sure they left no stone unturned.
"When we had an opportunity to deliver in those close games, we didn't get that done," head coach Mike Neu said. "So we tried to put ourselves in those scenarios the best you possibly can when you're in training camp and going against each other. And sometimes we went live because that was the only true way to feel like, okay that would have been a tackle or that would not have been a tackle; he would have gotten out of bounds or he would not have gotten out of bounds."
So far in 2020, that work is paying off. After a heartbreaking loss in the final moments to open the season at Miami, Ball State has rattled off three consecutive one-score victories to put itself into contention again in the MAC race.
There was Caleb Huntley's touchdown run with 6 seconds left to cap a game-winning drive against Eastern Michigan. There was executing a field goal drive for a late nine-point lead and then recovering Northern Illinois' onside kick attempt after an NIU field goal to secure a win in that one. And most recently there was Anthony Ekpe's strip-sack on Toledo's final offensive snap last week to thwart the Rockets' comeback hopes.
"It's our guys believing," Neu said. "It's our guys staying positive and our guys knowing that it's up to us when we get into those critical moments or those late-game situations. Last year was the first time we were in some of those … so we have that close-game experience and now in order to take the next step, we had to emphasize it over and over in practice. Our guys took those periods in practice very serious, very game-like, and it's good to see that hard work by our young men paying off."
Now the Cardinals get a crack at a Central Michigan team responsible for one of those close losses a season ago. The Chippewas erased a 17-point BSU lead in Muncie, scoring with 1:01 left on the clock to hand the Cardinals a 45-44 defeat.
CMU went on to play in last year's MAC Championship Game, a destination on which both teams have set their sights this month as they enter the final two weeks of the regular season with identical 3-1 records. Ball State, which still has a game remaining against MAC West Division-leading Western Michigan, controls its own destiny for a spot in this year's title game in Detroit.
And no one will be surprised if this one comes down to the wire, too. Five of the past six meetings between the Cardinals and the Chippewas have been decided by three points or fewer, including BSU victories on game-winning field goals in the final minute in Mount Pleasant in 2014 and 2018.
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Game 5 Preview: Cardinals Have Flipped the Script on Close Games in 2020 - BallStateSports.com
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