Ball State Football

I've seen a range of commentary that ranges from bizarre to pedestrian to stereotypical with the signing of Nate Davis by the 49ers. Some border on prejudicial.

Even though he has yet to take to play in an NFL game, Davis exemplifies character in a sport when character is more important ever.

Davis has already shown an ability to be successful at each stage of his football career.

And that's no mistake, nor is it luck, or the result of slick publicity.

This kid is the real deal.

Starting as a Ball State freshman speaks not only to Davis' physical skills, but it also shows that he has a maturity not always typical of star players.

While some fans and professional writers voice concern over Davis declaring for the NFL draft as a junior, I see his decision as a wise move.

It allows him a few years to learn the NFL game.

The 49ers were also wise in choosing him.

If he develops, Davis may surprise naysayers and become an extremely good NFL quarterback.

I would be surprised if he remained a backup, but this young man has a few years to develop.

The 49ers know how important it is to develop quarterbacks.

The franchise also knows how important backups were to its glory years.

Fans, as well as fan and professional writers, often overlook the key contributions of backups during the Joe Montana and Steve Young eras.

While Young could have been a starter when he was a backup, that's not a necessary ingredient for a backup.

Competence and ball control are the ingredients.

With that comes preparation. That is something Davis has had success, and struggles, with.

His team's loss in the Mid-American Conference championship to Buffalo was sobering.

However, Davis made no excuses.

In the aftermath, he noted that games are not only lost on the game-day field.

They are also lost on the practice field.

In team meetings.

In individual preparation.

In mindset; a singleness of purpose; focus.

If all pre-game variables are not operating in unison, the breakdown will be apparent.

Loss is likely.

Clearly, Davis did not lose the game against Buffalo.

It's a team win or loss.

The officials don't lose it for you.

You cannot help but wonder if Ball State may have been a bit overconfident with a 12-0 record and nearly everyone believing they would go 13-0.

Davis said the team should have prepared better and he included himself.

Unlike many Ball State fans and some sports writers who blamed officials' poor calls, this young man shouldered the responsibility.

That's character.

Davis has unfairly received criticism because of a so-called learning disability because he has noted that he is a visual learner.

Well, he is on a team where Montana spoke of the necessity of visualization, and the importance it played in his success.

In the right environment, which the 'Niners have with Jed York and Mike Singletary, Davis could excel.

If I were able to talk to him, I would tell him to view his "disability" as a strength.

The X's and O's will come.

If you doubt this young man, who once thought of not attending college because of his non-mainstream way of learning, check out this quote from USA Today in December:

"I came to Ball State {on a recruiting trip}, and the first thing they took me to was the academic part. "They showed me that I really had a chance to make it through college."

Academics was foremost on his mind.

Character.

Maturity.

Nate Charles Davis.

Kurt Wermers is a clown.

Last week, Wermers decided to be the latest transfer out of Ann Arbor.

His excuse? He didn't fit in. He didn't hang out with the "type of crowd" the coaching staff was bringing in.

On the surface, his excuses were a load of bull funky all along. Yet, they brought up the same "family values" questions that were in the forefront when Justin Boren left for Ohio State last year.

Yet, ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported today that Wermers was already off the UofM Football team due to academic ineligibility. So, his excuse was the college equivalent of "YOU CAN'T FIRE ME, I QUIT"

Let's get one thing straight. Kurt Wermers is a talented lineman. So was Justin Boren. The loss of those two, along with Dann O'Neil (transferred to Western Michigan) would have been a great offensive line.

Michigan will miss these linemen. But don't let Wermers fool you.

In my family, we had values. I learned to tell the truth. I learned to do my homework. I learned not to blame other people for my shortcomings.

There is no shame in not being able to hack it academically at the University of Michigan. There is a clown car full of shame in trying to cover up the real reason you're leaving a university.

Let's get it straight Kurt. You didn't choose to leave, you were asked to leave because you couldn't make the grade.

Have fun at Ball State. You can still aspire to join the NFL. You may need to study up on the Wonderlic though.

Fans at every school that is down on its luck, would love to look forward to the upcoming ten years and know that their team is going to be on the rise. But is their hope misplaced?

For Ball State, absolutely not. Last year, they capped off a ten year adventure that most would have not seen coming.

In 1999, Ball State, under Head Coach Bill Lynch, went an abysmal 0–11, and was ranked dead last in most standings with the other winless teams of 1999 Buffalo and South Carolina.

Now, one could argue that all three of these teams have had great rides to the 2009 season, but Ball State's 12-2 record last year was a beautiful run.

1999 saw Ball State only three years removed from a Bowl Game and a 7-1 MAC record; however, the fans endurred the fruitless season. The team gathered itself and turned away from the winless record and went on to amass a seven year run that only saw one speed bump in 2004.

And then came 2007 and 2008, in which the team had their first back-to-back winning records of the decade, and would see the Cardinal competing for the 2008 MAC Championship. Arriving at the game with a 12-0 record, Coach Brady Hoke had the nation looking at his team in disbelief.

But with two losses to end the season, a new head coach, and a red-shirt freshman starting QB, the 2009 Ball State Cardinals will have their hands full to continue the wonderful run. So What is the good news for the Munice, Indiana team? The new coach is long-time assistant Stan Parrish, who installed the offense responsible for the 38 point per game offense last year, and a stunning 21 point margin of victory during its undefeated stretch in 2008.

But what most students are standing and cheering for is Lewis. MiQuale Lewis an explosive game changing running back is, once again, being held out of contact drills to insure that his body will hold up under the pressure of knowing that every defense will be lined up to meet him in 2009.

The schedule in 2009 isn’t favorable for an undefeated run. With four games on ESPN and a near certainty of being 3-0 heading into a showdown at Auburn, the chances for Parrish and company to prove that 2008 was just a sign of things to come are just around the corner. If they can make games four and five (Auburn and Toledo) a good fight, heads just might turn, leaving football lovers across the nation asking,

"Who are these Cardinals?"

In a year where the top two quarterbacks in the NFL Draft are more or less set in stone, the pool gets a little more shallow after round two.

One QB that stands out, however, is Ball State QB Nate Davis, who is leaving school a year early to head to the NFL.

As a resident of Muncie and a Ball State fan, I've heard plenty of rumors about the fate of Nate Davis on the football field. I was at the game against Northern Illinois last year, where he was scouted by Bill Polian. I've seen scouts from several organizations go crazy over this him.

So...what teams are interested? Who would be a good fit for Davis? Let's dive in, shall we?

Indianapolis Colts - One of the most persistent rumors I've heard is that Nate Davis could go to the Colts.

Personally, I think this is just wishful thinking from area fans.

The Colts have bigger worries on offense, especially if they can't get center Jeff Saturday squared away. Their first few picks will probably be a center and a wide receiver, to replace Saturday and Marvin Harrison.

By the time they're in a position to draft a backup QB (you can dream on if you think Davis would get the start over Peyton Manning), Davis will be off the board.

Minnesota Vikings - The Vikings would be a good fit for Davis, I think. However, I don't think they're particularly likely to pursue him.

While I'm sure they'd love to have a QB like Davis on their depth chart, the Vikings are a solid QB away from contending for a Super Bowl title. Davis is talented, but he's what one would call a "project" quarterback.

The Vikings are more likely to fill their gap with an experienced starter through free agency or a trade than roll the dice with Davis.

Kansas City Chiefs - This seems like the best fit for Davis.

Kansas City runs a spread offense, similar to the one Davis ran in college, but a little more "extreme" of a spread.

Kansas City is also a rebuilding franchise. If Davis comes in and it takes him a few years to adjust, it doesn't really matter, because they're rebuilding. But if he comes in and has a Ben Roethlisberger or Matt Ryan sort of year, the Chiefs brass look like geniuses.

KC scouts are reportedly high on Davis—according to Scout.com, they worked with him individually at the Combine.

There's just one snag in this plan. The Chiefs have the third pick in the draft this year, and I don't see St. Louis taking a QB with the second pick, so Kansas City has a great shot at drafting Mark Sanchez. If that happens, Davis is off their radar entirely.

New England Patriots - I've heard a lot of talk about what the Patriots are planning to do with now-franchised QB Matt Cassel.

Most are predicting that they'll draft a backup and trade Cassel to a team in need of a QB (I'm looking at you, Minnesota) on draft day. If that happens early enough, Nate Davis could easily be Tom Brady's new backup.

Being that I hate the Patriots with every fiber of my being, I'd prefer to not think about this nightmare scenario.

Carolina Panthers - This is where I think Davis will end up.

Let's look at things rationally: Jake Delhomme is a QB that is best characterized as good, but not good enough. He's always able to connect with Steve Smith, but that's basically his limit.

The Panthers sure missed him two years ago when they had to trot out such misfits as David Carr, Vinny Testaverde and Matt Moore. However, after the stinkbomb that was the Panthers postseason this year, I think Delhomme's days are numbered.

This would be an ideal situation for everyone involved. Delhomme is a competent enough QB to keep the Panthers competitive, and it would give Davis the opportunity to sit on the bench and adjust to the NFL for a few years before taking over as the starter.

Delhomme would likely be able to land another starting job, and Davis would be a nearly finished product by the time he took his first snaps. If I had to make a bet, Carolina is where I would say Davis will land.

So, there you have it. Five teams that could draft Ball State QB Nate Davis. In due time, we'll know for sure.

Sixty Feet, Six Inches is an Indianapolis based sports blog covering a wide range of sports. If you like what you read here, check out our home page (link below) for more.

Nate,

Over the last few years I have grown quite fond of you. I, being a BSU alumni, appreciate all you have done for our program and will never forget this last season. So thank you for your time here and thanks for giving us our first positive national exposure (Letterman not withstanding).

After all you have done for us (The alumni and student body of BSU) I think it is only fair that I shoot straight with you. It’s time for you to move on. People like BSU President Jo Ann M. Gora and A.D. Tom Collins are probably telling you otherwise. Coach Parrish may even be in your ear asking for another season, but let’s face it: that is not in your best interest.

With 20 seniors leaving after this year there is little to no chance next season is going to go as well as this one went. Brady Hoke is gone, there isn’t another Dante Love on his way into the program, and the football schedule isn’t going to improve.

You get better by playing better opponents, and there are no better opponents coming up at BSU. All of those things point to one logical conclusion. In order for you to get better and move on to the next level, you need to go ahead and enter the NFL draft.

Yes, it is true your last two BSU games have cost you millions of potential dollars, but there are still millions to be made. Also, what does living in Muncie do for you? With people like the Muncie Stars’ Greg Fallon waiting to call you things like “immature and unintelligent” the only thing sticking around could do is continue to bring you down.

Fallon starts his piece by saying, “Forget what the NFL advisory committee says, what ESPN’s Todd McShay or Mel Kiper Jr. says.” Ok, fine don’t listen to them. How about you listen to a real sports writer, a national writer; how about one who happens to be a BSU alumni… say Jason Whitlock.

Earlier in the season he said you were the most pro-ready QB in Indiana and a top NCAA QB. You have a NFL future and you should jump on it now.

One last thing Nate. What has BSU done for you? Over the years the administration has made it pretty clear they don’t care about athletics. Everything from the previously shady basketball program to the early 2000’s longest losing streak in the nation points to a lack of caring.

Those two things are just circumstantial though; the real damning evidence is the pushing out of Brady Hoke and the unceremonious way they handled it. Why would you risk injury and millions to play for a school which is uncommitted to you?

Nate, I wish you luck and hope you make the right decision. I am sure you will.

Plough

Ball State Cardinals football is having a pretty rough time these days.  Losing head coach Brady Hoke to San Diego State University, plus the three assistants that followed suit, and now the best quarterback ever to grace the University is making an exit too.

Nate Davis has declared for the NFL draft.

Now a month or so ago, I would have said there is nothing better that he could do than to declare.  Davis was a first day projection and would have made enough money to support himself and his family easily.  Today, I'm not certain he even makes it until the sixth or seventh round.

The MAC Championship against Buffalo cost Davis, but there was still time to make up his draft position.  He played with the flu, and I think scouts took that into consideration.  However, he suffered the same problems with ball control in the GMAC Bowl against Tulsa, fumbling twice.

Davis did NOT lose the game for BSU.  The team just didn't play well.  End of story.

Davis might have fumbled twice, and the interception doesn't really count.  It hit a BSU receiver and fell into the welcome hands of a Tulsa defensive back.  Our defense didn't get on the bus to Mobile, either.

Still, the trend with fumbles was unsettling.  I sincerely hope that he winds up in the third round, laughing about how stupid anyone was to think that just because he fumbled a few times.

He has a great delivery and awesome arm power, but the ball control is a problem.  Scouts don't like that he throws with a glove, and without the laces.  He has positives and negatives just like Matt Stafford of Georgia; it just so happens that Stafford's negatives are more minor.

Honestly, and this is without my Cardinals at heart, the best thing Nate Davis could do for himself and his family is go back to Ball State for one more year, tear it up, and give NFL scouts one more look.

He can make more money that way by adding more experience and proving his ball control skills.  He's not bad with the ball normally.

I wish him all the best in the NFL, and I'll be rooting hard for him to succeed, but I don't think it's the right call.

Farewell Nasty Nate—here's to you getting drafted on April 25.

The GMAC Bowl: Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama

Ball State (12-1) vs. Tulsa (10-3)

Jan. 6, 2008, 8 EST

The Line: Tulsa -3

Overview

For those looking for an offensive show, they may have come to the right place. These are two teams who have put up points all year long and look to finish out the season with more of the same and a bowl victory.

While I'm not sure this is where either of these teams truly wanted to be, as they were both double-digit favorites in their losses in their conference championship games, they are in a nice bowl at least as far as matchups go.

Ball State saw their dream of an undefeated season go down the tubes with three lost fumbles that went the distance for six the other way in the MAC Championship game against Buffalo. While the Cardinals weren't in BCS consideration, as their strength of schedule wasn't considered tough enough, running the table is no small feat when playing an entire D-I schedule.

While Ball State had been tested for a half here and there over the course of the season, QB Nate Davis was always able to rally the team to victory, which in the end was by a comfortable margin. It is important to note that Ball State head coach Brady Hoke left before this game to take the same position at San Diego State and Stan Parrish will take over for this game.

Tulsa started the season looking like no one was going to beat them. It was an air show every weekend, with QB David Johnson putting up gigantic numbers and the offense putting up a lot of points week after week. The Golden Hurricane were somewhat exposed by Arkansas, who looked like they were twice the size of the Tulsa players when they lined up on the field.

While Tulsa's offense never slowed down, it was their defense that let them down in their three losses this season.

See Mitch's GMAC Bowl pick against the spread.

Arguably the best coach in the history of the Ball State Cardinal's football team will be departing...  Because Jo Ann Gora disrespected the entire staff.

Brady Hoke has a 34-38 record (before this years bowl game) in his six years at Ball State, but that doesn't tell the whole story.

Hoke took over a program that was THE joke of college football.  A program that was once considered the worst in the country by David Duffey.  A program that wouldn't have been this good without the recruiting skills, eyes for talent, and ability to work with the student athletes had Hoke not been able to hand pick and select his staff.

You can call me Jason Whitlock Jr., but that’s OK with me.  On the issue of whether or not Gora is the worst thing to ever happen to Ball State Athletics, Whitlock is 100% right.

Reportedly, after receiving an offer for a raise, Hoke asked about his assistants.  Gora refused.

Hoke became a finalist for the San Diego State job this week and traveled out to California to interview.  According to ESPN, he has accepted.

The problem with all this is that Ball State had the opportunity to lock him up.  All it was going to take is a raise for the assistants, and an office.

When you have a coach that is willing to be dealt a poor deal (the deal was reported around just $350,000 per year) and has proven he can recruit, you give him what he wants.

The biggest problem here is that since Hoke is all but gone, it’s almost a certainty that you will hear Nate Davis’ name on day one of the NFL draft.  Davis won’t come back without Hoke, not that I thought he was coming back anyways, but now you can almost take it to the bank.

So much is lost now that Hoke departs from the university, but this is more about the administration.  There is a lesson here for other smaller universities, and it’s give your winning coach what he wants, especially if it’s just a raise for the assistants and an office.

10. Tony Romo is starting to develop quite the reputation: big-game choke artist.

His three-interception afternoon against the Pittsburgh Steelers sparked a couple of friends to text me disparaging remarks about Jessica Simpson's boy toy.

"Romo most overrated QB n history!"

"Don't get Romo hype. Sucks."

I like Romo and have a theory that he's just the latest talented QB to be undermined by a dysfunctional, bipolar relationship with Terrell Owens. It's just a theory. I'm not ready to swear to it.

But T.O. and his sideline histrionics wear on a quarterback. He's like the hot stripper you tried to clean up and convert into a real girlfriend. It's a lot of fun until the moment she has her second drink while out to eat with your parents. You unravel quicker than she does.

Romo appears to come unglued in December when the outcomes mean the most.

In three seasons as Dallas' starter, Romo's numbers the final four games of the regular season and playoffs are rather revealing. The Cowboys are 3-8 in those games. Romo has tossed 12 TDs and 15 INTs. His completion percentage drops to 58, a full six points lower than his career average.

Throw in his fumbled PAT snap in the Seattle playoff loss — his first season as a starter — and it's easy to argue that Romo struggles in the clutch.

It's probably unfair, but I blame T.O. The environment he creates with all of his ranting and raving is not one conducive to consistent QB play. Can we agree that Joe Montana was the best big-game QB in NFL history? Do you remember Jerry Rice acting like a deranged idiot on the sideline?

You can't turn a T.O. into a housewife.

9. Speaking of Owens, it's not surprising that I completely disagree with his assessment of Keyshawn Johnson's broadcasting abilities.

This week Owens called Johnson and Emmitt Smiff "dumb and dumber." Johnson and Smiff work for ESPN and have been critical of the underachieving Cowboys in recent weeks.

Look, I have no idea why Smiff would ruin the classy reputation Emmitt Smith built as a running back and dancer. Will Smith not share his NFL and "Dancing with the Stars" money with Smiff?

Whatever, I'm off topic. Johnson is blossoming into a broadcasting superstar. Once he masters the art of self-deprecating humor, Johnson could become the Charles Barkley of football.

It bothers some people that Johnson is a bit of a hypocrite. He routinely blasts Owens and others for behavior he once demonstrated as a receiving diva. It doesn't matter. Johnson is an analyst now. His criticisms seem fair, accurate, authentic and informed. Last week he suggested there was a breakdown in trust between Romo and Owens and that lack of trust explained why Romo looked to Jason Witten on critical downs. That's good stuff.

I like the whole NFL Countdown crew, but Chris Berman, Tom Jackson and Keyshawn Johnson could be the equivalent of Ernie, Kenny and Charles.

8. A friend who works in the mailroom at the Miami Dolphins football complex intercepted this letter intended for linebacker Joey Porter.

Dear Joey:
We just want to thank you for doing your part to promote the idea that young black men should arm themselves with handguns and shoot each other at the first sign of trouble. We watched your recent TV interview discussing Plaxico Burress' overhyped and harmless mishap. As you know, Plax's accident was a total fluke and aberration. Black men don't shoot themselves with handguns when they're at nightclubs drinking. They shoot each other. The focus on Plax is much ado about nothing. Concealed handguns, alcohol and your attitude will keep the black-on-black crime rate strong!
Thanks again,
Imperial Grand Wizard David Duke

7. The Baltimore Ravens have surrendered 20 total points in their last three games, and Ray Lewis is in the process of cementing his legacy as the Dick Butkus of the modern era.

Ray Ray and Butkus are the standard for middle linebacker play. Lewis has been putting it down for 13 years. He's carried the franchise for more than a decade. He's ferocious, intimidating and productive at 33. And he has the Ravens in serious playoff contention.

Will Lewis be a bigger legend than Butkus? I'm not sure. Playing in Chicago helped Butkus. It's sad to say, but maybe Ray's off-the-field troubles will enhance his legend.

6. Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles finally won a close game, beating the Giants by six points.

Before the victory over New York, the Eagles had won their previous contests by 35, 9, 14, 13, 19 and 29. That's an average margin of nearly 20 points. Meanwhile four of Philly's five losses were of the single-possession variety. The Eagles lost to Dallas by 4, Chicago by 6, Washington by 6 and New York by 5.

My point is the Eagles are not a horrible team. They had a chance to win every game but one this season (36-7 loss to the Ravens). If the Eagles sneak into the playoffs, they're a very difficult out.

5. After spending much of the offseason campaigning for Brett Favre to return to Green Bay, I'm quite happy the Packers are 5-8 and pretty much out of the playoff picture. However, Aaron Rodgers isn't to blame for Green Bay's disappointing season.

It's Ted Thompson's fault.

After being a sturdy strength a year ago, Green Bay's defense has withered thanks to Thompson's neglect. Green Bay Post Gazettecolumnist Mike Vandermause does a nice job pointing out Thompson's incompetence here.

Vandermause points out that Thompson has used just five of Green Bay's 20 draft picks in 2007 and 2008 on defensive players, and only one of those players is a starter.

Vandermause doesn't speculate about Thompson's motive. I will. When you spend two years plotting the overthrow of Brett Favre, you bend over backwards trying to make sure that his successor has all the tools necessary to be a wild success.

Why else would Thompson draft Kansas State receiver Jordy Nelson with Green Bay's first pick in 2008? I love Jordy. He's going to be a terrific pro. But the Packers were stocked at receiver. It wasn't remotely a position of need. Jordy was Favre insurance.

4. On Monday, Buccaneers defensive tackle Ryan Sims made his first start since the 2005 season. On Monday, Carolina running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combine to rush for 301 yards.

Coincidence?

Not if you followed Sims' Kansas City career. After Sims' five seasons in Kansas City, I'm not sure why any team would give him a contract as a backup. Monte Kiffin is supposed to be some sort of defensive genius. I'd love to hear him explain what makes Sims an NFL-caliber defensive tackle.

3. There's a joke among comedians that George W. Bush screwed up so bad as president that he made it possible for America to elect its first black president. Cleveland comedians might crack a similar joke about Romeo Crennel.

Romeo is so bad that Clevelanders are giving real thought to supporting the idea of bringing back Marty Schottenheimer as head coach.

Damn! Someone in Cleveland needs to ask why Marty always looks best in the rearview mirror. Seriously, football fans in San Diego and Kansas City also reminisce about Marty's wonderful regular seasons.

Are regular seasons more important than playoffs? And if so, why are so many people demanding playoffs in college football?

2. I'm going to stick to the facts about the derailed bandwagon I was driving for my Ball State football Cardinals, losers to Buffalo in the MAC title game.

A. I predicted the Cardinals would go 12-0, and they did. I never mentioned 13-0. Check the original column.

B. Typical inept MAC officiating stole a Quale Lewis touchdown that would've given my Cardinals a 10-point lead in the third quarter and put the Buffalo Bulls away.

C. The MAC is stupid for holding its championship game in Detroit at Ford Field. It's a terrible environment for a poorly attended college game.

D. Ball State forfeited its emotional advantage when it announced it wouldn't travel to Idaho to play Boise State in the Humanitarian Bowl. That decision ensured the players would be flat in the MAC Championship.

E. Nate Davis had the flu and didn't play with his normal amount of high-energy enthusiasm. He's still the best pro quarterback in the college game.

F. If Ball State president Jo Ann Gora treated the football coach the way she treated the women's basketball coach, my Cardinals would make an even stronger BCS run next season.

G. Everything I saidabout The World Wide Misleader is 100 percent factual.

1. Whew, the shine wore off Jim Zorn and Jason Campbell quick.

Clinton Portis might have thought he was taking a shot at Zorn this week when he blasted Washington's head coach during a radio interview. The reality is Portis ensured that Zorn will be looking for a scapegoat for Washington's collapse. And Campbell will fill that role nicely.

You can e-mail Jason Whitlock at ballstate0@aol.com.

This article originally published on FOXSports.com.

Read more of Jason's columns here.

The University at Buffalo Bulls were facing their toughest task of the season coming into the Mid-American Conference Championship game last night. Coming in, everything was turned into the Ball State Cardinals favor.

Ball State was coming into the game ranked No. 12 in the nation and had a 12-0 record to go along with it. The Cardinals have never lost to Buffalo, going 7-0 all-time against the MAC East foe.

They had junior quarterback, Nate Davis who threw 25 touchdown passes coming into this game, along with 3,095 passing yards (2nd in the MAC). The future NFL quarterback with a big time arm, was also named MAC Offensive Player of the Year and had the 6th best QB rating in the entire nation, at 169.3.

Ball State also had one of the best running backs in the nation to complement him. MiQuale Lewis came into the big game with 1,570 rushing yards and 20 TDs, ranking 4th in the nation with averaging 130.8 rushing yards per game.

UB was going up against a defense that was only allowing 16.7 points per game, not to mention that Buffalo was 0-8 all-time against ranked opponents since moving up the the FBS in 1999. They managed to score only 70 points combined in those 8 games, good for 8.75 points per game against ranked foes.

Just taking a quick look at common opponents between the two schools, Ball State cruised through their schedule by beating Akron 41-24, Kent State 41-20, Miami of Ohio 31-16, and Western Michigan 45-22. The only close game that the Cardinals were apart of was their match up with Central Michigan which they won 31-24.

UB on the other hand, went through late game heroics and overtime thrillers to their season, not blow out wins. They beat Akron 43-40 but it took 4 overtimes before a winner was determined. Against Kent State, UB lost 24-21 at home. Buffalo lost to both Central Michigan, 27-25, and Western Michigan, 34-28 in overtime.

The loss to Kent State snapped a five-game winning streak. The only streak the Bulls had going for them was that the last time they were on national television, on ESPN 2 earlier this year, when they beat Miami of Ohio 37-17 on election night.

So despite UB coming into this game as the heavy underdog, 14 1/2 point underdog to be exact, Buffalo showed why the game is played out there on the field

UB won the game and the MAC Championship for the first time in school history by taking down undefeated Ball State, 42-24.

The changing point of this game was on a Ball State possession in the 3rd quarter with 5:31 left to play. Ball State had 1st and goal from the UB nine-yard line. Davis took the snap and handed the ball off to Lewis who started out going right but then cut it back left and went all the way across the field and stretching the ball over the goal line before heading out of bounds, or at least that it what people thought watching the game.

Lewis was ruled out of bounds inside the one yard line, and the call was reviewed. Despite evidence that looked like it went against the original call, the ruling on the field stood and Ball State would have to try and bound it in.

On 2nd and goal, inside the one, Lewis was given the ball on a pitch play to the left side but it was sniffed out by UB and it went for a loss of two. After a very undisciplined off sides penalty, Ball State had to try to convert 3rd and goal from the 8 yard line.

Davis was in the shotgun formation and took the snap. He looked around, stepped up in the pocket and after a pump fake decided to take off for the end zone.

The future NFL player tried to do his best John Elway impersonation with NFL scouts from the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Jacksonville Jaguars all in attendance.

Davis jumped and went air born at the two-yard line but was hit and spun in the air as Mike Newton of UB hit his right shoulder. Cornerback Josh Thomas delivered the blow on Davis to force the fumble, shoulder pad on football. The ball bounced around on the turf when Newton picked it up and ran 92 yards in the other direction for the touchdown.

Instead of Ball State taking a commanding lead, the entire game changed with UB now up again, 21-17.

You can say what you want about the call (it was a touchdown), but Ball State made the mistakes at the most inopportune time.

The Bulls stopped them on 2nd and Goal from inside the one, when all they had to do was let Davis take the snap and fall forwards but they tried the pitch run outside instead. It didn’t work. Then a five-yard, false start penalty backed them up five more yards, setting up the fumble.

On the ensuing drive, Ball State was moving down the field when disaster struck again. On the Buffalo 15, looking to put the ball in the end zone to regain the lead, a mix up on a snap count cause another fumble.

On 3rd and 3, from the 15 Ball State came out in shotgun and Davis was making adjustments on the field. All of a sudden, the ball was snapped and hit Davis in the shins. He couldn’t get a handle of it and the ball bounced 10 yards in the opposite direction after a Cardinal lineman kicked it accidentally. Sherrod Lott of UB, made the most of it and he scooped it up and took it 74 yards the other way to the house.

Now in a blink of an eye, UB came from being down, to now having a commanding 28-17 lead.

The game was sealed when running back James Starks, a 1,000 yard rusher himself for Buffalo, scored on a 1-yard TD run to give the Bulls a 42-24 lead late in the fourth. Ball State was never able to recover and turned the ball over five times in this one, one interception and 4 fumbles.

For the entire year, the Ball State team was carried by their junior quarterback, Nate Davis, but when it mattered most in last night’s game, Davis fumbled the game away.

UB scored two touchdowns on those fumbles just in returns (the first time two fumbles were returned twice in a game since 2003) and in total, UB scored 28 points off of takeaways.

So despite Ball State leading in every category in this game, having over 500 yards of total offense, they trailed in one area that mattered most, the points on the scoreboard.

The clock has still not struck mid-night for this Cinderella football team as they are now MAC Champions. Their final challenge will come January 3rd, at the International Bowl in Toronto against a big east foe.

Hopefully, the magic with this team can last a little longer.

Matt Schaefer broadcasted this game live on Youcastr.com. Click here to relive the game through his play-by-play of the MAC Championship. This is part one of a series of articles that will breakdown the record setting UB season, written by Matt, that will only be available on bleacherreport.com.

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