For students and fans who didn't attend the whitewashing thatwas Ball State's 38-14 victory over Toledo Saturday, you missed oneof the Cardinals' best efforts since their Mid-American ConferenceChampionship in 1996.
I, however, witnessed the most-satisfying football triumph in mystudent career.
Because of the previous week's game and the domination the Cardsshowed, Saturday's victory topped the 2001 goal-post-destroyingupset of an unbeaten and Top-25 Toledo. It takes something special— that fighting mentality head coach Brady Hoke keeps talkingabout, perhaps — to recover from a 49-3 embarrassment andupset a division-leading opponent.
I am not chiding those would normally come to The Nest anddidn't Saturday. One can understand the possible frustration BallState's Homecoming loss generated. It was the worst MAC defeat inschool history.
Maybe the cold rain convinced some potential attendees to stayhome. It turned out, however, that, save for the first few plays,the game was played during the day's driest hours.
I might even buy the assumption that Ball State would win, givenToledo's recent futility in Muncie (five losses in its last sixtrips).
Fortunately, at least 10,327 fans (or so the final stat sheetsaid; anyone there would have counted less) thought the game wouldbe worth watching, and now we know that a team can't be judged byone game.
Now we know what potential the Cardinals have.
Now the Cardinals are back in contention for the MAC West crown.They are 3-1 in league play (4-4 overall) and tied with Toledo andNorthern Illinois for second place behind Bowling Green.
The Cardinals must win out, and the road doesn't get anysmoother, but I'm looking forward to Saturday's trip to NorthernIllinois and the rest of the season a lot more after Toledo.
Ball State fans might have passed on what became a memorablegame, but another chance could come on Nov. 22. Bowling Green willcome to town with, at worst, a 6-1 MAC record and a spot in thefringe of the Top 25.
If the Cardinals become true road warriors and win at Northern,Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan, the Falcons' visit will be ashowdown for Ball State's right to play in and host the MACChampionship game.
Before that day, of course, a lot must happen, and it starts inthree days at Northern Illinois. The Ball State players know this,and Saturday indicates that they will be up to the challenge.
Consider yourselves warned, Cardinal fans. The last home game ofthe year could be a memorable one.
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