In a few weeks, Ball State's football team will take on Missouri, Boston College and perennial Indiana powerhouse Purdue in its out-of-conference schedule. This winter, the men's basketball team will face Indiana University.
What is the athletic department thinking, that on an off chance of luck, we might beat one of these teams? Although the results of a win would be huge for Ball State sports and student morale in general, it seems about as likely as men's track running another mile.
I suggest we make a revision that could lead to a classic battle. A battle royale between Indiana and Ball State for the honor of not being the worst Division IA football team in Indiana.
I say we invite our rivals from Bloomington to a game of pigskin. Sure, it will be an ugly game, and no one will play exceptionally well. However, it would benefit both schools. Ball State could schedule a Big Ten football school every year, while IU would face a rival they actually have a chance of beating.
Both schools have a losing tradition ingrained into their football program. IU has won a grand total of two Big Ten Football Championships in the 108-year history of the sport. In fact, several IU students would rather not mention the fact that they have a football team.
IU fans will travel to the annual IU/Purdue game to watch the Hoosiers get killed year after year, so they might also go an extra hour to see their team win.
Ball State, meanwhile, will likely start the season 0-3 by scheduling Boston College, Missouri and Purdue out-of-conference. Ball State has also been described by FOX Sports as having "years of mediocrity."
It would be an epic battle of football weaklings that both teams would want to win. The winner shall be awarded a plaque that reads "Not the worst Division IA Football team in the state of Indiana," which will hang proudly in the winning team's barren and forgotten trophy case while the loser will have to carry the shame of losing to the other. It would encourage both programs to get better, if merely not to be the worst team in the state of Indiana.
Even if Purdue had a losing season, IU or BSU would still maintain. No matter how poor of a season Notre Dame has, it could not be worse than that of Indiana or Ball State, because Notre Dame has put itself in a position where it can play great teams on a regular basis, and so a losing season for the team is almost as good as an undefeated season for us or a near-perfect season for IU.
The bottom line is we might not win the battle of Indiana's metaphorically weak football legs, but it would be an enjoyable game to watch.
One good thing will come from the Ball State/Purdue matchup. It will give our cheerleaders a chance to try out their new cheer: "Keep 'em under 50! Keep 'em under 50!"
But I still intend on being there, chanting right along with the cheerleaders.
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