With a win finally under its belt, the Ball State University football team can focus on the remaining part of its Mid-American Conference schedule starting today against the University of Toledo for Homecoming.
Ball State (1-4 overall, 1-1 MAC) will try to bounce back after an exhausting five overtime 60-57 win last week against Western Michigan that lasted over four hours, the longest in conference history and longest so far this season in the NCAA.
"We can't get too relaxed," tailback Larry Bostic said. "We won one game, but we didn't really do anything yet.
Brian Jackson's 30-yard field goal ended an offensive display by both sides that resulted in Ball State's 60-57 win. Jackson's boot gave him MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week.
Toledo leads the overall series, 15-14-1, but Ball State has found success at home against the Rockets in recent years, winning the last two meetings in Muncie and five of the last six at home. The most recent home win came in 2003 when the Cardinals shocked the Rockets, 38-14.
"We just know it's our Homecoming, and we're going to go and play our best football," coach Brady Hoke said. "The schedule is in our hands. We've got to come out and play, and we've got to play better than we did the other day."
Only one Ball State player - safety David Gater - will be suspended for the game. Several starters who have missed significant action will be back in the lineup for good.
Among those back are tailback Charles Wynn and defensive linemen Amara Koroma and Cortlan Booker, all starters.
Freshman B.J. Hill has stepped in for Wynn with three starts and leads the team with 229 yards on 44 carries, a 5.2 average. Hill rushed for 170 yards and one touchdown, and Larry Bostic scored three touchdowns last week. But with Wynn back from completing his suspension, he'll replace Hill in the starting lineup.
"Larry's a fast guy who's strong," Hoke said. "B.J.'s got good elusiveness and really solid cuts, and Charles is a big guy who's got good feet and will take it north and south. If one guy is running very well, he may get more carries than the other."
The Cardinals have continued to struggle tackling, and it remains a priority in practice. Booker returns after missing four of the first five games. His lone start came against Bowling Green. Koroma missed three games and hasn't made a start.
"There were some big runs in there [against Western Michigan] and some big plays that you can't have," Hoke said. "We were just out of position a little bit on a couple of them."
Toledo (4-1 overall, 2-0 MAC) holds the best record in the conference with an explosive offense that's averaged 433.2 total yards per game and has averaged the second-most points in the conference, behind only Bowling Green.
Rockets quarterback Bruce Gradkowski returned from injury against Eastern Michigan after sitting out against Fresno State to complete 15-of-26 attempts for 160 yards, moving him into 10th place in MAC history in career passing yards (7,570).
"Gradkowski makes good decisions," Hoke said. "He takes care of the football. His passing completion rate is out of this world."
The Cardinals will also have to take into account running back Trinity Dawson, who ran for 200 total yards (159 rushing, 41 receiving) last week against the Eagles. Dawson's production has led the Rockets to hold the most rushing yards and yards per game in the conference.
Surprisingly, a Toledo defense that has the second-most sack total in the MAC (behind Western Michigan) has only one player amongst conference leaders individually. Linebacker Mike Alston is ranked in the top-10 in sacks with three.
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