A lot has changed in the two years since Ball State University and Purdue University last played.
It was Joey Lynch's first career start on the road and second overall. Purdue was starting a fifth-year senior at quarterback, Kyle Orton. It was a Purdue team that would be ranked fifth in the nation at one point in the season.
On Sept. 11, 2004, the Cardinals would head into Ross-Ade Stadium and leave on the short side of a 59-7 blowout.
"They got after us from the get-go and really out played us in every phase of football," quarterback Lynch said. "It's kind of embarrassing, where we felt like we didn't play to our ability."
Orton had a fantastic game. He completed an astounding 23-of-26 passes for 329 yards, with most of the damage done in the first half.
Purdue also recorded 599 yards of total offense to Ball State's 197.
But the Purdue of 2004 is not the Purdue of 2006. The Boilermakers, although 2-0, have struggled in their first two games. Division I-AA Indiana State University was down only five points at halftime, but eventually lost 60-35.
On Saturday, Purdue needed overtime to knock off the Mid-American Conference's Miami University 38-31. The RedHawks outgained the Boilermakers by nearly 100 yards in the loss. Lynch said the difference for Ball State between 2004 and 2006 is experience.
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