After scoring five touchdowns and leading his team to bowl eligibility, Ball State University quarterback Nate Davis walked into the post-game press conference with a fresh hair cut.
An hour before Ball State left the team hotel for the game, Davis' mom called to make sure her son looked his best on national television.
"She called and said, 'I heard your hair is too high, you better cut it,'" Davis said. "So I was like, 'OK, I'll cut it.'"
The sophomore finished with three touchdown passes and 265 yards through the air. He also added two rushing touchdowns to his scoring total.
The final result was a 41-20 Ball State victory, pushing the Cardinals' record to 6-5 and making the team a candidate for one of the three Mid-American Conference bowl games. Tuesday's game was the first nationally televised contest in the 83-year history of Ball State's football program.
"It felt good, I feel like I played well today," Davis said. "The thing is it was a team effort. I can't do anything without my offensive line, without the receivers."
Junior Dante Love caught two of Davis' touchdown passes. Love led Ball State with 128 yards on five catches and two touchdowns.
After the game, Love said it was important for his team to beat the University of Toledo when people across the country could be watching.
"Just having ESPN2 and those guys here, that's great," Love said. "It was very important to us to come in and get the six wins so we can become bowl eligible."
Tight end Darius Hill, who is on the John Mackey Award watch list - given to the nation's top tight end each year - caught six passes for 91 yards.
While Love hasn't gotten the national attention that Davis and Hill have, he ranks sixth in NCAA Division I football in receiving yards with 1,094. Love said it was nice to do so well on national television.
"It's great," Love said. "Talking to a lot of family members back home who couldn't make it to the game I know they are proud of me."
Davis said the team had thought about how the game would be televised around the country but the team couldn't dwell on it because it would distract them from the game.
"We got to do what we got to do, play like we normally play even though the game is on TV," Davis said.
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