When athletics director Tom Collins signed a contract last year agreeing to a men's basketball road game against Butler University, he had no idea of the scheduling conflict that would develop.
At the same time the Ball State University men's basketball team and Butler play their 100th game against each other tonight, the No. 17 Cardinals' football team will play a nationally televised game against defending Mid-American Conference champion Central Michigan University.
"It's difficult to create a schedule so it works out perfectly," Collins said. "Sometimes you can avoid it."
Collins said he worked with Butler to try to reschedule the basketball game after it was announced in March that ESPN2 would televise the football game on the same night. He said the two schools could not find another night that would work for both universities.
Unable to make the schedule change, Collins said since becoming athletics director in December 2005 tonight has become the biggest day in Ball State sports.
The football team (10-0, 6-0 MAC) enters its game as one of five remaining undefeated teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. In addition, the men's basketball team won its season-opening game against Eastern Illinois University on Saturday and is playing a Butler team that reached the NCAA Tournament last season.
Collins said both teams have a good chance to win their games. He also said he will attend the football game in Mount Pleasant, Mich., but there will be athletics department staff at Hinkle Fieldhouse for the basketball game.
As an associate athletics director at Arizona State University prior to coming to Ball State, Collins said these types schedule conflicts sometimes occurred because of the Sun Devils' games becoming nationally televised.
"When you look at it, you don't think scheduling something for Wednesday night is something you have to worry about," he said.
Coach Billy Talyor said he understands these schedule conflicts happen. He also said both teams have a good opportunity to win tonight's games.
"I know they're focused on their goal at hand, and certainly for us, we're focused on our goal at hand," Taylor said. "This happens every year during this segment where football and basketball are both playing at the same time, so our guys will be focused in terms of what we need to do, and that's what matters to me."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
