Stan Parrish should have been asleep Sunday night. Ball State had won its second game of the year, upsetting three-touchdown favorites Central Michigan on the road a day before. Sleep is supposed to come easy to winning coaches and escape the ones on the wrong end of the scoreboard.
But there was Parrish, on the eve of Homecoming Week, unable to rest. He was already too anxious about Ball State's game against Western Michigan at noon today to sleep.
"All I was thinking about was them and that's good," Parrish said. "Sometimes coaches get too confident, too."
Unexpectedly, after a devastating season and a 1-3 start this fall, the Cardinals are in a position where they have to worry about being overconfident.
It's a problem they're attuned to, realizing how much this game means to keeping all of their goals alive.
"I told the defense before the Central Michigan game that ‘We have to treat every game like a playoff game, so just think if we were to lose this game our season would be over,'" middle linebacker Travis Freeman said. "You have to get past Central Michigan quickly because we have a bigger goal at hand. That's the MAC championship."
One of Ball State's biggest goals is to win the Mid-American Conference and at 1-0 in MAC play it got off to a good start last Saturday. The Cardinals know they have to keep winning to stay alive in the race, which many coaches expect to be tight.
Parrish has said he thinks a 6-2 conference mark could win the MAC West this season, but he knows how important it is to remain in control of your own destiny for as long as possible.
"We've only played one conference game, but as long as you keep a zero on the end, you've at least you've got a chance," he said. "We've got to keep a zero on the end."
Western Michigan might have as much motivation as Ball State does. The Broncos are 1-3 and 0-1 in MAC play.
Another loss before their game at Notre Dame next week would make a bowl game almost impossible, and their hopes for a MAC West title would be almost as small.
"[Coach Bill] Cubit said in the press conference, ‘We have got to win at Ball State or we have no chance with the rest of our goals,'" Parrish said. "We're going to get everything they've got. It's going to be a heck of a game."
On top of their must-win situation, the Broncos are dealing with adversity. During last week's 33-13 loss at home to Idaho, safety Doug Wiggins and cornerback Damond Smith fought with each other on the field. Both have been suspended indefinitely by Cubit and will be replaced by freshmen Demetrius Pettway and Raheam Buxton today.
Parrish said the Cardinals can't assume the incident will linger this week.
"I kind of take it the other way, that their coaches are going to get it all square," he said. "If you expect it to be easier in any way, which probably Central did a little bit, then you're going to get whupped.
"They're going to be very juiced up, and don't think for a minute they don't think they can win this game. This is a game about us being able to match that."
Perhaps that's the biggest challenge for Ball State on Homecoming. Not facing wide receiver Jordan White, who is averaging more than 100 yards receiving per game or quarterback Alex Carder, who is second in the MAC in total offense.
Instead, it might just be a mental battle for the Cardinals as they try to play up to the moment of Homecoming and the renewed expectations of fans.
"This, right here, is a real big game," running back Cory Sykes said. "It's Homecoming. The fans are going to be here. We can't disappoint them."
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