Today’s weather provided a significant advantage for whichever team was playing with Scheumann Stadium’s westbound wind at their backs.
Weather did not seem to be in Ball State's favor in their 23-21 loss to Central Michigan.
Head coach Pete Lembo said it's something his team practices with.
“It’s an uncontrollable, and we typically have some wind here. Ten to 15 miles an hour is typical around here,” Lembo said. “Can’t use that as any kind of an excuse.”
The Chippewas out gained Ball State by 135 total yards, 434 to 299. Going west, both team’s combined offenses totaled 482 yards while it was at 251 yards heading into the gusts, which were upwards of 20 miles per hour.
The difference is in Ball State’s totals offensive production – 208 yards in the second and fourth quarters and just 91 in the first and third. This was largely because the Cardinals went three-and-out on their first two drives of the game, as well as all four of their third-quarter drives.
Ball State recorded at least one first down on every drive with the wind at their backs.
Lembo said the rushing attack’s 112 yards – 46 yards less than their 158 yard average entering the game was the a culprit.
“You gotta be able to run the ball when you’re heading into the wind and try to change field position by staying on the field, and we struggled with that,” Lembo said. “We’ve actually done a pretty good job of that, recently.”
Weather plated a role in Central Michigan's offensive production as well. Gaining 254 yards with the wind and 180 against it.
Today, the two teams combined for 31 wind-aided points and just 13 in the other direction.
KeVonn Mabon’s fourth quarter kick return touchdown was the first touchdown return by a Cardinal since 2010, and it came with the wind in his back.
“When I looked up and I saw a hat on a hat, and I had a returner in front of me, it was go-time,” Mabon said.
Central Michigan came in looking like the favorites from the beginning, where senior quarterback Cooper Rush led the Chippewas 75 yards downfield for a touchdown. It included a 41-yard screen pass to sophomore Mark Chapman, in just under three minutes.
Even after a the pair of three-and-outs from Ball State, the Cardinals kept it close at the end of the first quarter, 10-7. They also outscored Central Michigan in the second and fourth quarters, 14-6.
The fourth-quarter wind advantage didn't prove to be enough for the Cardinals as they dropped their third home game this season.
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