No mid-major school has ever won a college football national championship. Since the poll era began in 1936 the two leading conferences in championship victories come from the Southeastern Conference (23) and the Big 12 (20). DN ILLUSTRATION SIERRA THERRIEN
SPORTS

Mid-major football programs choose between FBS exposure, FCS competition

In 2008, Ball State football went a perfect 12-0 in the regular season, launching itself into the conversation for a spot in one of the most coveted bowl games in college football: the Bowl Championship Series. At the time, no Mid-American Conference school had ever played in a BCS game, and Ball State was riding high at No. 12 in the country, entering the conference championship game against a 7-5 Buffalo team. While Ball State was the favorite entering the game, a single 42-24 loss dropped the Cardinals down 10 spots in the NCAA rankings and landed them a spot in the GMAC Bowl, where it lost to Tulsa by 32 points. It is hard for mid-major schools to compare themselves with these Power Five goliaths, but reaching national prominence remains their goal. “Most of what we enjoy most about Division I athletics is that we’re playing at the highest level,” Ball State Athletic Director Mark Sandy said.



DN FILE PHOTO SAMANTHA BRAMMER
NEWS

INVESTIGATION: Daily News discovers Ball State Fact Book data errors and misrepresentations

The past few years have treated the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences well, whether it’s been the announcement of McKinley Commons (now on hold), partnering with hotels in Downtown Muncie, renovations to facilities in the Applied Technology Building or large increases in online enrollment. But that didn’t show when looking at Ball State’s College of Applied Science and Technology Fact Book. Department headcount — a measure of how many students are in a department — showed the department had a 42 percent decrease in enrollment between 2010-11 and 2014-15, going from 1,612 students to 937 students in just five years. However, there were discrepancies. “We never had 1,600 students.


Alex Call, a junior outfielder for the Ball State Cardinals, attempts to hit the ball during the game against Bowling Green on April 23. DN PHOTO GRACE RAMEY
SPORTS

Ball State travels to Buffalo for 3-game series

Ball State baseball (25-17, 10-5 MAC) will play a road series at the University at Buffalo (12-24, 5-10 MAC) from April 29 to May 1. The Cardinals are currently on top of the Mid-American Conference West Division while the Bulls are tied for last in the MAC East. Buffalo carries a 5.00 ERA into the game and will face off against a Ball State lineup that scores 6.7 runs per game.







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