Use this thread to talk about anything game-related. For away games, we'll have a separate travel thread.

Date: October 26th, 2019 2:00 PM

Opponent: Ball St.  (4-3, 3-0 MAC)

Site: Scheumann Stadium

TV: None

Radio: Ohio Radio or TuneIn Radio

Webcast: ESPN+

Ball St. statistics, roster and media guide.

Ball St. Fan Site: OverThePylon

According to this morning's paper,we're a 2 point under dog.

Well given that the MAC seems to have teams get hot only to lay eggs regularly, it would be great for that to happen this weekend for Ball State. Sadly they say defense travels and I fully expect the Collins' Train Wreck to pull into Muncie right on schedule.

If that were to happen, we'd still own a tiebreaker vs. Kent.

I think I posted this somewhere else ... but Kent's MAC schedule is back-loaded. They've already had the luxury of beating BG and Akron. A win over Miami would have them at 3-1 in the league .... BUT ... still with games Toledo, UB, Ball and Eastern. Hard to see them going anything better than 2-2 in those games.

That gets them to 5-3.

If Ohio can just take care of business vs. BG, Akron, and Miami ... that gets them to 5-3 at worst. And they'd have tiebreaker over every other East Division team. Basically renders the Ball and WMU games meaningless. A win in either of those games only gives Ohio some breathing room ... but a loss in either isn't crippling.

I just can't really see any team in the East getting to 6-2 .... UNLESS Miami is to beat Kent.

At 3-1, that would leave the Redhawks with Ohio, BG, Akron and Ball. I could see Miami going 3-1 there which would send them to Detroit ... assuming Ohio doesn't beat Ball or WMU and loses to Miami. Miami's win over NIU was unexpected and potentially throws a wrench into Ohio's path to Detroit.

Sweep the East ... it's Ohio's best path to Detroit.

With 4 losses already absorbed, I kind of think this is a must-win game for the Cats to secure a winning record this year.

With their up and down play I just cannot see a scenario where they run the table in November if loss #5 comes Saturday.

A win here really builds a head of steam IMHO into the Miami game.

Agree as hope Kent wins this weekend as they face a tougher schedule the rest of the way. Miami has to travel to Kent, Ohio and Ball St.

I saw some of the first half of Ball State's game against Toledo. Toledo having to start a red-shirt quarterback that was clearly not ready for this level of football made a huge difference, and which I think largely explains how Ball State was able to so easily dominate them. In addition, Drew Plitt of Ball State has a nice touch, but his offensive line, though they appeared big, seemed a little slow to me at times (though it is always hard to switch from watching Power 5 teams play to the level of talent seen in the MAC). Ball State certainly has some wide receivers who can catch, and they have a powerful running game led by Caleb Huntley that can put up some big runs and thus help provide a very balanced Offensive attack. Their defense, well, they know how to tackle, but this was against a young quarterback led team that was easy for them to pick on.

I fear that Ohio won't be able to stop Ball State's Offense at all, but this is the MAC; where inconsistency reigns supreme, so, God Knows, how this is going to play out. It appears that this is going to be a high scoring game, if anything, unless the Bobcat defense can plug some holes on defense and, perhaps, out finesse Ball State's front line. The Bobcat Offense does not have the luxury of making mistakes either. If so, I could see this thing getting ugly in a hurry.

I watched a few Ball State games this year and did not see any hurry-up offense from them of the style of Kent State so that is good.

I think BS's offense will nickle and dime us to death with WRs like Riley, #86, on those 8-10 yard outside throws when our corners play 12 yards off the ball. Then when our corners come up in obvious man coverage, BS will take some shots deep, targeting #23 if he is still the starting CB this week.

Ohio has had some of the strangest defensive performances in college football this year with so many games where they look good in one half and self-destruct in the other half.

I agree re Cole Baker, he seems like a key player. I may have been wrong but I think Baker played on at least two drives in the second half against Kent, both drives ended in punts by KS. He also might have been in on the last drive at the end of the 4th where KS scored its final touchdown-not sure.

I think it would be really interesting to see how the defense fared (a score or a punt) with the different combinations of defensive interior lineman and defensive ends. For instance, Baker at DT is probably the best we have so I wonder if we do the best defensively on series Baker plays. Not the easiest thing to do because Ohio subs DT mid-drives but interesting to me.

I think he played 10-12 snaps in the 4th quarter. I recall he made one tackle for no or little gain. He makes a difference.

It's terrifying you have to point to a game where Ohio's defense couldn't get a 2H stop to save their life and allowed 45 points (Louisiana) and a game where they were a 1H doormat (Marshall) as "improved" defense.

Yikes.

If Ball State gets 80% more points than their season average, as NIU and Kent did, Ball Sate would get 64 points. I don't think Ohio could overcome that. They may be able to overcome 45. The last two games were the ones since Cole Baker was hurt. Apparently he is critical to the defense. I hope he will be back to healthy for Ball State.

As a former player, I can say with experience playing in the MAC that some teams dont play well against certain teams in the MAC based on scheme. I would have to say our nemeses are CMU and Toledo (except past few years). We naturally dont play down to Ball St. We've always stopped their run game and forced them to pass. However this is one of the best Ball St throwing teams I've seen since Wenning and the one QB who was deaf but took them to the MACC. My concern this game is the WR Yo'Heinz Tyler. If NIU WRs were snagging it....wait til you see him. If we can stop the run and keep a man over the top of Yo'Heinz....I think we win 38 -24. He is 6'3 and 210 lbs and freaky athletic.

I am curious about your thoughts about what makes a defense improve over a few weeks late in the season? Kind of like the Bobcats last year. Is it experience?,tweaking the lineup?, schedule includes more opponents from the weak MAC EAST?, change in defensive philosophy?. IN you opinion can we expect to see a second half of the season defensive revival like last year?