Among Ball State's returning players are 16 "super seniors" who will take advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted to student-athletes by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
23 in both the AP Top 25 and the Amway Coaches Poll. Led by sixth-year head coach Mike Neu, the Cardinals return 20 starters (10 offensive, 10 defensive) and three key specialists from the team which finished the year ranked at No. BSU won its last seven games to claim the MAC West Division title, a MAC Championship Game victory, and a win over No. Other teams receiving votes to win the MAC title game were Kent State (4), WMU (3), Buffalo (2) and Miami (1).īall State is coming off one of the most memorable seasons in program history, finishing 2020 with a 7-1 (5-1 MAC) record. Ohio (96/2), Miami (94/5), Buffalo (93/4), Akron (39) and Bowling Green (28) round out the MAC East. Kent State is the preseason favorite in the East Division with 112 points and 11 first-place votes. Rounding out the MAC West were Western Michigan (103/4), Central Michigan (68), Eastern Michigan (44) and Northern Illinois (29). Toledo was second in both the division poll (104 points/7 first-place votes) and championship game voting (7 votes). The poll was announced Tuesday (July 20) at the league's annual MAC Football Media Day at Ford Field in Detroit and was determined by 22 members of the league's media contingent.īall State received 11 first-place votes and 114 total points to retain its crown as West Division champions, while also garnering seven of the 22 votes to win a second consecutive MAC Championship Game. "The MAC is a highly competitive conference, and it's going to take every member of our program performing at an elite level for us to achieve our goal of making it back to Ford Field in December." "While it's an honor to be selected the preseason favorite to win the MAC West Division and MAC Championship Game, we know it's going to take our best effort every time we step on the field to be in a position to defend our titles," head coach Mike Neu said.
In 2021, the Cardinals will enter the season with the target squarely on its back, as the team was selected the preseason favorite to run it back and win both the MAC West Division and the Rocket Mortgage MAC Football Championship Game in the league's annual preseason media poll. DETROIT - Last season, the Ball State football team was fueled by its role as underdog, banding together to prove the pundits wrong by winning the Mid-American Conference Championship Game and earning the first bowl victory in program history.
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