Clean Slate: Ball State Cardinal football looks to dissipate lackluster recent past with successful 2024

Editors note: This story has been edited to correct a win-loss prediction.

Ball State football heads into the 2024 season looking entirely different than it did just a year ago.

Star transfer running back Marquez Cooper is gone, and the starting quarterback for more than half the season, Kiael Kelly, now plays defense. That same defense has been revamped with a new coordinator, Jeff Knowles.
The 2023 Cardinals were essentially wiped clean for a new beginning heading into 2024.

Although Ball State isn’t facing two Southeastern Conference (SEC) schools to start its schedule like last year, the Cardinals will play No. 12 Miami week two. They’ll also square off against formerly ranked James Madison week four and their sole SEC opponent in Vanderbilt week seven, all three on the road.

Fans have been watching college football for a week, but Ball State is the only school not to play after a week-one scheduling conflict.

Regardless of what the 2023 season was, the 2024 team is looking ahead headlined by a solidified QB1 in Kadin Semonza. The Cardinals kick off their season in just a few days, here’s what players have to say about the 12-game schedule ahead of them.

Kadin Semonza (Redshirt freshman quarterback)

“Any game we step into, we expect to win that game,” he said. “We got a great group of guys here this year, and I think we’ll surprise some people for sure.”

Thailand Baldwin (Redshirt junior defensive back)

“As long as we can stay healthy, anybody can get rolled on,” he said. “So if you’re playing Ball State, just beware … They put their pads on the same way I do.”

Keionte Newson (Graduate student linebacker)

“Every week I’m gonna be in the best shape, the best mental [shape], whatever I need to do to be ready to go 100 miles per hour every snap,” he said. “They’re gonna get the best Keionte Newson that they can get for 12 guaranteed games and then those other two when it’s all said and done.”

Myles Norwood (Redshirt junior cornerback)

“I mean, we got the talent,” he said. “We got the guys who should honestly dominate the MAC.”

Tanner Koziol (Junior tight end)

“Last year, we had nerves with a switched style offense and there was new stuff over and over,” he said. “But this year, we know what we are getting into. We know the offense, we know our roles and everyone is comfortable in their roles.”

Ty Robinson (Redshirt junior wide receiver)

“At the end of the day, it is just a game,” he said. “We’ve all been playing the sport since we were five or six years old.”

Predictions:

Kyle Smedley

After two straight losing regular seasons that sent Ball State home for the winter without a bowl game appearance, the Cardinals will just barely return to postseason play for the first time since 2021 with a 6-6 record. In fact, they’ll finish with the same overall record they did in that season but will finish with a winning record in conference play for the first time since going 5-1 in the 2020 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championship season.

The toughest games to predict were those against Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Bowling Green and Ohio. I could see any of those games going either way, but ultimately, I’m a sucker for storylines.

Central Michigan will be coming off a loss to the Big Ten’s Illinois, heading into its first MAC game against Ball State. But the Cardinals will likely be reeling even harder after facing the Top 25 Miami Hurricanes. The Chippewas also have a home-field advantage.

If Ball State beat Northern Illinois on the road last season, the Cardinals can do it at home this season to win the Bronze Stalk Trophy Game for the third season in a row.

The Cardinals lost a heart-breaker to Bowling Green on the road last season, and they’ll lose another close game to the Falcons at home this time. Bowling Green has one of the best running backs in the conference, and Ball State’s chances at a bowl appearance coming down to the final game of the season is too appealing of a storyline for me to pass up.

The Cardinals will get it done, however, defeating Ohio in Athens to clinch a bowl appearance. Ball State has lost its last four games against the Bobcats, so I think the red and white is due.

Vs. Missouri State (Saturday, Sept. 7): Win
At Miami FL (Saturday, Sept. 14): Loss
At Central Michigan (Saturday, Sept. 21): Loss
At James Madison (Saturday, Sept. 28): Loss
Vs. Western Michigan (Saturday, Oct. 5): Win
At Kent State (Saturday, Oct. 12): Win
At Vanderbilt (Saturday, Oct. 19): Loss
Vs. Northern Illinois (Saturday, Oct. 26): Win
Vs. Miami OH (Tuesday, Nov. 5): Loss
At Buffalo (Tuesday, Nov. 12): Win
Vs. Bowling Green (Saturday, Nov. 23): Loss
At Ohio (Friday, Nov. 29): Win
Overall: 6-6 (5-3 MAC)

Elijah Poe

I agree with Kyle, and I believe the Cardinals will make a bowl game. But some key matchups that I consider to be in the air are Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Bowling Green.

Opening the MAC schedule in just week three for Ball State will be a challenge at Central Michigan. I also believe playing away from home will hurt the Cardinals in their first conference game.

The game against Western Michigan last year was not particularly close, but with this season’s contest being hosted in Muncie on family weekend, the Cardinals should have support to push by.

NIU is coming off a 7-6 season that saw the program gain some attention, and the Huskies also won their bowl game over Arkansas State.

All that goes out the window in a rivalry game.
I think the Battle for the Bronze Stalk will be extremely close in Muncie with the Cardinals winning.

Bowling Green is coming off a six-point loss in its bowl game against Minnesota. Last year’s Falcons were successful with seven wins, but they only beat Ball State in the closing seconds after a Cardinal field goal attempt just missed. I think the loss from last year will fuel the Cardinals to defeat Bowling Green on home turf.

Give or take a couple of MAC games, I still believe Ball State will go bowling. But, anything can happen in MACtion.

Vs. Missouri State (Saturday, Sept. 7): Win
At Miami FL (Saturday, Sept. 14): Loss
At Central Michigan (Saturday, Sept. 21): Loss
At James Madison (Saturday, Sept. 28): Loss
Vs. Western Michigan (Saturday, Oct. 5): Win
At Kent State (Saturday, Oct. 12): Win
At Vanderbilt (Saturday, Oct. 19): Loss
Vs. Northern Illinois (Saturday, Oct. 26): Win
Vs. Miami OH (Tuesday, Nov. 5): Loss
At Buffalo (Tuesday, Nov. 12): Win
Vs. Bowling Green (Saturday, Nov. 23): Win
At Ohio (Friday, Nov. 29): Loss
Overall: 6-6 (5-3 MAC)

Contact Elijah Poe via email at [email protected] or via X @ElijahPoe4, and Kyle Smedley via email at [email protected] or via X @KyleSmedley_.