Saturday, Sept. 25 -- 2 p.m. ET
Scheumann Stadium -- Muncie, IN
ESPN+
The first taste of Mid-American Conference play will be a big one as Toledo meets Ball State in Muncie Saturday.
The defending champion Cardinals got the media nod to repeat in 2021, but UT received support as a strong contender.
Both teams own 1-2 records, with each winning in Week One before facing some stiff competition that included ranked teams.
Ball State fell to #11 Penn State (44-13) and Wyoming (45-12). Meanwhile, Toledo nearly pulled out a win at #8 Notre Dame before falling in the final 1:09. One week later, UT dropped a 22-6 decision at Colorado State.
Conference time is always a good time to get back in the win column, but Saturday's UT-BSU tilt could eventually determine the MAC West champ.
Toledo leads the series with BSU 24-21-1, but Ball State has won the last two meetings, including a 27-24 verdict at the Glass Bowl last year.
Here's more on the two teams . . .
TOLEDO ROCKETS (1-2, 0-0 MAC)
>> The Rockets are scoring 28.0 ppg (tied for 4th MAC) and allow 21.3 ppg (2nd MAC).
>> Toledo is 11th in rushing with 116.3 ypg and 3.6 ypp. The ground game has provided five TDs.
>> Passing has been UT's forte, as the Rockets are second among MAC teams with an average of 245 ypg. Quarterbacks have completed 61.7 percent of their throws, with two TDs and no interceptions.
>> The Rockets have also done fairly well defending the pass overall. They are allowing 187.0 passing ypg. (3rd MAC), with four TDs and two interceptions.
>> Toledo had 363 yards of total offense against Notre Dame, with 229 coming through the air and another 124 on the ground. One week later at Colorado State, the Rockets dropped to 291 yards passing (25-of-43) and a mediocre 21 rushing yards. They were just 4-of-18 on third down conversions and were flagged 11 times for 89 yards.
Colorado State piled up 209 rushing yards while, passing for 110.
>> Neither CSU nor Toledo scored an offensive touchdown in the hosts 22-6 victory. The Rockets settled for two Thomas Cluckey field goals, while Colorado State knocked through five field goals and added a TD on a 70-yard punt return. Cluckey is 5-for-5 this year and has hit all 13 FG attempts in his career.
>> Bryant Koback has 2,824 rushing yards, which is eighth on Toledo's career rushing yard list.
BALL STATE CARDINALS (1-2)
>> The Cardinals prolific 2020 offense hasn't quite kicked in yet, and BSU ranks ninth among MAC teams in total offense with 319.7 ypg. They are also 10th in scoring (18.7 ppg). Ball State's defene, meanwhile, is allowing 36.7 ppg (10th MAC).
>> Quarterback Drew Plitt is hitting 61.7 percent of his passes so far in 2021, good for 424 yards with two TDs and three interceptions. Last year, he finished with 65.6 percent on completions while contributing 2,154 yards and 17 TDs with six picks.
>> Plitt connected on 8-of-14 for 60 yards with one interception last week at Wyoming (L 45-12) . John Paddock came in for the second half and completed 13-of-20 for 82 yards and one pick. Plitt is listed as the starter on this week's two-deep.
>> Junior Jayshon Jackson led all receivers at Wyoming, grabbing 10 passes for 92 yards.
>> Carson Steele (13 carries, 76 yrds, 1 TD) and Will Jones (10 carries, 47 yards, 1 TD) led the Cardinals rushing attack.
>> Ball State, which trailed 31-0 at intermission, had three turnovers. Wyoming was turnover free.
>> RB Carson Steele has a touchdown in all three games against the likes of Western Illinois, Penn State and Wyoming. He is the only true freshmen in the country to rush for a touchdown in both games to begin the season. Steele is one of just two players overall in the MAC to rush for at least one touchdown in all three games to begin the 2021 campaign, joining La’darius Jefferson (WMU).
>> WR Justin Hall leads all active college football players in career receptions with 274, a Ball State school record.
>> Ball State has three of the top 15 tacklersin the Mid-American Conference in ILB Jaylin Thomas, S Brett Anderson II and S Bryce Cosby. Thomas is eighth in the league with 23 tackles, while Anderson is right behind in a tie for 10th with 21 tackles. Cosby has 20 stops and is tied
for 14th.