
Scheumann Stadium -- Muncie, IN
ESPN+
Coming off an early loss to MAC West rival Toledo, the Ball State Cardinals can use a win - even if it is "just" a non-conference opponent. BSU has lost three straight since its Week One win over Western Illinois and the upcoming schedule is littered with would-be contenders with talented rosters.
This week's challenge is to stop -- or at least limit -- the Black Knight's triple option offense. Army is coming off a 23-10 win over the Miami RedHawks -- grinding out long, ball-controlling drives and mixing in break-away runs.
Here's more on the two teams . . .
ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS (4-0)
>> Quarterback Christian Anderson typically throws only a few passes per game, and Army went 0-for-5 passing against Miami. However, he is blessed with speed and elusiveness that can turn average plays into long scores. It happened twice last week, with Anderson breaking off runs of 72- and 75-yards for a pair of touchdowns.
>> Anderson suffered a shoulder injury late against Miami and is reportely day-to-day this week.
>> The Black Knights have thrown 18 passes and completed 11 over four contests.
>> Army averages 5.2 yards per rush as a team. Seventeen of 21 touchdowns were on the ground.
>> The 23 points scored against Miami last week was a season low. The Black Knights are averaging 39 ppg. Army's wins were against Georgia State (43-10), Western Kentucky (38-35), UConn (52-21) and Miami (23-10).
>> Army blocked two punts last week.
>> The Black Knights rank 15th nationally in total defense (277.8 ypg). They are fourth against the run (58.5 ypg).
>> Army leads the nation in time of possession (40.29). That is one spot ahead of Western Michigan.
BALL STATE CARDINALS (1-3, 1-1)
>> The Cardinals have dropped three straight -- #11 Penn Stte (44-13), Wyoming (45-12) and Toledo (22-12).
>> Ball State did not have a touchdown against UT. Jacob Lewis accounted for all the Cardinal points with four field goals. His first was a 45-yarder that gave BSU its only lead of the game.
Toledo took a 14-9 lead to intermission and outscored the hosts 8-3 in the second half.
>> Toledo went 4-of-12 on third downs, while Ball State was 7-of-17. The game's only touchdowns were a 69-yard pass and 70-yard run by Toledo -- both in the first half.
>> Quarterback Drew Plitt completed 21-of-35 passes, good for 190 yards. He currently ranks 11th among MAC passers with an average of 153.5 ypg. and is completing 61.2 percent of his attempts.
Justin Hall tops BSU receivers with 24 receptions for 289 yards and two TDs. He is averaging 12.0 ypc.
>> Ball State's 131.3 ypg rushing is 10th among MAC teams. Carson Steele is averaging 45.8 ypg (4.9 ypc) and owns three TDs.
>> BSU ranks 10th in red zone offense and sixth in red zone defense.