Thursday, Sept. 2 -- 7 p.m. ET
Scheumann Stadium -- Muncie, Ind.
ESPN+
Fans attending Thursday's 2021 Ball State game at Scheumann Stadium could be in for an air show!
Football air show, that is!!
>> Hosting Ball State has a well-established air game, with senior quarterback Drew Plitt back to guide BSU's passing attack. Receivers like seniors Yo'Heinz Tyler and Justin Hall are productive targets.
>> For it's part, Western Illinois brings back a strong returning core of wide receivers. Seniors Dallas Daniels, Dennis Houston and Tony Tate are back. Houston's 7.2 rpg topped the Miami Valley Conference and was eighth nationally. Both he and Tate were preseason MVFC First Team picks.
>> Quarterback Conner Sampson ranked fifth in the nation in completions per game (29.8) and set a school record with 40 attempts against Northern Iowa. He led the MVFC in passing yards per game (290.7) and total offense (289.2).
>> The Leathernecks played six games in the spring, losing their first five. They finally broke through with a 27-24 win over Youngstown State in what became WIU's final game. Tate, a dangerous return specialist, brought back one kickoff 95 yards for a score in the tight game.
>> While the Leathernecks have weapons on offense, Western Illinois' scoring was sixth (16.0 ppg) of nine teams playing. It was worse on defense, where WIU was dead last (32.0 ppg).
>> Western Illinois was picked for last in a MVFC preseason poll.
>> This will be the fifth meeting between WIU and Ball State, as the former holds a 3-1 all-time advantage. The latest outing happened over two decades ago on Sept. 9, 2000, where the Leathernecks won in Muncie, 24-14.