Back Home Again in Indiana: Numbers that Matter Against the Cardinals

Written By Nick Holmes (@HoosierHolmes)

The Hoosiers welcome Ball State to town this Saturday, the MAC school from Muncie that has had Indiana’s number here of late. But not only are bragging rights up for grab, but for the first time in Coach Wilson’s tenure the Hoosiers could have back-to-back seasons with a 2 and 0 record out of the gate. Also, Indiana will get their first opportunity to break in that new field turf they had installed back in June.

Both the Hoosiers and Cardinals are coming into the game with wins over the Panthers. Now let’s take a look at some numbers I find interesting in this week two matchup between the instate rivals.

1-0 - Both teams won their season openers on the road, as Indiana traveled to Miami and handled FIU 34-13 while Ball State won 31-21 in Atlanta over Georgia State. That was Mike Neu’s first game ever as Ball State's head coach, so the Cardinals are probably flying high after that victory.

2-3 – While most teams seem to make their greatest gains in terms of execution and overall play from game one to game two, the second match up of the season has not been particularly kind to the Hoosiers recently. Coach Wilson carries a 2 and 3 record in game twos, with wins coming over FIU and UMass and losses coming at the hands of Virginia, Navy and Bowling Green.

300 – When Indiana takes the field on Saturday it will have been 300 days since the Cream and Crimson played inside the friendly confines of Memorial Stadium. Their last game at home was the double overtime loss to the Wolverines.

357 – It’s been a while since Indiana fans were able to leave The Rock with their head held high, as the team’s last victory at home came against Western Kentucky, nearly one year ago on September 19, 2015.

4-3 – While the Hoosiers hold a winning record against the Cardinals, Indiana has dropped their last three against Ball State.

0-2 – Coach Wilson has yet to beat the team from Muncie. His first ever game as the Hoosiers head coach was against the Cardinals at Lucas Oil Stadium, where Indiana lost a close one 27-20. The following season Indiana dropped a heartbreaker at home against Ball State 41-39.

38.9% - Ball State had a difficult time converting third down opportunities on Saturday against GSU. If the Hoosiers get their offense on track early on Saturday, the Cardinals inability to extend drives would spell certain trouble their chances at extending their winning streak against the Cream and Crimson.

40% - The Hoosiers were not particularly efficient on third down either, converting 6 of their 15 attempts.

47.3 – If this game becomes a battle for field position, Ball State punter Kyle Schmidt could become a valuable weapon. Against Georgia State Schmidt showed off a huge leg, punting the ball four times for an average of 47.3 yards per kick, which is currently good for eighth best in the nation.

3 – The Hoosiers look to have an asset of their own at punter, as redshirt sophomore Joseph Gedeon made some big plays with his leg on Thursday evening. Most memorable was his very first collegiate punt when he pinned the Panthers at their own one-yard line, ultimately leading to a safety. On the day the Gedeon forced the Panthers to start drives within their own 20-yard line three times. Coach Wilson commended the Columbus, Indiana native, naming him the special teams player of the week for his efforts against the Panthers.

9-74 – We can debate until we are red in the face about whether some of the penalties called on Indiana were legitimate or not, but the fact is this team needs to cut those numbers in half. The nine penalties are among the worst in the nation, tied for 99th. The 74 yards is tied for 98th in college football. The lack of discipline did not hurt the Hoosiers against FIU, but it’s something the coaching staff is likely emphasizing in practice this week.

3 – Defensive Coordinator Tom Allen was clearly pleased with how his defense performed, at least from a generating takeaways perspective, as the Hoosiers picked off the Panthers three times last Thursday. Indiana has long been boasting about their ability to be more opportunistic on defense, and that showed during the first game. What do they have in store for an encore against the Cardinals?

2 – Ball State quarterback Riley Neal got his team in trouble early, throwing two interceptions within the first 2:17 of the game, the first of which resulted in six points for GSU. Indiana had two pick sixes of their own against FIU. If both of these trends hold up, Indiana could put the Cardinals in a hole before the game barely gets started.

63 –  No, you should never hang your hat on a single performance, but it is worth noting that the Hoosiers revamped defensive line allowed just 63 rushing yards on 21 attempts against the Panthers. Keep in mind, this was also without redshirt senior Ralph Green III, who was suspended for the game. It has to be encouraging sign for a team that was playing its first game ever in Coach Allen’s 4-2-5 defense.

336 – The Hoosiers defensive line has a true test in store for them, as Ball State’s rushing attack was running on all cylinders against GSU, accumulating 336 rushing yards on 52 attempts, good for 6.2 yards per carry. Can Indiana prove that their defensive performance against the Panthers' running game was not a fluke?