Ball State (0-0) at Miami (0-0)
Wednesday, Nov. 4 (7:02 p.m. kickoff)
Oxford, Ohio (Yager Stadium)
Watch: CBS Sports Network | Listen: 104.1 WLBC | Live Stats
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Game Notes: Ball State | Miami | Game Week Press Conference
When Ball State kicks off its 2020 football season Wednesday night, it will be just 25 days shy of a full year since the Cardinals last took the field … and it will be against the same opponent.
After the most interrupted offseason in recent memory and announcements of postponements and resumptions surrounding COVID-19, the Mid-American Conference's six-game regular season is set to begin in fitting fashion with midweek #MACtion.
Ball State will open the season the same way it finished the 2019 campaign, against rival Miami. The RedHawks won last year's MAC Championship Game and were picked by the coaches as the preseason favorite to represent the East Division in Detroit again this year.
The setting is different, with Wednesday's Red Bird Rivalry matchup taking place in Oxford, but Ball State has positive memories of last year's 41-27 victory in the regular season finale Muncie. The Cardinals' defense, behind two interceptions from Amechi Uzodinma II, pitched a second-half shutout in that one as BSU rallied from a 27-14 halftime deficit.
Still, Miami comes into this 2020 season as the holder of the league's top prize. The RedHawks return 17 position starters, including reigning MAC Freshman of the Year Brett Gabbert at quarterback, from the team that defeated Central Michigan for last year's title.
"Miami is a rival for us … and they're the MAC champion," BSU head coach Mike Neu said. "We got the Red Bird Rivalry trophy, but they got the ultimate trophy that we want, so our guys have been very focused."
Ball State quarterback Drew Plitt will be playing just about an hour away from where he grew up in Loveland on the east side of Cincinnati. In his 19th collegiate start, he will be making his fourth start against Miami. Plitt threw three touchdown passes in last year's win – two to Yo'Heinz Tyler – while Caleb Huntley ran for three scores.
Plitt is the MAC's top returning passer (243.2 yards per game in 2019), and Huntley is the second-leading active rusher in the league (2,465 career yards). On top of that, wideout Justin Hall is the nation's active leader in career receptions (208). That trio is part of a highly experienced senior class that is eager lead the Cardinals into 2020.
"We're excited to be back out on the field," Plitt said. "I think everybody is kind of chomping at the bit to get out and play a game."
While Ball State and Miami have closed the season against each other for the past five seasons, the teams do have some history of opening against each other. They have met seven previous times in openers, most recently in 2007, including some memorable BSU wins.
This year, week one marks the only week of scheduled crossover games in the MAC. The remaining five weeks will feature matchups solely against division opponents in a shortened race to Detroit.
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Game 1 Preview: Cardinals Set to Defend Red Bird Rivalry Trophy at Miami - BallStateSports.com
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