It was the most impressive performance by a Ball State product on CBS since David Lettermanβs last show aired in May 2015.
The champions of the Mid-American Conference put on a show in the Offerpad Arizona Bowl. It wasnβt good for ratings β the game essentially was decided in the first quarter β but it was a monumental accomplishment for the Cardinals.
Ball State defeated No. 22 San Jose State 34-13 Thursday afternoon at Arizona Stadium to secure the first bowl victory in program history. It was the culmination of a long, taxing rebuilding project led by fifth-year coach Mike Neu, a former BSU quarterback who returned to his alma mater hoping to achieve something exactly like this.
βThat was always my vision,β said Neu, donning a gray Arizona Bowl Champions baseball cap. βThe reason I came back to Ball State was I had a burning desire in my gut to bring this program back to the top.
βI knew it was not going to be easy. I know a couple years ago there was certainly doubt, and understandably so.β
The Cardinals had finished under .500 in each of Neuβs first four seasons. But there were subtle signs of progress in 2019. Ball State defeated Miami of Ohio to end the season. Heading into that game, the Cardinals had lost three contests by a combined eight points.
After a 38-31 opening loss to the RedHawks this season, Ball State reeled off six straight victories. The last was an upset of another unbeaten team, No. 23 Buffalo, in the MAC Championship Game. It was BSUβs first conference title since 1996 and its first win over a ranked opponent since 2012. Now the Cardinals have two in a row.
Ball State wide receiver Antwan Davis comes down with what was ruled a catch inside the 10-year line after getting behind San Jose State cornerback Nehemiah Shelton in Thursdayβs first quarter.
βIt ranks right up there with the MAC championship,β Neu said. βOnce that game was over, the very next day, our focus completely shifted. The preparation was exactly the same. This was a Super Bowl-type game for us. We wanted to make sure we had our best effort and our best brand of Cardinals football.β
San Jose State had experienced a similar climb. Spartans coach Brent Brennan described the parallels between the two programs as βdownright spooky.β
The Spartans won only eight games in Brennanβs first three seasons. But they too went 5-7 a year ago β including three losses by a combined eight points.
Despite being displaced from San Jose for training camp and the latter portion of the season because of COVID-19 restrictions, the Spartans posted a 7-0 record. They were trying to become the first San Jose State team to go undefeated since 1939.
The Spartans seemingly could do no wrong. The carriage then turned into a pumpkin on New Yearβs Eve.
Multiple SJSU players and both coordinators were unavailable for the game.
The school did not disclose an official reason, but availability for the Arizona Bowl was subject to testing for COVID-19.
The players who were absent included defensive lineman Cade Hall, the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year and the national co-leader in sacks; all-MWC wideout Bailey Gaither, the Spartansβ leading receiver; safety Tre Jenkins, the teamβs third-leading tackler; and starting offensive linemen Kyle Hoppe and Tyler Stevens.
Without coordinators Kevin McGiven (offense) and Derrick Odum (defense), San Jose State had to delegate play-calling responsibilities to coaches who hadnβt performed those duties. The Spartans were out of sync from the get-go.
Ball State safety Malcolm Lee (28) holds on for dear life to San Jose State wide receiver Tre Walker (10) after his catch in the third quarter of the Arizona Bowl, Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., December 31, 2020.
Ball State raced to a 27-0 lead at the end of a first quarter that felt a lot like the last game played at Arizona Stadium β Arizona Stateβs 70-7 win over Arizona for the Territorial Cup.
The Spartans used the Wildcatsβ facilities all week. Coincidence?
Whatever the cause, it was clear from the start that this wasnβt going to be San Jose Stateβs afternoon. On the first play from scrimmage, tight end Derrick Deese Jr. caught a short pass and landed awkwardly after being tackled. Deese, SJSUβs leader with five touchdown receptions, did not return.
The series ended with a score for Ball State. Cornerback Antonio Phillips intercepted Nick Starkel on third-and-7 and returned the pick 53 yards for a touchdown and a 6-0 lead.
The Spartans went three-and-out on each of their next two possessions. The Cardinals answered with a pair of touchdowns to make it 20-0.
Ball Stateβs Nic Jones then blocked a San Jose State punt, leading to quarterback Drew Plittβs 1-yard sneak for a touchdown and a 27-0 Cardinals advantage.
Even when something went wright for San Jose State, Ball State wouldnβt give any ground.
After a missed field goal by the Cardinals in the second quarter β their first drive that didnβt end in a touchdown β the Spartans drove inside the 10-yard line. But on second-and-goal from the 9, backup quarterback Nick Nash, in for the briefly injured Starkel, was intercepted by safety Bryce Cosby at the goal line.
Ball Stateβs opening drive of the second half ended with a fumble. But on the very next play, Starkel was intercepted by safety Brett Anderson. Three plays after that, Plitt threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to YoβHeinz Tyler to make it 34-0.
Ball State intercepted four passes in all, an Arizona Bowl record.
San Jose State finally scored on Charlie Bosticβs 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 9:28 left in the third quarter. Down 34-13, the Spartans twice penetrated the BSU 35-yard line in the fourth quarter. Both drives ended on downs.
βIt means so much,β Cosby said. βCoach Neu was preaching all week, βBe legendary.β We knew were granted an opportunity to do something special this year. I canβt even fathom the amount of sacrifice.
βThe year started off on a pretty rough note, to say the least. While we wish we could have some type of normalcy, 2020 didnβt finish too bad for the Cardinals.β
Extra points
- Ball State played without leading receiver Justin Hall. Hall dressed but did not appear in the game because of an undisclosed injury. Hall, a senior, entered Thursday as the active leader in college football with 257 career receptions.
- The 2020 Arizona Bowl marked the first game in a six-year agreement with the MAC. Ball State became just the second non-Mountain West Conference team to win the contest, joining New Mexico State (2017).
