The Ball State Cardinals, the 12-0 Mid-American Conference champions, denied their invitation to play in the Humanitarian Bowl.The game would be against 12-0 Boise State, the Western Athletic Conference champions.
It would be played on Boise State's home blue turf, and would be one of the best matchups of the bowl season, since it would have been the only bowl matching up two undefeated teams.
But the game will not happen. The decision by Ball State not to accept the bid is a puzzling one. Did they expect a BCS bowl bid after playing one of the easiest schedules in the country?
Their opponents combined record is 54-88, and only three of the teams they played finished with a winning record. Yet, they are too scared to finally play some legit competition.
People have wanted to see all year if Ball State was for real. They were always the lowest ranked undefeated team throughout the year, and deservedly so, because they did not beat anyone good.
Ball State is embarrassing the MAC, achieving one of the best seasons in MAC history but then being to scared to play in the highest-profile bowl invite ever by a MAC team.
Ball State's athletic director Tom Collins said, "I think it would be great for television, but I'm not sure it's fair to our student-athletes to ask them to go out and play on Boise State's home field."
Who cares if it is technically an away game and not on a neutral site? What is the difference between that and any other away game the Cardinals have played all year?
Ball State has one of the top five quarterbacks in the country in Nate Davis, and this would be a great time for NFL scouts to see how he plays when he goes up against quality competition. Boise State has just three losses in the past three seasons, and in 2007 they upset Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.
Ball State coach Brady Hoke and athletic director Tom Collins are making the team look like they are afraid to play quality competition, and are using the Boise State's home field advantage as an excuse.
If they had won this game, they would have been mentioned in the list of the top non-BCS schools in the country. Right alongside Utah, BYU, Boise State, TCU, and Fresno State.
The likely alternative for Ball State? Ball State may be invited to the Motor City Bowl in Detroit, to take on either Notre Dame or North Carolina State. If they win either of those games they will not prove anything, and if they lose to either of them all that they accomplished this season will be written off.
Notre Dame lost to Syracuse a few weeks ago, one of the worst teams in college football, and their fans started throwing snowballs at players. NC State is a .500 team that has won their last four. Either way, the competition is nothing compared to Boise State.
Ball State is making a mistake. To make it this far, representing the MAC, and to shy away from a major bowl bid shows they are afraid to take on college football's best, and that they will never be considered one of the best non-BCS programs.
61 comments Last one added 6 months ago — Leave a Comment
Jeff D Gorman 7 months ago
I cannot believe this. Ball State just set its program back 50 years. Nobody will ever take them - or any other team in the MAC - seriously again.
If I were Akron, Kent State or another MAC team, I would seriously look at getting Ball State kicked out of the league. I am totally serious.
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Kirby Ehler 7 months ago
I don't blame Ball State. Sure, it would be a great game, but Boise State would have an unfair advantage. Bring it into neutral territory and I would bet they would accept!
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Kent Moore 7 months ago
How does that set the team back 50 years?
Do you think USC would've accepted an invite to Austin, TX to play the Longhorns in the 2005 NCG?
I highly doubt it. It is unfair to play a game on someone's home field. I don't think Boise State or Hawaii should play on their homefields during bowl season. It puts them at a much better advantage.
I don't blame them for not accepting.
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
Although I do not agree that it is taking the program back 50 years, I do agree that it hurts what the Cardinals accomplished. Sure, it is unfair that Boise gets to play on their home turf, but if your team is for real then you would go and play this game no matter what.
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HD Handshoe -- BlockONation.com 7 months ago
Kent,
Ohio State played LSU on pretty much their home field in 2007 for the title.....are you telling me now that we get a pass b/c I agree with you but most people still just say my Buckeyes suck and were embarrassed without considering it was a home game for LSU and that OSU was the underdog in that game, so they weren't expected to win, and didn't, and therefore, they suck....????
Yes, they lost but every game, 1 team wins and 1 team loses....I'm not sure how that automatically equates to the team that loses as sucking but I digress....before I get a migraine stressing over the unfair double-standard levied against my team...
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
Yes, the Ohio State - LSU is just another example of an unfair almost home field advantage in college football bowl games.
And I agree, the team that loses does not mean they suck. If a team loses a national championship, even if by a blowout, they can still be the second best team in the country.
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JIMPSU 7 months ago
Pussies
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
Buffalo game shows that Boise State would have blown out Ball State anyway. But PSU is not turning down a Rose Bowl bid just because it is almost a home game for USC.
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HD Handshoe -- BlockONation.com 7 months ago
Ball State really dropped the "Ball" here....now they'll probably play in the International "Who Cares" Bowl vs. (7-5) Rutgers......whoooops!
I bet they wish this was golf and they could ask for a Mulligan, LOL!
Play #9 BSU and prove you're worthy or decline the invite, promptly lose to Buffalo and then play a team barely bowl eligible where win or lose, YOU STILL LOSE!
Too bad, Nate Davis could have gotten some real exposure and hype nationally vs a Boise State team well thought of nationally....
Here's to a lesson learned should a similar opportunity present itself to the Cardinals in 2009-- If they are fortunate enough to have Davis 1 more year that is....
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
Nate Davis will probably jump to the NFL, he is listed as a late first rounder-early second rounder. And after this fiasco, I would not want to come back to Ball State if I were him.
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Ryan Raber 7 months ago
This WREAKS of cowardice- but it may well be the best move. Playing BSU- on the blue turf- in the frozen north- is barely a reward for going 12-0. It may not be the game they are afraid of, but perhaps the destination. There are so many bowls, and so many conferences (Big XII, Pac 10, Big 10) that couldn't fill their spots- that they will EASILY get snapped up elsewhere. They will likely still play good competition, but in a neutral setting.
Boise State likely beats them soundly anywhere, to expose your team in a tougher environment is a tough call. We will see... certainly a far cry from Pat Hill's "anyone, anywhere" mantra.
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
I agree with what you say. But now they have lost to Buffalo. I am wondering if maybe the decision served as a distraction this week against Buffalo?
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Kent Moore 7 months ago
I don't think it is a bad call on Ball State. Its unfair for them to travel to Idaho to play a team on their home field for a bowl game.
That's like Oklahoma asking Florida to play the Championship Game in Norman, OK! The Gators would never accept those terms. It is unfair.
I think if Ball State and Boise State were invited to a neutral site, both would accept immediately.
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
You do not see Penn State declining a bid to the Rose Bowl against USC...
although not technically a home game, it is close enough
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Lon Madarieta 7 months ago
If Ball State really wanted respect they would have played Boise. This crap about unfair field advantage is just that. If you want to build credibility as a power Non BCS you have to go. Remember the 2003 Fort Worth Bowl. Boise State vs TCU in TCU's stadium. Did Boise cry, no, they went to prove themselves. 2004 Liberty Bowl. Boise vs Louisville in Memphis considered home field advantage for Louisville. If you want to play with the big boys you have to play with the big boys.
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
I completely agree with you Lon. Ball State fans have complained that voters put Ball State too low in the polls all year because they had not played anyone good yet. Well here is there chance, not against ND or NC State. If you want to get respect you have to earn it and a win in Boise would do just that.
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William Qualkinbush 7 months ago
This would be great for TV and great for fans, but you've got to look at this from the perspective of Ball State. Why risk a perfect season two time zones away on a fellow undefeated's home field? Personally, I wish this would have gotten done (better Ball State than some throw-away ACC team) but it is unfair for Boise to get to play at home during the bowl season. It's one thing for somebody like Boston College or Wake Forest to go out to the Smurf Turf to play--those are established programs and can match up favorably speed-wise with Boise. But Ball State needs something to create more momentum for its program right now, and playing Notre Dame or NC State in Detroit would be better for them at this point. Boy, it would have been fun to watch, though.
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Nathan Posey 7 months ago
For one thing it's a bit premature to accept a bowl bid anywhere until after the MAC Championship game is played this evening. Don't forget it was not just Ball State but the MAC commissioner as well who declined and here is why...
Imagine the embarrassment the MAC would suffer if Buffalo wins the championship and BSU is already slated for a bowl game as an undefeated opponent. Once the championship is played and Ball State has won, then you can accept bowl bids. Not until the work is finished people.
I guess you guys all don't remember that Boise tried to schedule Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas to play at the Blue field and they all said no. So why does it make Ball State (spineless: pussies; scared etc...) when they won't. Call the big boys spineless
Nathan Posey
"What do you have to say about it?"
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BabyTate 7 months ago
Mr. Clemson William is right on the money here. While it looks like Ball St did back down from "a gunfight at the OK Corral" to the rest of the country, it would have been too great a challenge for Ball State.
However, it does bring to mind the Liberty Bowl Game of earlier this decade when an unbeaten Boise St left the confines of the Blue Turf to challenge a once-beaten Louisville in the Liberty Bowl. The Cards had all the geographic advantages and did pull out a great win but, my respect for the Broncos went up because they faced the odds and didn't back down. Not long after, they beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Could be they learned from the challenge of the Liberty Bowl and it paid off in the long run.
I would suggest that the 2 schools look at playing in the Independence Bowl. The SEC and BIG12 are the tie ins there and neither may have enough teams since it is a bottom level bowl. They could "get it on" in Louisiana and no one would have a false advantage. It would have more viewers that Motor Bowl or Human Bowl they'll be forced to play in.
Great article, well written, and really enjoyed it. Thanks for the heads up.
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
William are you saying that Ball State denied this so they could play someone easier and keep alive their perfect season? That is no excuse at all. You do not try to load up on easy teams to get an undefeated season; there is no pride in that. If they had beaten Boise they would get respect for their program and for the MAC.
If Boise has gone to play Louisville in the Liberty Bowl earlier this decade, then Ball State can go and play the Broncos on the Smurf Turf.
Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas have hard enough conference schedules that it makes sense for them to turn down offers to play Boise State in the beginning of the season. They were all teams looking for a championship, and a loss to a non-BCS school would have eliminated hope of that. But Ball State hasn't played anyone good and are just afraid of losing to Boise.
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Shashwat Baxi 7 months ago
I don't understand why they let Boise play a bowl game in their home stadium, the same way the University of Florida is allowed to play in their home stadium for any Gator/Orange bowl. However, teams have gone into Boise and beat them... so clearly Ball State wasn't about to attempt the impossible. I'm saddened by Ball State's decision and I think it really hurts the BCS and the NCAA in general.
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Nathan Posey 7 months ago
Boise is something like 49-1 or some rediculously lopsided ratio at home since the new millenium....
-N8-
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Shashwat Baxi 7 months ago
Ball State should still not be scared... Boston College went in and beat them a few years ago. Ball State is undefeated and needs to stop be scared. They shouldn't be scared of records, home field, or Boise State's team!
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
It is clear that it is unfair that Boise State gets to play the postseason in their home stadium. I am also disappointed Ball State turned down the invite because it would have a great game - the only matchup of 2 unbeaten schools.
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Frank Frank 7 months ago
Could have been an interesting match, but Cardinals have no guts. Sure, It would have been an advantage for the Broncos playing at home, but Ball State can't hope to be taken seriously by beating only their weak MAC opponents.
Cardinals had to go to Boise, but they've shown to be only a bunch of cowards: It's too easy to play only teams that you're sure to beat. They've done an unfair thing by declining the invitation and as far as i am concerned they don't deserve to play in any bowl.
(Sorry for the english if not OK; I'm an italian college football fan)
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
I agree with you Frank, I think they should have gone their and played them despite Boise having a distinct home field advantage. USC is playing Penn State in the Rose Bowl which is almost a home game for USC but you don't see Penn State declining it.
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Don Otenlong 7 months ago
Ryan, it reeks of nothing. You play ND or another major conference name in a bowl, not Boise St. Add the 2000 mile travel difference and skipping the Human is an easy choice. I don't know why anyone would go there to play anybody. Time we shut down these "one-off" bowls.
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Nathan B 7 months ago
Not now you don't. Now you play some no-name in December since you couldn't even beat Buffalo. Ball State will be irrelevant again in a year or two. Now they'll really play a "nobody" and it won't mean a damn thing, and no one will watch it.
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
Looks like we all spoke too soon. Ball State could not even beat Buffalo.
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Matthew McClellan 7 months ago
I think that this game needs to happen, however, why is everyone calling Ball St. cowards for not going to Boise, why does the MAC champion have to squirm out of its bowl obligation to the Motor City? Why can't the WAC champion squirm out of its obligation to the Humanitarian Bowl and play in the Motor City Bowl? At least the precedent has been set for that to happen (Boise St in fiesta and Hawaii in the sugar).
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
Ball State did not decline the bid because of their obligation to the Motor City Bowl, they declined because they did not want to play Boise State on their home turf.
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Nathan Posey 7 months ago
Ball State- 45
Notre Dame -10
Bragging rights and recruiting rights in Indiana baby!!!
Go Cards!!!
"What do you have to say about it?"
-N8-
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
They already beat Indiana this season as well. And they most likely would be able to handle Purdue as well. Ball State looks like the best program in Indiana right now.
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Frank Frank 7 months ago
Thanks for the insult little man. Anyway, I agree on the fact that all bowl games should be played on a neutral field, but if you don't want to face challenges you're a coward.
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Frank Frank 7 months ago
I will come there when you will go to Boise
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Nathan Posey 7 months ago
LOL
-N8-
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Brian Ginn 7 months ago
You guys need to settle down. It's really not that big of a deal. This was a great decision to decline the invite and it's great for college football. You think the AD didn't know they would be called cowards for declining the invite to play Boise State? Of course they knew. They also knew that it would question credibility and pride, but that's what makes this decision so great. It's about time someone took a stand against a bowl system that IS NOT FAIR. Texas knows they have just as much right to the championship game as Oklahoma if not more, but you wont see them declining any bowl bid. Ball State have finally become men.
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Frank Frank 7 months ago
Hey N8, I have nothing against Cardinals, but when you have a chance to be someone you must not waste It.
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J J 7 months ago
Why doesn't Boise St play TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego? TCU would spank Boise St up and down the field just like the other four bowl eligible teams from the Mountain West Conference would. I'm tired of Boise St getting all of this respect when they play in the WAC. The WAC has been horrible ever since BYU and Utah created the Mountain West Conference and split themselves from the WAC. The WAC only has one good team every year because all the other teams are horrible. All Boise St wants is another home game. Ball St, I wouldn't want to go play Boise St in Boise either.
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
I agree with you that teams such as TCU, Utah, and BYU are all better than Boise. But just because it is a home game for Boise gives no excuse for Ball State to not play the game in my opinion. You go there and play to fight for respect. As well as the Boise-Louisville Liberty Bowl example, think of how this commonly happens in the college basketball tournament. Although never in the homecourt, sometimes the stadiums are so local that it practically is a home game.
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J. S. 7 months ago
The Motor City Bowl should invite Boise State and we'll see if they accept.
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Steve Smith 7 months ago
And Buffalo ends the thread. Justice is served. Hopefully Boise will go play TCU, but they didn't play in the local bowl last year, and there is pressure for them to stay home. I agree that there shouldn't be a home field advantage, but this certainly isn't the only one. The Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl are sometimes basically home games and no one declines these invitations.
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
Agreed Steve. There should not be home field advantage but it happens all over not just to Boise. A game against TCU would be a good matchup. Ball State ended the argument themselves by losing to Buffalo. Better luck next year.
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Playoff System 7 months ago
Yea thats bcuz the reasoning for not declining those invites is you're comparing BCS $$$$$$ Bowls vs. the Humanitarian Bowl, which would you play in????
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
Ball State wasn't invited to a BCS bowl, wasn't going to be invited to a BCS bowl, and definitely they will not now after losing to Buffalo. The Humanitarian Bowl was going to be the best bowl they got into.
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Nathan B 7 months ago
But playoff ... exactly what bowl will they be playing in now? Surely the Humanitarian bowl would have played better and gotten them FAR more attention than whatever lame December bowl the Bulls have just sent them to. Beggars can't be choosers and they should have taken it while they had the chance. Now they look like cowards AND idiots.
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
The players probably quit becuase they did not have the support of their coach, the school, or the conference. By being scared to play quality competition is like throwing in the towel. Now they have lost to Buffalo and almost all of their success this year has gone down the drain.
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Nathan B 7 months ago
It sure seems that way Ryan ... morally deflated teams (as they now must be) do not historically perform well in bowl games. I expect Ball State to face Tulsa in the GMAC bowl, now that East Carolina has won the bid to the Liberty bowl ... will anyone watch?
Tulsa 33, Ball State 24
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
Nope no one is going to watch the GMAC bowl. Teams quit when they see their coach throwing in the towel in games. See - Eagles-Ravens this year when Kevin Kolb came in the defense quit as well. See - whenever a team punts on 4th and short at around midfield they almost always lose because they think their coach does not want to win the game. The Vikings went for it on 4th and short and didnt make it but their team rallied around the fact that their coach appeared that he wanted to win and Adrian Peterson ran for a game-winning touchdown. Football is all about mental motivation, and coaching moves such as declining a big bowl test could have lost this one for Ball State.
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Nathan B 7 months ago
Hey, at least I get to see if my prediction comes true about the score; they got the bowl exactly as I expected!
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David Arreola 7 months ago
Did you ever think that they wanted a bigger bowl game?
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
That may be what they wanted, but they should have realized that there was no chance of them getting it. Boise State would have gotten it before them. And there is usually only one spot for a non-BCS team and Utah has that spot locked up. And if they wanted a better bowl game they should have beaten Buffalo.
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Eric Quackenbush 7 months ago
That's a ridiculous decision by Ball State. They're cheating themselves out of any publicity, and what if they beat Boise State on their homefield?
If any of Ball State's players manage to get into the NFL or any other professional football league, what are they going to do when the playoff system is set up that the top teams have homefield advantage?
Very poor decision on Ball State's behalf.
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
Thanks for the comment Eric. Good point on the home field advantage in the NFL. With Nate Davis projected to enter the draft this year (Ball State's quarterback) he will be in for a rude awakening finding out that you cannot decline playoff matchups because the other team has home field advantage haha.
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Nathan Posey 7 months ago
Don't think they cheated themselves out of publicity......you're talking about the decision, I'm talking about the decision, the entire country is talking about the decision. A conversation probably not had otherwise. Buffalo is in the International Bowl! Still not the top MAC bowl alignment. Everyone that is a college football fan will watch to see if BSU is for real. Of course they are, and now the MAC has a couple representatives that people will watch. "Buffalo beat this team?" They'll say. What do they have...?
the answer will be Turner Gil and the wisdom of the MAC.
-N8-
What do you have to say about it?
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Ryan Callahan 7 months ago
And Buffalo is not that bad a team this year. They are 7-4 and receiving just their second bowl bid in school history (the first one they declined because the bowl would not allow black players). With more teams from the MAC receiving bowl bids the conference gets more publicity, but if just Ball State had won out and played Boise I believe that publicity would have outweighed the two teams in bowls.
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Eric Quackenbush 7 months ago
Yeah, true Nathan, but the problem is they gave themselves bad publicity. I say Ball State has no you know what's. That's my feeling towards them right now.
That team had a chance to prove to everyone they could take on a bigger opponent, and perhaps win. Now they're a bunch of cowards.
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Joe Heathcott 7 months ago
Sitting at 12-0 and going into their conference Championship, Ball State pretty much had their choice of any low-level bowl game. That being said, why would they want to play Boise State at Boise State when they could play on the Gulf of Mexico (which is what ended up happening) on a neutral field. Call me crazy but in the middle of winter, why would you want to go north to play in an outdoor game. There are 3 bowl games, Humanitarian, Motor City and International) that aren't in warm weather climate areas. In my opinion the Humanitarian would be the worst to play in out of the three cold weather bowls (or all the bowls period) anyway because its the only one of the 3 that is outdoors, exposed to the frigid Idaho winter. There is a reason that the BCS bowls are in California, Arizona, Louisiana, and Florida.
As for the Ohio State fans "sympathizing" with Ball State about not wanting to play a bowl game against someone else at their "home", comparing it with playing LSU in New Orleans. Don't even get me started. You're comparing apples to oranges. If you didn't want to play LSU in their backyard then why did you do it? Because it was for the National Championship. It was a chance to carve your name in stone, in history. And you're comparing that to playing Boise State on gimmic blue turf in an afternoon game that no more than 500,000 are going to tune in for? Face it, "home game" or not (see 2006 whooping by Florida in Arizona), the nation breathed a collective sigh of relief when you lost to USC and Penn State, which meant we wouldn't have to watch you in yet a third disgraceful showing in the BCS Title game.
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R B 6 months ago
Okay guys, as a Ball State Alum, at first I was pretty fired up about some of these comments. The players didn't quit, Brady Hoke had nothing to do with the decision to decline the bowl bid. As stated by somone earlier, that decision was made by others. Secondly, while a matchup with Boise State had Ball State remained unbeated have been compelling, it simply wasn't the right thing to do until the MAC championship game was complete. The outcome shows the wisdom of this now. Yes some of you are calling Ball State cowards, claiming we don't play anyone. Guys, the schedules are made out 3-4 years in advance......Its not like we can look at next season and say lets schedule Texas, Florida, etc.... and I guarantee you none of those programs would even trade us 2 for 1 for a home game in Muncie IN. Last year we played Navy in Annapolis, Nebraska at Nebraska, Indiana and Illinois. So its not like Ball State doesn't try to enhance its schedule, they are just limited in what is reasonable and possible.
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Nathan Posey 6 months ago
By the way...
Testicle Tech. is our affectionate name for our alma mater Ball State!
-N8-
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JIMPSU 6 months ago
In the last 3 years Penn State has played FSU in Miami. Texas A&M in San Antonio, and this year are rewarded with a trip to Pasadena to play USC. Who the hell is Ball State to decline any invite?
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