Cards Drop Hoosiers, Lose Love

Large win. Plain and simple. BSU 42- IU 20. Large in margin, large in meaning. The stories are all well known... first win for Ball State against a BCS school, going 4-0, etc. But this team showed something on Saturday. Something that I have never seen from a Ball State team. This team showed it wants to win. It wants to win the close games. It wants to win the battle on the line. It wants to make the plays. Unlike former iterations of BSU football teams, this team doesn't want to quit. It doesn't want to just give up when a player gets injured. It doesn't just quit after a blocked punt, a fumble return for a TD, a fumble in the red zone. It keeps going, keeps plugging, keeps fighting. And that's the mark of a truly good football team.

I may or may not post something for the IU faithful who spewed their ridiculousness last week about Ball State. To be truthful, I'd like to say I'm above it, but in all reality, it just doesn't matter. I don't even want to really dignify them with any sort of response, lest I become known as someone who will respond to the attention seeking fly-by post whores that seem to live on the fringes of the college football blogosphere. We won, we won huge, they know it. And that's enough. (hat tip to BSSN49 on bsufans for the photo)

Besides, Edge will be along tomorrow with his Rock & Roll Report Card, and since he was in attendance, I'm quite sure he'll have some thoughts on the IU faithful. My thoughts on the game...

• First and foremost... Dante Love. Ball State released a statement about Love, who is healing up after surgery in an Indianapolis Hospital. Cervical spine fracture and an additional spinal cord injury is the verdict. After five hours of surgery, things seem to be well, and though football may not be in the future, it does look (at this early hour) that things could have been much much worse for Dante and his family. Our thoughts go out to him, as he was always a class act and a tremendous representative of BSU athletics. Get well soon, 86.
• The Liveblog for the IU game was well attended and another bitchin' good time. For those not going to Homecoming this weekend at Muncie, we'll be back for another rockin' edition.
• Speaking of the LiveBlog, MiQuale Lewis was voted our OTP Player of the Game, and rightfully so. The junior rushed for 166 yards and 4 scores on 29 carries, as he ran roughshod over the IU defense. The thing about Lewis that continues to impress me is the fact that he thrives on contact. Marion Barber-esque and a fantastic weapon for this Cardinal team. Congrats Quale!
  OTP Player of the Game MiQuale Lewis
• Sean Baker again feasts on the souls of opposing offenses, getting a critical interception and promptly returning it for a touchdown with a minute to go before halftime. Excellent play by Baker, and precisely the type of horrible playcalling we've all come to know and love from Bill Lynch. You're down 1, there's a minute to go, and instead of taking your halftime to readjust, refocus, etc., you decide to call for a pass play. Really, Bill, that's outstanding work. And example A of why I am ecstatic to not have you on the sidelines of my program.
  
• This offensive line is good. Really good. The IU defense, hyped all week as a unit that was going to bust Nate up got to him exactly 1 time for a loss of 2 yards. There were isolated times of pressure and forced rollouts, but for the most part, the OLine performed outstandingly well and won the battle up front.
• The defense is good. Not USC-good, but decent. In looking at the post-game notes, this Indiana offense, which was touted as a unit about to shred the Cards, managed exactly one offensive touchdown. Lewis got his yards, sure, as I predicted he would. But this defense stopped anyone else from beating them. It was a solid game plan and solid execution.
• The 22-point spread is misleading. This game wasn't even that close. It was utter and complete domination by a better prepared, more talented football team. The Indiana fans and students can talk all the smack they want about how Ball State is a fifth rate Teachers College. The fact remains that this fifth rate teachers college went into your stadium and whipped your asses from pillar to post. Despite making turnovers. Despite losing our best receiver and return man. Despite having a punt blocked in the first three minutes. Indiana... you've been Lynch'd.
  What Lynch gives his suck level, on a scale of 10

So Indiana Hate Week draws to a close, with a giant Cardinals win, and the Red and White sitting at 4-0 but with a heavy heart as Dante Love recovers. Assuming the news continues to be positive about his health and recovery, the Cardinals now must focus on preparation for Kent State. We'll have content as the week continues in preparation for the Golden Flashes, but it's damn nice to be 4-0 and even nicer to beat IU. Fight team, fight, for Ball State!

Hoke-O-Meter:
(1-5 Bradys, 1 being happy enough to burst into song,
5 being filled with murderous rage)


0 Bradys

It's arguably the largest win in Hoke's career, the first against a BCS conference school for the Cardinals, and most importantly, it was this week's win. Congrats to Brady and the boys. Homeless people in Muncie can rest easy, as the Brady Hoke man beast retires to his cave content, satisfied, and full.