The Mid-Season Report Cards are a subjective look using objective numbers with a look toward the remainder of the season as well. Teams are being reviewed in random order once they reach 6 games.
Apparently the random number generator used to order these report cards has a sense of humor, because we turn from one of the elite teams in the non-BCS universe to 0-6 Ball State. While the Cardinals are not as bad as Rice, 0-6 is still 0-6. The worst part of it, is that this is the same Ball State that went 12-0 in the regular season last year, rose to #12 in the polls, but got surprised in the conference championship and went on to lose to Tulsa in the GMAC bowl.
- Wins: F. Their 60 point combined margin of defeat (four losses by 7 or less) may be the lowest of the 0-6 teams, but the fact of the matter is that Ball State has lost to good teams and lost to bad teams.
- Offense: F. The passing offense by itself might get a D, but as a team, the Cardinals are rushing for less than 100 yards per game and only totaling 278- good for 116th in the country. The MAC has plenty of beatable teams, but they’re not going to beat any of them with an offense that bad.
- Defense: D-. The defense is allowing 30+ ppg, and while Auburn did run that average up a bit, the defense is mainly put in this position by the offense’s struggles. Total defense is 101st in the nation, 12th in the MAC.
- Special Teams: C-. Punting is good, but punt returns are terrible- less than 5 yards per return. Kickoff returns are a little better, 68th nationally, but with as many attempts to return kicks, I suppose they should be getting good at it by now.
- Turnovers: F. Tied with this morning’s featured team, New Mexico State, at -8. That isn’t helping matters.
- Grading Curve: Points Off. Losing to 1-AA New Hampshire is inexcusable, even in a bad season, and even if NH is a good 1-AA team (they are). Sagarin offers that the Cardinals have just the 96th toughest schedule out there.
- Final Grade: F. For what it’s worth, I don’t think any of the 0-6 teams will be getting anything better than an F, although if Ball State’s schedule was a little stronger, I would have considered it.
Remaining Games:
- Bowling Green
- at Eastern Michigan
- Ohio
- at Northern Illinois
- Central Michigan
- at Western Michigan
Best Case Scenario: My conference power rankings are far from the be-all and end-all of MAC football knowledge. But 5 of their 6 remaining games are against my current 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 in the power rankings. Not all of those five are super-consistent, so a best case for Ball State is going to be 2-4.
Worst Case Scenario: Losing on the road to Eastern Michigan sends them on the path to 0-6, 0-12 on the season.
Prediction: 1-5. I think the top half of the MAC will have their way with the Cardinals, and that makes up most of the second half here. I don’t know the culture there, but I have to think the new coach’s job is in jeopardy already.