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Ball State Cardinals

2026 season

7th in the Mid-American · 2-2 in the conference

Next: at MASS · Nov 4→

The Ball State Cardinals are 3-5 in 2026, scoring 22.0 and allowing 35.3 points a game. Next: at Massachusetts Minutemen on Nov 4, 2026.

OverviewScheduleStatsTrends

Season so fariEach game's final margin: green up = win, red down = loss; taller = bigger margin.◷History

3–5 · avg margin -13.3

-53@OSU

+24STBK

-36@LIB

-13@KENT

-15TOL

-31@NU

+1@BGSU

+17SAC

BALL · bars scaled to the biggest margin (53).

Offense · strengths and weaknessesiBALL's offense: its four best and four worst league ranks (1 = best). Full list on the Stats tab.◷History

of 137 teams

▲ Strengths

Red-zone touchdown rate?Drives reaching the 20 that end in a touchdown.

70%#33

Interception rate

1.6%#34

Pass explosiveness?Average points added on successful pass plays: how big the wins are.

1.62#49

Sack rate?Sacks per dropback. Lower is better for an offense; the defense column shows sacks they create.

4.2%#50

▼ Weaknesses

Yards / pass attempt

6.3#126

Third-down conversion

35%#110

Rush success rate

40%#104

Havoc rate faced?TFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.

16.8%#103

Defense · strengths and weaknessesiBALL's defense: its four best and four worst league ranks (1 = best). Full list on the Stats tab.◷History

of 137 teams

▲ Strengths

Rush success rate

40%#49

Explosive pass rate?Dropbacks gaining 20+ yards. All plays.

9.2%#57

Interceptions forced

2.5%#60

Stuff rate forced?Rushes stopped at or behind the line.

20%#60

▼ Weaknesses

Red-zone touchdown rate?Drives reaching the 20 that end in a touchdown.

85%#137

Points / scoring opportunity?Points per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.

4.65#134

Rush explosiveness

1.16#129

Standard-down points added?Points added per play on standard downs (not obvious passing downs).

+0.21#128

How they playiHow the offense plays (pass rate, pace, formation): style, not good or bad.◷History

Pass rate

48%

Standard-down share

69%

Plays / game

57

Early-down pass rate

46%

Neutral-script pass rate

43%

Possession / game

29:45

RatingsiRating: points vs an average team. Talent: recruiting roster rating. Returning: share of last year's production back.

Rating 2026

-25.1

Rating 2025

-23.0

Talent

564

Returning

6%

Records and scoring from final scores; ranks and tendencies from play-by-play. For information only, not betting advice. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.