Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Hit Road for Showdown at Ball State
9/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 4, 2006
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Following its third straight season-opening victory, Indiana heads to Muncie, Ind., for the first time in the program's history for a battle with Ball State. The Hoosiers (1-0) and Cardinals (1-0, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) get together for a 6:30 p.m. EDT kickoff at Scheumann Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 9.
IU opened the 2006 campaign with a 39-20 victory over Western Michigan at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 2. The Hoosier defense forced three turnovers, sophomore cornerback Chris Phillips returned an interception 66 yards for a touchdown and junior Tracy Porter added an 86-yard punt return for six points in the victory.
Junior quarterback Blake Powers went 16-for-28 with 192 yards and a touchdown, while senior Graeme McFarland added 60 yards and one TD. Defensively, redshirt freshman Josh Bailey led the Hoosiers with 11 tackles (9 solo) and two tackles for loss.
Scouting Ball State
The Ball State Cardinals are 1-0 on the season after taking care of Mid-American Conference foe Eastern Michigan, 38-20, on Thursday, Aug. 31. BSU held a 17-13 advantage at halftime before taking control with 14 straight points in the third quarter.
Ball State played a pair of successful quarterbacks in the opener. Fifth-year senior Joey Lynch, son of IU assistant head coach Bill Lynch and brother of Hoosier wide receivers coach Billy Lynch, started the contest and threw for 122 yards and one touchdown. Freshman Nate Davis completed 7-of-8 passes for 108 yards and three scores.
Junior cornerback Trey Lewis recorded a team-best 12 tackles, while freshman safety Alex Knipp swiped his first interception. The Cardinal defense also added three sacks and seven tackles for loss.
The Ball State Series
Indiana and Ball State meet for the third time. The Hoosiers have won both meetings in the all-time series, dropping the Cardinals, 35-14, on Sept. 13, 1997 and securing a 21-9 victory on Sept. 4, 1999. Both contests took place at Memorial Stadium.
Muncie Reunions
Hoosier assistant head coach Bill Lynch and wide receivers coach Billy Lynch will see a familiar face on the Ball State sideline. Bill's son and Billy's brother, Joey, is Ball State's starting quarterback. The fifth-year gunslinger entered the season ranked in the school's career top 10 in yards, attempts, completions and touchdown passes.
Bill and Billy are no strangers to Ball State. Bill served as the Cardinals head coach from 1995-02. He led BSU to an appearance in the 1996 Las Vegas Bowl, a 1996 MAC title and a share of the 2001 MAC West.
Billy lettered three years (1999-01) as a wide receiver and four years (1998-02) as a basketball standout with the Cardinals. He led Ball State with 40 receptions his senior campaign. In addition, he played for then-Ball State head coach and current Hoosier basketball assistant Ray McCallum.
IU vs. The MAC
Following their season-opening victory over Western Michigan, the Hoosiers have won their last 16 meetings against MAC opponents. IU owns a 28-4-1 (.864) all-time record against MAC opponents.
Meanwhile, head coach Terry Hoeppner holds an impressive 40-12 (.769) mark against the MAC, including two wins in three contests vs. Ball State.
