The University of Toledo football team returns home as Mid-American Conference games move to Saturday this upcoming weekend.
The Rockets (2-1) will host Ball State (2-1) in Week 4 in a game that could potentially have some major ramifications in the MAC West.
Here are five things to know about the Cardinals:
1. About those ramifications in the standings
At the midway point of the regular season, both teams have identical 2-1 records, so the result of this game will be huge in determining the final MAC West standings. However, Western Michigan remains in the driver’s seat with an undefeated 3-0 record. The Cardinals and Broncos still have to meet, and will do so during the final week of the regular season on Dec. 12. Toledo lost to Western Michigan 41-38 on the road in Week 2, and would therefore need to not only win out, but would need WMU to lose two more games since the Broncos currently would have the tiebreaker against the Rockets if both teams have one-loss seasons.
2. Ball State has one of the top rushers in the league
So far, senior Caleb Huntley has been one of the most dynamic running backs in the MAC. The senior has run for 437 yards and six scores, averaging 5.5 yards per carry and 145.7 yards per game. He has 437 yards for the season and sits just 18 yards behind league leader Jared Patterson out of Buffalo. Huntley currently has nearly two-thirds of Ball State’s team rushing yards (674) for the season.
3. Plitt’s efficiency
Senior quarterback Drew Plitt is currently third in the conference averaging 251.7 passing yards per game and second in the conference behind Kent State’s Dustin Crum with 755 yards total. However, when it comes to efficiency, he’s completed 58 of 88 throws with three interceptions (tied for the league’s worst), giving him an efficiency rating of 146.2, placing him at seventh in the conference.
4. Martin a defensive leader
Redshirt junior linebacker Brandon Martin is making a splash defensively as the Cardinals’ defensive leader. He leads the team with 37 total tackles through three games (12.3 average), and is second in the league only to Ryan McWood.
5. Scoring defense déjà vu
Ball State’s scoring defense is nearly identical to 2019, when they gave up 31.4 points per game. Currently, the Cardinals are allowing 31.3 points per contest, placing them at sixth in the MAC. For comparison, Toledo is third allowing 24 points per game. As a team, the Cardinals currently rank eighth in the conference in total defense, allowing 437 yards per game. Last season they allowed 424.7.
First Published November 23, 2020, 9:10 p.m.
