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Ball State seeks record-tying 10th win

Nov 11, 2008 - 4:10 PM (16) Ball State (9-0) at Miami, Ohio (2-7) 7:00 pm EST

OXFORD, Ohio (Ticker) -- Of the five remaining unbeaten teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Ball State is probably the one least talked about.

The 16th-ranked Cardinals, who are coming off arguably their most impressive performance of the season, can equal a school record for wins in a season Tuesday night when they visit Miami of Ohio.

Nate Davis, perhaps one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the FBS, completed 18-of-22 passes for 300 yards and four touchdowns in last Wednesday's 45-14 victory over Northern Illinois. The four TDs matched a career high for the junior, who became the school's all-time leader in career completions with 592.

With the win, Ball State (9-0, 5-0 MAC West) matched the best start in school history sent by the 1965 team, which went 9-0 in regular season before tying Tennessee State in the Grantland Rice Bowl.

After slow starts in their previous two games, the Cardinals put away Northern Illinois early, building a 21-0 halftime lead.

Ball State's defense forced seven three-and-outs and two turnovers, giving up just one touchdown before allowing a meaningless score in the final two minutes.

The Cardinals are aiming to reach 10 wins for just the second time in school history. The 1978 team went 10-1, losing only to Louisiana Tech.

Ball State also is looking to nail down the West Division title in the Mid-American Conference, which could be decided next week when the Cardinals host Central Michigan. The Chippewas also are 5-0 in the division heading into Wednesday's game against Northern Illinois.

That makes the Miami of Ohio contest a potential trap game for the Cardinals, who have won all nine of their games this season by double figures.

"No question, you are always worried and concerned," Ball State coach Brady Hoke said. "That is where the leadership of our seniors and guys that have played a lot of football comes in."

Miami (2-7, 1-4 MAC East), which went 13-1 in 2003 under the late Terry Hoeppner, could be headed to its second 10-loss campaign in four seasons since coach Shane Montgomery replaced Hoeppner in 2005. The Red Hawks finished 2-10 in 2006.

Miami, which is coming off a 37-17 loss at Buffalo, also will have to contend with Ball State running back MiQuale Lewis, the fifth-leading rusher in the FBS with 1,108 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Cardinals will be primed for revenge as the Red Hawks edged Ball State, 14-13, in Muncie last season on Brandon Murphy's 6-yard TD run with 17 seconds remaining.

Miami kicker Nathan Parseghian, the great-grandnephew of former Notre Dame coaching legend Ara Parseghian, is having a strong senior season for the Red Hawks, converting 13 of his 15 field goal attempts.