MUNCIE, Ind. — After an injury-plagued, disappointing season in 2017, there isn't much optimism about the Ball State football team's prospects in 2018, at least in the media.
The Cardinals were picked to finish last in the Mid-American Conference West Division in the preseason media poll released Tuesday morning. Ball State's 34 points in the poll were 11th out of the 12 MAC teams, ahead of only Kent State.
It isn't surprising to see Ball State picked in this spot for a second consecutive season. The Cardinals simply weren't competitive in MAC play last season, especially in their own division in which their closest game was a 41-point loss to Toledo.