Ball State (5-6, 3-4 MAC) is receiving its third and final shot at bowl eligibility. The Cardinals spent their prior two weeks pitted against potential MAC Championship Game participants Toledo and Ohio, and neither game wound up in their favor. But the loss to Ohio was even more costly as Ball State watched star running back Carson Steele leave the game with injury after a brutal head-on collision with the turf.
Steele is Ball State’s offense this season. The running back ranks ninth in the FBS in rushing yards with 1,376 and the true sophomore has 12 rushing touchdowns in addition.