Football | November 12, 2018

Western Michigan (6-4, 4-2 MAC)
at Ball State (3-7, 2-4 MAC)
Nov. 13, 2018 • 6 PM ET
Scheumann Stadium (202,500) • Muncie, Ind.

TV: ESPN2
TV Talent: Radio: Bronco Radio Network - 96.5 FM

COACHING FACTS
WMU Head Coach: Tim Lester (Western Michigan, 2000)
Record at Western Michigan: 12-10 (2nd Season)
Career Record: 52-33 (8th season)

BSU Head Coach: Mike Neu (Ball State, 1994)
Record at BSU: 9-25 (3rd season)
Career Record: Same

SEASON STORYLINES
• After starting the season with Power 5 losses to Syracuse and then ranked No. 21 Michigan, the Broncos rattled off six-straight wins and opened MAC play 4-0. Redshirt junior quarterback Jon Wassink was injured in the first quarter against Toledo (Game 9) and the Broncos (6-4, 4-2 MAC) have lost two straight in his absence, falling to Toledo and Ohio. It is the second-straight year Wassink has suffered a season-ending injury. Last year, he broke his collarbone in Week 8 at Eastern Michigan.

• True freshman quarterback Kaleb Eleby made his debut against Toledo on Oct. 25, replacing injured junior Jon Wassink in the first quarter. Eleby threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns on 23 of 28 passing. Eleby made his first career start against Ohio on Nov. 1. He completed 10-of-19 passes for 152 yards and had one touchdown throw and two interceptions.

• The Broncos are bowl eligible for a program-record fifth straight season. WMU is currently second in the MAC West with a 4-2 record, behind Northern Illinois at 6-0.

• WMU's hopes to advance to the MAC Championship game in Detroit are still alive, but the Broncos will need some help. If WMU wins out (beating Ball State and Northern Illinois), and Northern Illinois loses its final two games (home against Miami and at WMU), the Broncos would win the MAC West.

• WMU came back from second half deficits in the first three MAC wins this season. WMU has only led in two of the six MAC games at the half - vs. Eastern Michigan (14-10) and at Central Michigan (21-0).

PLAYER NOTABLES
• Redshirt senior running back Jamauri Bogan has a MAC-best 11 rushing touchdowns this season and 38 for his career. Bogan needs one TD to tie and two to pass WMU Hall of Famer Jerome Persell (39), to move into second all-time in WMU history. Jarvion Franklin, who played his final season last year, holds the school rushing TD record with 52.

• Junior running back LeVante Bellamy leads the MAC in rushing yards this season with 907, needing 93 to reach 1,000 yards in a season for the first time in his career. Bellamy averages 6.5 yards per carry and 90.7 yards per game. He has four 100-yard rushing games this season. Bellamy also averages a conference-best 128.9 all-purpose yards per game.

• Freshman wide receiver Jayden "Bird" Reed has eight touchdown receptions and four 100-yard receiving games. Reed also has one punt return for a TD.

SERIES HISTORY
• This is the 45th all-time meeting between Western Michigan and Ball State, the Broncos lead the series 25-19. WMU has won the last four meetings and six of the  last eight. The Broncos have scored over 50 points against Ball State each of the last three years, including in a 55-3 victory last season in Kalamazoo. BSU defeated WMU in back-to-back years in 2012 & 2013, the Cardinals' last win in 2013 was 38-17 in Kalamazoo.

BALL STATE TIES
• WMU head coach Tim Lester's oldest son, Quinn Isaacson is a sophomore on the Ball State men's volleyball team. Lester and Ball State head coach Mike Neu were both members of the Arena Football League's Carolina Cobras in 2001. Lester was a quarterback and Neu was the offensive coordinator. Western Michigan defensive coordinator Tim Daoust served the 2016 season as Ball State's defensive coordinator under Neu before joining Lester's staff at WMU prior to the 2017 season. Neu and WMU assistant head coach Terry Malone were both on the 2014 New Orleans Saints coaching staff. Ball State strength and conditioning coach is Ben Armer, who was an All-MAC punter at Western Michigan and graduated from WMU in 2012.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
• The Cardinals are led by Mike Neu in his third season at the helm of the program and 17th season coaching. Neu began his coaching career at Ball State as a graduate assistant and is one of 22 FBS coaches (along with WMU head caoch Tim Lester) currently leading their alma mater. Prior to returning to Ball State, Neu served as the New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach during the 2014-2015 season.

• The Cardinals enter week 11 of competition with a 3-7 overall record and a 2-4 record in the MAC. Ball State was selected to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the MAC preseason poll.

• Ball State ranks second in the MAC for passing offense (251.4), seventh in rushing offense (165.8), and 10th in scoring offense (22.7). The Cardinals' offensive production puts them at 27th in the country for total yards (4,172).

• In the quarterback position, redshirt junior Riley Neal started the season before suffering an injury on Oct. 25 vs. Ohio. Neal had amassed 1,917 passing yards, 357 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns from the air, and five on the ground before he was sidelined. Neal was replaced by redshirt sophomore Drew Plitt in the second quarter. In his first start of the season, Plitt completed 29 of 47 passes and threw for a career-high 355 yards and one touchdown against Toledo.