1. Is there a hangover?
The last time Ball State played a football game, disaster struck in the form of a 42-24 loss to Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference championship game. The Cardinals had cruised through the season by winning their first 12 games. The result was shocking in the way it unfolded as Buffalo gained control by returning two fumbles for touchdowns in the third quarter. A month has passed, and the Cardinals have had to sit on that result while watching coach Brady Hoke leave the program for another job. How players and coaches react to those developments likely will play a role in their performance against Tulsa.
2. Quarterback showcase
Two of the top passers in college football, Nate Davis of Ball State and David Johnson of Tulsa, figure to make tonight's game highly entertaining for everybody but the defensive backs assigned to pass coverage. Davis, a junior who is considering leaving for the NFL next season, was the MAC's offensive player of the year after firing 26 TD passes. Johnson, a senior, was Conference USA's offensive MVP after tossing 43 TD passes in his first year as a starter. Johnson led the nation in passing efficiency all but one week this year and is No. 2 now, while Davis is No. 8 going into the bowl game.
3. High-octane offense
Tulsa produces numbers on offense unlike any other Ball State has faced this season. The Golden Hurricane rank second in the nation in total offense (565.1), seventh in passing (310.2) and eighth in rushing (254.9). They are second in scoring (47.4), having notched 77 points against UTEP, 63 against Rice and 62 against Central Arkansas. The Golden Hurricane have a 1,300-yard rusher in Tarrion Adams and four receivers who have caught at least 36 passes and combined for 33 touchdowns. Ball State's defense figures to be taxed in ways it hasn't been accustomed.
4. Win one for the Gipper
Ball State certainly will take the attitude that it wants to win in honor of Hoke, who left the team three weeks ago for San Diego State. That kind of emotion probably won't last more than a quarter. After that, the better football team on the field will emerge. One score that sticks out in the Cardinals' minds is Tulsa's 63-7 win over Bowling Green in last year's GMAC Bowl. The Golden Hurricane's personnel is slightly different, but their ability to put up points is not lessened, and Ball State will need more than emotion on its side to contend.
5. The skinny
Much of what Ball State was able to do this season was relatively easy to predict once the train got rolling. But now what? The Cardinals lost their last game, and perhaps some of their invincibility. Their coach -- that familiar dominant voice in the locker room and the leader of the program -- isn't there anymore. Some of the assistant coaches will leave after the game to join Hoke at San Diego State. Change has come, and that isn't necessarily a good thing for a program that has relied on a routine and continuity. Throw into that mix a prolific Tulsa offense, and it spells trouble for the Cardinals.
The last time Ball State played a football game, disaster struck in the form of a 42-24 loss to Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference championship game. The Cardinals had cruised through the season by winning their first 12 games. The result was shocking in the way it unfolded as Buffalo gained control by returning two fumbles for touchdowns in the third quarter. A month has passed, and the Cardinals have had to sit on that result while watching coach Brady Hoke leave the program for another job. How players and coaches react to those developments likely will play a role in their performance against Tulsa.
2. Quarterback showcase
Two of the top passers in college football, Nate Davis of Ball State and David Johnson of Tulsa, figure to make tonight's game highly entertaining for everybody but the defensive backs assigned to pass coverage. Davis, a junior who is considering leaving for the NFL next season, was the MAC's offensive player of the year after firing 26 TD passes. Johnson, a senior, was Conference USA's offensive MVP after tossing 43 TD passes in his first year as a starter. Johnson led the nation in passing efficiency all but one week this year and is No. 2 now, while Davis is No. 8 going into the bowl game.
3. High-octane offense
Tulsa produces numbers on offense unlike any other Ball State has faced this season. The Golden Hurricane rank second in the nation in total offense (565.1), seventh in passing (310.2) and eighth in rushing (254.9). They are second in scoring (47.4), having notched 77 points against UTEP, 63 against Rice and 62 against Central Arkansas. The Golden Hurricane have a 1,300-yard rusher in Tarrion Adams and four receivers who have caught at least 36 passes and combined for 33 touchdowns. Ball State's defense figures to be taxed in ways it hasn't been accustomed.
4. Win one for the Gipper
Ball State certainly will take the attitude that it wants to win in honor of Hoke, who left the team three weeks ago for San Diego State. That kind of emotion probably won't last more than a quarter. After that, the better football team on the field will emerge. One score that sticks out in the Cardinals' minds is Tulsa's 63-7 win over Bowling Green in last year's GMAC Bowl. The Golden Hurricane's personnel is slightly different, but their ability to put up points is not lessened, and Ball State will need more than emotion on its side to contend.
5. The skinny
Much of what Ball State was able to do this season was relatively easy to predict once the train got rolling. But now what? The Cardinals lost their last game, and perhaps some of their invincibility. Their coach -- that familiar dominant voice in the locker room and the leader of the program -- isn't there anymore. Some of the assistant coaches will leave after the game to join Hoke at San Diego State. Change has come, and that isn't necessarily a good thing for a program that has relied on a routine and continuity. Throw into that mix a prolific Tulsa offense, and it spells trouble for the Cardinals.
