Over The Pylon

Games like this make for an epic battle in a blogger’s mind. On one side of the coin you have the #1/#2 Oklahoma Sooners with immense amounts of talent, a veteran staff, and national championships galore. The OU fans are predicting a covering of the 38-point spread. No one seems even remotely worried. Yahoo Sports categorized it as a “Body Bag Game” for the Sooners and ESPN resorted to the one-note joke of wondering what the capital of the state of Ball was. Funny. Not. So there’s the reality of the situation that would mean calling for anything other than a game that solidifies the rankings and both teams’ place in the football universe would be absurd, hence no normal Countdown today.

But there’s the flip side of that coin called fandom. I think to myself about potential. I think that this Ball State football team has already gotten the jitters out of its system on their trip to South Florida. This is a defensive unit that shut down a triple option attack last week. This is a coaching staff that seem focused, driven, and precise. This is a team that doesn’t beat themselves and takes what the game gives them. This is a team and program due for something good, something huge, something positive after the last two seasons and the chaos, misery, and losses of the Parrish era.

Come 7pm tonight, the Cardinals will walk out of the tunnel to the largest crowd they’ve played in front of since September 26, 2009 when they traveled to Auburn. The nation believes that this is a “glorified scrimmage” according to ESPN’s Chris Fowler. Most Ball State fans give the Cards no chance, OU fans give them less than that. But these games aren’t decided by the pundits or opinions. The fans don’t make a lick of difference. Is it probable that BSU causes a seismic shockwave through college football? Of course not. But it is possible. As we posed on Twitter, if not us, who? If not now, when? Upsets happen. Why not today? Believe Cardinal fans… in Ball State. In our leadership. In our athletes. In Coach Lembo.

Regardless of the outcome on the scoreboard, Go Cardinals!

Filed under: BallStateFootball, Big 12 |