Over The Pylon

OTP reported earlier this afternoon and Ball State and the MidAmerican Conference confirmed this evening that Ball State will be heading to Mobile, Alabama on Sunday January 5th for the GoDaddy.com bowl against the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

The Red Wolves come to Mobile with a 7-5 record and a 5-2 Sun Belt mark. Their biggest games this season were against Memphis, Missouri, and national champion participant Auburn, all losses. Their two in-conference losses were to Western Kentucky and eventual Sun Belt champion Louisiana Lafayette. ASU is a run-oriented attack that averages just a shade under 30 points a game. They are also 65th in the country for points against, so to call this game winnable would be an understatement.

This is BSU’s 7th bowl trip in school history and perhaps the best chance for a bowl win, which would be the program’s first. The location isn’t the most ideal (as there are other MAC affiliated bowls with a closer location) but to say I’m unhappy with the GoDaddy.com bowl wouldn’t be correct.

The most important things for BSU’s bowl selection was a location that was reachable in relative ease for people should they want to go and a  matchup against a beatable team. This situation is all those things.

Fans will remember that the last time BSU was in Mobile, there was an interim coach as our head coach had departed for places west. Fans are worrying about that now as well, but let’s burn that bridge when we get there mmkay? I’m thrilled that the Cardinals are going to be bowling at a warmer locale than some of the possible choices and that they will be the lone college game that night against an opponent that is very capable of being the first BSU bowl win. The other details surrounding the game which may or may not happen at this point are immaterial.

So book your rental cars, ask for days off work, stuff your stocking with tickets. You’ll want to be there for what could be a monumental game. Mobile. January 5th. Go Cards.

Filed under: BallStateFootball, BowlWeek, Sun Belt |