1978 Ball State Cardinals football team

1978 Ball State Cardinals football
MAC champion
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record10–1 (8–0 MAC)
Head coach
CaptainKen Kremer, Rick Morrison, Bill Stahl
Home stadiumBall State Stadium
Seasons
← 1977
1979 →
1978 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Ball State $ 8 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
Central Michigan 8 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Miami (OH) 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 1
Western Michigan 5 – 4 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Bowling Green 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Ohio 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Northern Illinois 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Kent State 2 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Toledo 2 – 7 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Eastern Michigan 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1978 Ball State Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented Ball State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its first season under head coach Dwight Wallace, the team compiled a 10–1 record (8–0 against conference opponents) and won the MAC championship. Ball state did not have another 10-win season until 2008, when they started the season at 12-0 before losing their conference championship game and their bowl game.[1][2] The team played its home games at Ball State Stadium in Muncie, Indiana.

The team's statistical leaders included Dave Wilson with 1,037 passing yards, Archie Currin with 735 rushing yards, Ray Hinton with 417 receiving yards, and Mark O'Connell with 60 points scored.[3] Brady Hoke was a member of the team.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 9Miami (OH)
W 38–1417,875[4]
September 16Kent State
  • Ball State Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
W 27–315,225[5]
September 23Toledo
  • Ball State Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
W 20–015,630[6]
September 30at Central Michigan
W 27–020,216[7]
October 7Indiana State*
W 7–018,323[8]
October 14at Louisiana Tech*
L 7–1712,526[9]
October 21at Illinois State*
W 14–78,500[10]
October 28at Eastern Michigan
W 21–05,505[11]
November 4at Bowling Green
W 39–1415,069[12]
November 11Western Michigan
  • Ball State Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
W 20–1417,110[13]
November 18at Northern Illinois
W 31–138,041[14]
  • *Non-conference game

References

  1. ^ "2007 Ball State Football Media Guide". Ball State University. 2007. p. 98. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  2. ^ "1978 Ball State Cardinals Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sport Reference LLC. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  3. ^ "1978 Ball State Cardinals Statistics". SR/College Football. Sport Reference LLC. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  4. ^ "Ball State overwhelms Miami, 38–14". Chronicle Tribune. September 10, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Kent dilemma continues". The Akron Beacon Journal. September 17, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Wilson's aerials give Ball State 11th straight win". Palladium-Item. September 24, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Ball State gives Central a 27–0 whippin' in MAC". The Flint Journal. October 1, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Cards survive ISU, 7–0, for 13th straight". The Star Press. October 8, 1978. Retrieved February 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Louisiana Tech scoots past BSU". The Star Press. October 15, 1978. Retrieved July 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Ball State holds on for 14–7 win". Chronicle Tribune. October 22, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Abney grabs TD pass for Cardinals". The Kokomo Tribune. October 29, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Ball State 39, B. Green 14". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. November 5, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Wilson-to-Hinton TD saves BSU". The Star Press. November 12, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "NIU loses chance at finishing .500". Chicago Tribune. November 19, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.