2 key factors for Ball State football to bounce back against Toledo

MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State football is off to a rough start, and its schedule doesn't get any easier with reigning Mid-American Conference champion Toledo coming to town at 2 p.m. Saturday.

The matchup between the Cardinals (1-5, 0-2 MAC) and Rockets (5-1, 2-0 MAC) features the last-pace and first-place teams in the West Division. Although BSU fell just 28-21 in last season's road matchup, Toledo is arguably better this fall.

Ball State, conversely, has yet to put together a complete game, and injuries, questionable play calling and inconsistency led head coach Mike Neu to initiate a change in "identity" moving forward.

A midseason shift will be even more difficult to execute against such a formidable opponent.

"It's gonna be a stiff test," Neu said. "But we're going to embrace it and we're going to attack it with as great a week here of preparation."

Here are two key factors Ball State must execute in order to compete:

More: Neu vows to adjust offensive "identity" after Ball State football's 3-game skid

Ball State football must eliminate "self-inflicted wounds"

Against a team as talented and proficient as Toledo, Ball State needs every advantage it can muster.

Regardless of roster quality, being outmatched in the penalty department is avoidable for any team. Yet, it's an area the Cardinals have supremely struggled in during its first two MAC contests.

At Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan, BSU was whistled a combined 18 times for 173 yards, many of which came either in key situations or before the snap. It was in stark contrast to the team's disciplined start to this season, during which it was flagged just 14 times in four games.

"Obviously, they're (things) we're doing to ourselves that just simply can't happen," Neu said after losing to EMU. "Those are self-inflicted wounds that are gonna hurt your chances to win."

More: "We're not executing": questionable play calling hurting Ball State football in key spots

Rockets opponents are averaging seven penalties for 61.5 yards per game, the third-highest mark in the conference, so Ball State must be extra careful.

Toledo, however, ranks second in the MAC in penalties committed (45) and penalty yards (383) and has been impacted by the referees by about the same amount as BSU in two conference contests.

The Cardinals breaking their trend of sloppiness while keeping the Rockets on theirs could help narrow the overall prior performance disparity.

Ball State football must win the turnover and sack battles

Statistically, Toledo has by far the best offense in the MAC through six games. The team averages 473.2 yards and 40.8 points, and no other MAC team averages above 400 or 32, respectively.

The Rockets are so difficult to stop because they're extremely balanced. Their 248.7 rushing and 224.5 passing yards per game are both conference-best marks, and their 32 offensive touchdowns are split in half between the air and ground games.

"They're well-rounded. You're not going to just say, 'We're going to take away the run and make them one-dimensional.' They do them both well," Neu said. "They do a good job and they've got good team speed. This is the fastest team in the conference."

It's unrealistic to expect Ball State's defense, which is allowing the MAC's fourth-worst 33.7 points per game, to limit Toledo straight up. So, the Cardinals must generate takeaways and take care of the ball on offense to better even the odds.

BSU's defense tallied a turnover in each of its first three games but none since. The team also committed either an interception or fumble in all of its losses, so Neu said that margin is a significant point of emphasis heading into this week against Toledo quarterback Dequan Finn, who's thrown just five interceptions thus far.

"We've got to figure out a way to create a turnover because this football team does not shoot themselves in the foot," Neu said. "They do a good job of executing, so any ways that we can make the QB uncomfortable in the pocket, any way that we can force a turnover, certainly, those are the things that we're going to look to try to get that done."

After notching just two total sacks between Weeks 4 and 5, Ball State's defensive front erupted with a season-high five against the Eagles.

Four came in the second half, which helped the Cardinals hold EMU to just seven points. Defensive lineman Tavion Woodward wants to see the team be more aggressive earlier in games, especially against the Rockets, who've allowed a MAC-low two sacks.

"I feel like we've just got to come out with a bang. I think we just come out with this mindset of, 'Oh, we just gonna go through the motions,' Woodard said. "No. We've just got to come out pressing the issue from the start, having their backs against the wall."

Toledo, though, leads the conference with 19 sacks defensively, while Ball State's allowed the fourth most (19).

Protecting quarterbacks Layne Hatcher and Kiael Kelly is also an X-factor.

Gus Martin is a sports reporter at The Star Press. Follow him on X (platform formerly known as Twitter) @GusMartin_SP, and contact him at gmartin@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: 2 key factors in Ball State football's MAC home game against Toledo