5 things to know about UGA’s opponent: Ball State
The Ball State Cardinals finished the 2022 college football season with a 5-7 record. The Cardinals are projected to finish fifth in the MAC West.
Ball State is 0-1 to begin 2023 after losing in Week 1 at the Kentucky Wildcats. Ball State has the talent to make things interesting for a quarter or two against Georgia.
Georgia football has never played against Ball State in its history. The Bulldogs are looking to win a 20th consecutive home game.
What should Georgia fans know about Ball State ahead of the Dawgs’ Sept. 9 home game?
Ball State's 2022 notable games
Sept. 1, 2022: Ball State 10, Tennessee 59
Tennessee’s offense got off to a hot start in 2022 against Ball State. The Volunteers were the only Power Five opponent on Ball State’s 2022 schedule.
Nov. 1, 2022: Ball State 27, Kent State 20
Ball State toppled a Kent State team gave Georgia fits in 2022. The Bulldogs struggled to pull away against Kent State, but ultimately Georgia managed to win a national championship and go undefeated following the close call against Kent State.
Who is Ball State's best player?
Best player: running back Marquez Cooper
Speaking of Kent State, former Kent State running back Marquez Cooper transferred to Ball State this offseason. Cooper was a first-team All-MAC selection in 2022.
Last season, Cooper finished with 130 total yards and a touchdown against the Bulldogs. Cooper finished the 2022 season with 1,331 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.
Ball State's 2023 season opener
Ball State fell to Kentucky 44-14 to open the 2023 college football season. Kentucky bottled up Ball State running back Marquez Cooper and forced the Cardinals to turnover the football twice. Kentucky used a 20 point second quarter to pull away from Ball State after trailing 7-3 to end the first quarter.
Why is Georgia playing Ball State?
Georgia’s 2023 game at Oklahoma was cancelled in Sept. 2022 at request of the SEC. The Bulldogs did not have many options for rescheduling a Power Five opponent, so Georgia scheduled Ball State.
Here’s a deeper look into why Georgia’s game at Oklahoma was cancelled.
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Where is Ball State? How many students go there?
Ball State is located in Muncie, Indiana. Muncie is located about an hour from Indianapolis. Ball State has an enrollment of over 20,000 students.
