Missouri State Football vs. Ball State: Scouting Report, Prediction

The Missouri State football team is trying to downplay the idea of playing an FBS opponent this week, as the Bears will move up to Conference USA and the FBS next season.

“We act like they're just another school,” safety Todric McGee said. “We don't have to build up the hype that they're a Power 5. We know what kind of team they are and it's just another football program.”

A win at Ball State, scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, would be Missouri State's second victory over an FBS team in program history and first since 1990. It would also provide some hope for their FBS future when they join Conference USA next season.

Ball State had a turbulent season last year, but hopes for more stability this year. The Cardinals haven't played a game before Week 2. Here's our scouting report and prediction ahead of Missouri State's FBS test.

More:Missouri State football depth chart updated ahead of Week 2 at Ball State

Missouri State football team faces Ball State quarterback Kadin Semonza

Ball State had a rotating quarterback rotation in 2023 and changed game plans midway through the season. The 2023 season was one to forget for the Cardinals, but they hope to hold on to redshirt freshman Kadin Semonza this season.

Semonza started three of the Cardinals' first four games last season and completed 50 of 82 passes for 480 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. He led the Cardinals to a 45-7 victory over Indiana State, a Missouri Valley Football Conference team the Bears did not play last year.

Ball State had already chosen Semonza as the team's starter at the beginning of fall camp.

Ball State Football brings back one of the most experienced offensive lines in the country

The Cardinals return four of their five starters on the offensive line, who combined for 117 starts. Three of their starters were named All-MAC selections last season. The group allowed 2.2 sacks per game last year and averaged 171.5 yards on the ground.

“That's exciting — when you can say you have an offensive line that has 117 starts. You can't just find that in the portal,” Neu said. “They've been through every twist, every play, every stunt, every pressure, whatever. They've played through pain. They've played through injuries. They've played under grueling conditions. We're very excited about that.”

More:“That has to change”: Missouri State Football is the most penalized FCS team after Week 1

Ball State is the only FBS team that hasn't played a game yet, and here's why.

Beard won't be able to watch new Ball State film this week because it's the only team in the FBS that hasn't played a game yet. There's a plausible explanation for that.

Ball State was originally scheduled to play Army in Week 1, but the Golden Knights had to cancel the game when they moved to the American Athletic Conference this season. The Cardinals were unable to find a replacement.

Beard faces the challenge of finding footage from previous seasons and different programs to figure out what to expect for the Bears. Many changes in the coaching staff make it even more difficult, with Jared Elliott, the former head coach at Western Illinois, now the team's only offensive coordinator and Jeff Knowles, a former defensive coordinator at Butler, Northern Illinois and Temple, now in charge of the defense.

Beard studied previous films of Western Illinois and Butler to gain an advantage.

“We just keep getting luckier,” Beard laughed. “We do a lot of background work. We just have to be good at being flexible on both sides of the ball this week. One of the most encouraging things about our football team is their ability to adapt during the game. We have a lot of highly intelligent football coaches who put in the effort and time.”

More:Why Missouri State football coach Ryan Beard believes the hiring of new AD Patrick Ransdell is a hit

Ball State Football's defense was one of the best in the MAC last season

The Cardinals had a defense that allowed just 111.6 yards per game and allowed the 17th-fewest total at 315.8 yards per game. It helped that Ball State was among the nation's leading teams in time of possession and keeping its defense off the field.

Ball State football coach Mike Neu appears to be on the hot seat

Speculation about the status of Ball State head coach Mike Neu was quickly put to rest after the season ended. Ball State issued a statement saying he would return after starting the season 1-6 and then finishing 4-8 and 3-5 in the Mid-American Conference. It was Neu's seventh losing season in eight years.

Neu, a former Ball State quarterback, rebuilt his coaching staff in the offseason, signing a five-year contract extension before the 2021 season. He made $680,000 last year and has two years left on his contract.

More:Missouri State football injury updates: 3 offensive linemen expected to be out

A loss to Missouri State could spark another chaotic season at Ball State.

What Ball State coach Mike Neu said about Missouri State

“This is a good football team. I saw the game [against Montana]and boy, they've put themselves in a position to win. When I watch the video, I think, “Okay, we're getting ready to face another MAC team here.” It's going to be a tough battle. Their personnel is really good.

“For us, they played a game — we didn't. We had to watch all weekend, which was tough, but we continued to work hard and made sure we gave ourselves an extra week and more time to prepare for Missouri State. Obviously, the head coach and former defensive coordinator are returning, so we were very confident that both their defensive and offensive schemes would be somewhat compatible with what we saw on video a year ago. So we studied like crazy to prepare.”

Missouri State Football vs. Ball State: Scouting Report, Prediction

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Missouri State Football vs. Ball State: Scouting Report, Prediction

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