CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1988 Ball State

8–⁠3 (5–⁠3 Mid-American Conference), coached by Paul Schudel.

Schedule and results

Ball State in 1988, game by game: won vs. Toledo 13–3; won at Bowling Green 34–10; won vs. Massachusetts 44–17; won vs. Miami (OH) 45–14; won at Kent State 31–20; lost vs. Eastern Michigan 12–16; won at Central Michigan 27–20; won at Northern Illinois 18–17; lost vs. Western Michigan 13–16; lost at Ohio 25–27; won vs. Indiana State 24–10+31−4Won 13–3 vs. Toledo+10ToledoWon 34–10 at Bowling Green+24Bowling GreenWon 44–17 vs. Massachusetts+27MassachusettsWon 45–14 vs. Miami (OH)+31Miami (OH)Won 31–20 at Kent State+11Kent StateLost 12–16 vs. Eastern Michigan-4Eastern MichiganWon 27–20 at Central Michigan+7Central MichiganWon 18–17 at Northern Illinois+1Northern Illino…Lost 13–16 vs. Western Michigan-3Western MichiganLost 25–27 at Ohio-2OhioWon 24–10 vs. Indiana State+14Indiana State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 3vsToledoW 13–⁠356%
Sep 10atBowling GreenW 34–⁠1042%
Sep 17vsMassachusettsW 44–⁠1778%
Oct 1vsMiami (OH)W 45–⁠1472%
Oct 8atKent StateW 31–⁠2054%
Oct 15vsEastern MichiganL 12–⁠1662%
Oct 22atCentral MichiganW 27–⁠2037%
Oct 29atNorthern IllinoisW 18–⁠1762%
Nov 5vsWestern MichiganL 13–⁠1659%
Nov 12atOhioL 25–⁠2771%
Nov 17vsIndiana StateW 24–⁠1080%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Indiana State 24–⁠10; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 3rd in the Mid-American Conference.

In program history: The 10th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 61 on file).

Record
8–⁠3
Conference
5–⁠3 tied for 3rd in Mid-American Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
286–⁠170
Coach
Paul Schudel
Elo
1537 +101 this season
SP+ rating
4.8 No. 45 of 102; offense No. 66, defense No. 29
SRS
−8.6 No. 78 of 105 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Greg Meyer

1988 Mid-American Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Western Michigan7–⁠19–⁠3
Eastern Michigan5–⁠2–⁠16–⁠3–⁠1
Ball State5–⁠38–⁠3
Central Michigan5–⁠37–⁠4
Ohio4–⁠3–⁠14–⁠6–⁠1
Toledo4–⁠46–⁠5
Kent State3–⁠55–⁠6
Bowling Green1–⁠6–⁠12–⁠8–⁠1
Miami (OH)0–⁠7–⁠10–⁠10–⁠1

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.