CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2021 Ball State

6–⁠7 (4–⁠4 Mid-American Conference), coached by Mike Neu.

Schedule and results

Ball State in 2021, game by game: won vs. Western Illinois 31–21; lost at No. 11 Penn State 13–44; lost at Wyoming 12–45; lost vs. Toledo 12–22; won vs. Army 28–16; won at Western Michigan 45–20; won at Eastern Michigan 38–31; lost vs. Miami (OH) 17–24; won at Akron 31–25; lost at Northern Illinois 29–30; lost vs. Central Michigan 17–37; won vs. Buffalo 20–3; lost vs. Georgia State 20–51+25−33Won 31–21 vs. Western Illinois+10Western IllinoisLost 13–44 at No. 11 Penn State-31No. 11 Penn StateLost 12–45 at Wyoming-33WyomingLost 12–22 vs. Toledo-10ToledoWon 28–16 vs. Army+12ArmyWon 45–20 at Western Michigan+25Western MichiganWon 38–31 at Eastern Michigan+7Eastern MichiganLost 17–24 vs. Miami (OH)-7Miami (OH)Won 31–25 at Akron+6AkronLost 29–30 at Northern Illinois-1Northern Illino…Lost 17–37 vs. Central Michigan-20Central MichiganWon 20–3 vs. Buffalo+17BuffaloLost 20–51 vs. Georgia State-31Georgia State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 2vsWestern IllinoisW 31–⁠2192%
Sep 11at11Penn StateL 13–⁠4438%
Sep 18atWyomingL 12–⁠4544%
Sep 25vsToledoL 12–⁠2265%
Oct 2vsArmyW 28–⁠1641%
Oct 9atWestern MichiganW 45–⁠2035%
Oct 16atEastern MichiganW 38–⁠3155%
Oct 23vsMiami (OH)L 17–⁠2469%
Nov 2atAkronW 31–⁠2575%
Nov 10atNorthern IllinoisL 29–⁠3059%
Nov 17vsCentral MichiganL 17–⁠3761%
Nov 23vsBuffaloW 20–⁠369%
Dec 25Bowls & playoffvsGeorgia StateCamellia BowlL 20–⁠5147%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Georgia State 51–⁠20 in the Camellia Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 6th in the Mid-American Conference.

In program history: The 18th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 61 on file).

Record
6–⁠7
Conference
4–⁠4 tied for 6th in Mid-American Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
313–⁠369
Coach
Mike Neu
Elo
1493 −75 this season
SP+ rating
-11.2 No. 107 of 130; offense No. 105, defense No. 108
SRS
−8.5 No. 102 of 130 in FBS
Returning
80% of last season’s EPA, No. 57 of 128
Recruiting class
No. 95 roster talent No. 116 in FBS
Offensive coordinator
Kevin Lynch
Defensive coordinator
Tyler Stockton
Offense
Multiple
Defense
3–⁠4

How good, play by play

  • Offense94th of 130
  • Defense88th of 130
  • Offense, opponent-adjusted107th of 130
  • Defense, opponent-adjusted94th of 130
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense0.0741%1.2194th of 130
Defense0.1849%1.1088th of 130
Opponent-adjusted0.06 off
0.18 def		40% off
49% def		—107th off
94th def
How these are measured

Play-weighted averages over games against FBS opponents; raw numbers, not adjusted for the strength of the opponent. EPA (expected points added) measures how much each play changed the expected score; success rate counts plays that kept the offense on schedule; explosiveness is the average EPA on successful plays. Lower is better on defense. Ranked by EPA per play among teams that were FBS that season. The opponent-adjusted row (offense / defense) is CollegeFootballData.com’s WEPA, which accounts for who each team played.

Drives and havoc

Points per trip inside the 40Average startHavoc
Offense3.7own 3115% allowed
Defense3.9own 2613% caused

CORE rating -16.3, 112th of 130 (offense -6.8, defense 9.4).

A trip inside the 40 is a drive that reaches the opponent’s 40-yard line; points per trip is how many it scored on average (allowed, on defense). Average start is where drives began (the defense’s line is where its opponents started). Havoc is the share of plays ending in a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, an interception or a pass broken up. CORE is CollegeFootballData.com’s context- and opponent-adjusted rating (points better than an average team; lower is better on defense). From CollegeFootballData.com.

Leaders

Passing yardsDrew Plitt QB2,541 yds
Passing touchdownsDrew Plitt QB18 TD
Rushing yardsCarson Steele RB891 yds
Rushing touchdownsCarson Steele RB6 TD
Receiving yardsJayshon Jackson WR829 yds
Receiving touchdownsYo’Heinz Tyler WR6 TD
TacklesJaylin Thomas LB112 tkl
SacksTavion Woodard DE4.5 sacks
InterceptionsJaylin Thomas LB4 INT

Top recruits in the 2021 class

Karate Brenson WR★★★No. 894
Kiael Kelly QB★★★No. 915
Rico Barfield RB★★★No. 923
Drayton Charlton-Perrin TE★★★No. 1767
Rae’quin Lee RB★★★No. 1832

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2021 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks22.50.827
Running backs32.70.822
Receivers62.70.812
Offensive line23.00.804
Defensive line23.00.807
Linebackers33.00.813
Defensive backs32.70.808
Whole class212.80.813

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Roster 104

The 2021 roster

104 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2021 line; 65 have a stat line. See the roster

Transfers in 2

The 2021 portal
Chayce Bishop CB★★★from Tennessee
Damon Kaylor OT★★★from Michigan State

Transfers out 9

Demetrius Murray S★★★no new school on file
Isaac James CB★★★returned to Ball State
Rahmon Hart Jr. WR★★★to Duquesne
Solvauhn Moreland DL★★★no new school on file
Davion Tyson LB★★no new school on file
Ethan Merriweather WR★★no new school on file
Gerald Smith ATHno new school on file
Jaylen Flemmons WRto Kentucky State
Luke Endsley WRno new school on file

2021 Mid-American Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Central Michigan6–⁠29–⁠4
Northern Illinois6–⁠29–⁠5
Kent State6–⁠27–⁠7
Toledo5–⁠37–⁠6
Miami (OH)5–⁠37–⁠6
Western Michigan4–⁠48–⁠5
Eastern Michigan4–⁠47–⁠6
Ball State4–⁠46–⁠7
Ohio3–⁠53–⁠9
Buffalo2–⁠64–⁠8
Bowling Green2–⁠64–⁠8
Akron1–⁠72–⁠10

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