| MUNCIE, Ind. --
The Ball State University football team will open the 2006
season at the University of Michigan, and follow that
contest up with a home game vs. Indiana University. In
addition, the Cardinals will play at Purdue and host North
Dakota State in 2006. |
| "We have
consistently played a very competitive football
schedule," Ball State athletics director Bubba
Cunningham says. "The opportunity to host Indiana is
very exciting for Ball State, while playing at what is
arguably one of the greatest college football venues in
the nation in Michigan Stadium is also an experience our
student-athletes will always remember." |
| Ball State will
open the 2006 season Sept. 2 at Michigan, host Indiana
Sept. 9, play at Purdue Sept. 16 and host North Dakota
State Sept. 23. |
| The home game
with Indiana will mark the first time the Hoosiers will
play football at Ball State. The two teams met for the
first time ever in 1997 and then again in 1999, both games
were played at IU. The game at Michigan will mark Ball
State’s first-ever game at Michigan Stadium and
first-ever against the Wolverines. Michigan Stadium is the
largest collegiate football stadium in the country with a
seating capacity of 107,501. The largest away crowd Ball
State has ever played in front of is 85,095 at Florida in
2000. |
| "Once
again our football schedule will be a challenging one that
will offer opportunities for our student-athletes,"
BSU football coach Brady Hoke says. "To face three
Big Ten schools gives our players the chance to showcase
their talents against some of the nation’s stiffest
competition." |
| The contest at
Purdue will mark the seventh meeting between the two
schools in a series which dates back to 1985. The last
time the two teams met was in 2004, while all six games
have been played at Purdue. |
| Ball State and
North Dakota State have never met in football. North
Dakota State is an NCAA Division IAA school which competes
in the Great West Football Conference. The Bison finished
8-3 in 2004, and will open the 2005 season Sept. 10 at
Northwestern State. |
