Callahan Says Ball State Poses "Dangerous" Challenge

Cardinals bring offense, upset hopes to Lincoln

Las Vegasgambling houses have already installed Nebraska's football team as a comfortable three-touchdown favorite over Ball State.

Two shiny dimes if you guessed NU Coach Bill Callahan isn't falling for it.

"We're totally focused on Ball State," Callahan said Monday during the Big 12 coaches teleconference. "Parity has struck."

That last comment was in reference to a reporter's question about Appalachian State, whom any sentient sports creature - including a well-bred dog - should know beat Michigan 34-32 in the opening week of college football.

The Cardinals (2-1) certainly know it. The boys from Muncie, Ind., almost beat ASU to the punch in 2006, giving the Sun Devils a late-season fight before losing 34-26. Right now, they might be the favorite to win the weaker Western Division of the Mid America Conference, since Central Michigan and Western Michigan have been routed in recent weeks by Kansas and Missouri, respectively.

Ball State has the offensive tools to make Saturday's 11:30 a.m. brunch a tasty one.

Their quarterback, sophomore Nate Davis, is among the best in the MAC. Already he's thrown for 781 yards and eight touchdowns. Davis has weapons, too, including sophomore running back MiQuale Lewis, who has 454 total yards and two touchdowns. Lewis was the MAC's Western Division Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 161 yards in BSU's 34-31 overtime win at Navy.

"They compete," Callahan said. "They have good athletes, they run well to the ball. They're physical. They're a dangerous football team. They've got the ability to throw the ball and the ability to strike quickly."

While Ball State struggled in a 14-13 opening-season loss to Miami (Ohio), Davis and Co. found their offensive stride in a 38-16 win over Eastern Michigan and in that victory over Navy. BSU blocked the Midshipmen's field goal attempt at the end of regulation, then kicked one of its own in the extra period.

Monday, Cardinals' Coach Brady Hoke called it "a great team win."

"It's significant to our program that we went into a hostile environment and we stayed together," Hoke said.

As a frequent guest on the non-conference schedules of powerful Big Ten programs, Hoke is familiar with hostile environments. He knows a little about Sam Keller, whom he recruited while an assistant at Michigan. Keller originally committed to UM, changed to Arizona State, and eventually transferred to Nebraska for his senior year.

"His dad was a player at Michigan," Hoke said. "He has great genes and we thought he had a great arm. He seemed to have the ability to get out of trouble if he had to."

Callahan brushed aside the Cardinals' defensive struggles against the Midshipmen, one of the few Bowl Subdivision teams still running a classic option offense. Navy gained 525 rushing yards, the third most in school history. Callahan said Navy's style throws a lot of foes awry.

Hoke said he thought his defense "handled it pretty well." That's the optimism a win will teach you.

Although Ball State has no illusions about playing BCS teams, Hoke said his squad will be prepared to send NU fans further into depression.

“Why would you work as hard as you work 12 months a year and then walk in Saturday with visions of not winning?" Hoke said. "We're going to make sure our guys work hard today, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and be ready to walk in there Saturday.”

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