Ball State vs. UConn football: 5 things to watch in the Cardinals' final non-conference game

MUNCIE, Ind. — Halfway through the season, Ball State sits at 3-3 and 2-1 in the Mid-American Conference following yet another come from behind win at Central Michigan.

Looking at the preseason schedule, sitting at .500 is about where Ball State was expected to be. Though its route, losing to Western Michigan and Georgia Southern before beating two MAC West favorites in Northern Illinois and Central Michigan, isn't the most conventional way most thought BSU would take to get there.

Now, Ball State returns home to finish up its non-conference slate against UConn 2 p.m. Saturday at Scheumann Stadium (ESPN3). The Huskies (3-4) are sitting with three wins for the first time since 2017 and are one win away from matching their combined win total from 2018-2021 (they didn't play in 2020).

For the second time this season, Ball State comes in as the favorite. Will the Cardinals be able to rattle off their third win in as many weeks?

Here are five things to watch:

More ball state football news:In Central Michigan victory, Ball State football proves it can win in different ways

Limiting UConn's run-heavy offense, regardless of who's on the field

UConn enters the game with four running backs who've carried the ball 47 or more times this season.

The Huskies are ranked 40th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing offense, averaging 185.9 yards per game. But, according to a report by the Hartford Courant, they are expected to enter Saturday without their top three running backs in Devontae Houston (350 rushing yards), Nathan Carter (405 rushing yards) and Brian Brewton (80 rushing yards). UConn will rely on Victor Rosa (197 rushing yards, four TDs) and Robert Burns (82 rushing yards) to handle a majority of the rushing duties.

"We don’t like giving up a lot of points, we don’t like giving up a lot of yards, especially on the ground," Ball State outside linebacker Sidney Houston Jr. said. "Running the ball is a pride thing and it’s just another thing that we’ve been stressing every day at practices just stop the run."

Last week, Ball State limited the 2021 FBS rushing leader Lew Nichols III and Central Michigan's offense to 130 rushing yards (2.7 yards per rush) a week after allowing 332 yards on the ground to Northern Illinois.

Regardless of who's in the backfield, limiting UConn's running game will be a key for the Cardinals Saturday.

Converting on third down

Somehow, Ball State went 0-for-13 on third down against Central Michigan and won. Just one other FBS team (playing another FBS team) has failed to convert a single third down in a game this season: Fresno State went 0-for-7 on third down against, ironically enough, UConn in a 19-14 loss.

The Cardinals have one of the worst third-down conversion percentages this season, ranking 107th in the FBS while converting 33.7% of the time. UConn's third-down defense ranks 112th in the FBS as it's allowed its opponents to convert 44.2% of the time.

Safe to say, not converting a single third down won't lead to many, if any, more victories.

"I don't think I've ever been where we're 0-for-13 offensively on third down and won the game," Ball State head coach Mike Neu said.

Offense needs to play better

This one's pretty obvious.

It wasn't just the lack of third-down conversions which forced Ball State's defense to bail out the Cardinals last week. Ball State's 236 offensive yards against Central Michigan was by far its worst output for a team which came in averaging around 450 yards per game.

Nine of the Cardinals' 14 possessions (subtracting the kneel-downs at the end of the game) against the Chippewas ended in a punt. Just two drives — which resulted in a turnover on downs at the 1-yard-line and a field goal — went for more than 50 yards. Central Michigan dominated the time of possession 36:16-23:44, but Ball State's defense stepped up, scoring on a Houston fumble recovery and mostly stifling Central Michigan's offense.

"We got to be able to sustain drives and we have to be better on third down," Neu said. "... We got to make sure that we’re giving our guys a chance to be successful, to go out and execute at a high level and make sure we put them in a position to be successful. We’ll get that fixed, we’ll get that corrected. I’m very confident in that and the players are all, you know, they’re also guys who do a great job of looking in the mirror saying ‘I have to be better, we all have to be better.’"

Keep getting pressure from the defensive line, linebackers

One notable difference in the past two weeks has been Ball State's ability to pressure opposing offenses.

In the first four games, Ball State's defense average 0.5 sacks and 4.25 tackles for loss per game. In the past two weeks, the defense has recorded six sacks and 12 TFLs to go along with two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Last week, the defense recorded a season-high 11 pass breakups.

Last week, three different players — Tavion Woodard, Kyle King and Jack Sape — recorded sacks. Those stops, along with several others from the defense, came in pivotal moments, including on the last drive of the game.

How can BSU football get past UConn?3 takeaways from Ball State football's win at Central Michigan

'Whatever it takes'

Ball State is riding plenty of momentum heading into its final non-conference game.

The Cardinals have rode their offense and defense to victories against Northern Illinois and Central Michigan, respectively. It's been an admirable two weeks and, while the team seems to be improving as a whole, any momentum would come to a screeching halt with a loss to UConn.

Ball State's three wins this season have come against a Football Championship Subdivision team and two FBS programs who currently have a combined 2-10 record.

The good news is Ball State hasn't put together a clean game in all three phases yet this season. Moving forward, it might not be able to get away with the small mistakes its made through the first half of the season.

"The goal, every week, is to win by one more point, to score one more point than our opponent," Neu said. "Sometimes it might be a shootout like it was two weeks ago. Sometimes it might be an unbelievable defensive effort, like it was on Saturday. No matter how it unfolds, we all just have to be bought in that, man. We win as team, we lose as a team. Whatever it takes to that day to get it done, even if it was 3-2. Whatever it takes that day to get it done is the most important thing and so I can’t say enough how proud I am of the team for just figuring out a way."

Robby General covers Ball State and East Central Indiana high school sports for The Star Press. Contact him via email at rgeneral@gannett.com or on Twitter @rgeneraljr.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: BSU football vs. UConn: What to watch, Ball State non-conference game