FBS Ball State To Play AT Illinois State in '13...Good Idea!

[Cap'n Cat]

http://www.goredbirds.com/sports/m-foot ... 09aaa.html

Beginning of a trend?

Will Boise State ever do a home-and-home with Montana? How about Utah State? Would Northern Illinois couple with Northern Iowa simliarly? Rutgers @ Delaware? UL-L @ McNeese? UCF at Georgia Southern? Troy @ Appy?

Very interesting stuff that FCS people may look into. Regional inter-division contests.

[BlueHen86]

Interesting. Very nice that Illinois State got the home game first as part of the home and home.

I assume that Ball St. is doing this to generate more exposure for recruiting.

[BlueHen86]

http://www.goredbirds.com/sports/m-foot ... 09aaa.html

Beginning of a trend?

Will Boise State ever do a home-and-home with Montana? How about Utah State? Would Northern Illinois couple with Northern Iowa simliarly? Rutgers @ Delaware? UL-L @ McNeese? UCF at Georgia Southern? Troy @ Appy?

Very interesting stuff that FCS people may look into. Regional inter-division contests.

Delaware hosted both Temple and Navy once upon a time. Perhaps the best UD game I ever attended was in 1985 when the Hens hosted and beat Navy. Navy had a Heisman trophy hopeful in Napoleon McCallum, his chances dwindled considerably after that game. The last several games against Navy have all been in Annapolis.

[DukeJack]

Effin' A.

Guess they just wanted no chance to lose the away leg. JMU was supposed to have a home and home signed with Ball State for 2010 and then they open our new stadium in 2011. According to Mickey Matthews and a couple guys from the athletic department at a Duke Club Meet and Greet, we had agreed to terms with them, then unfortunately they played UNH and we played Maryland. They called Monday morning and completely canceled. And now Illinois State?

What a bunch of fucking pussies.

[89Hen]

Delaware hosted both Temple and Navy once upon a time. Perhaps the best UD game I ever attended was in 1985 when the Hens hosted and beat Navy.

Both came to the Tub that year.

Good for Illinois State!

[Cap'n Cat]

Delaware hosted both Temple and Navy once upon a time. Perhaps the best UD game I ever attended was in 1985 when the Hens hosted and beat Navy.

Both came to the Tub that year.

Good for Illinois State!

FBS teams at FCS stadiums became a virtual rarity, though, until this.

[SouthDakotaGrizzly]

Don't know if the Griz would ever get Boise to come to Missoula, but they have had home games against Idaho since the Vandals moved up (not for a few years though). I would think it would be more likely to get a home and home with a lower tier FBS school (like Utah St.) than someone in BCS contention like Boise. Ball St. seems to fit into that lower tier category. I would love to see the Griz either renew the rivalry with Idaho or set up some OOC games with Wyoming, whether those games are in Missoula or not.

[93henfan]

Delaware couldn't get a home-n-home w/ Rutgers now that they draw 50,000+. Heck, we can't even get Navy to come back, and they're only at 35K. No real FBS hosting options for Delaware anymore.

[putter]

Idaho hasn't beaten Montana since they moved up...I believe the Griz have won 4 straight. The last time was a Griz 41-20 win in Missoula. I guess that is why Tom Cable has anger issues because the Griz dominated his Vandals in Missoula....great get for Illinois State though

[guinzone]

THAT IS BULL SHIT.
According to every Kent and Akron fan, the MAC rules explicitly state that NO MAC team is allowed to play away at an FBS stadium.

Akron and Kent used to play at Stambaugh every year; then quit the series after YSU steamrolled them in the 90s.

[OSBF]

simple economics

Ball State is a typical cash-strapped bad MAC football program.

They give us a return game and either significantly reduce or eliminate the payoff we get for going there.

[dbackjon]

Good for Illinois state

[89Hen]

No real FBS hosting options for Delaware anymore.

Maybe JMU when they move up.

[SuperHornet]

As far as I'm concerned, playing the MAC is not "playing up" for the top half of the CAA/BSC/SoCon/MVC. Neither is playing the Sun Belt.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Idaho hasn't beaten Montana since they moved up...I believe the Griz have won 4 straight. The last time was a Griz 41-20 win in Missoula. I guess that is why Tom Cable has anger issues because the Griz dominated his Vandals in Missoula....great get for Illinois State though

You're right that the Griz have won 4 straight over Idaho, but the Vandals did beat the Griz once after they moved up (1999).

I doubt home games against FBS will become a trend. Most FBS fans would be livid over just the idea of playing at a "lowly I-AA school".

[SeattleGriz]

simple economics

Ball State is a typical cash-strapped bad MAC football program.

They give us a return game and either significantly reduce or eliminate the payoff we get for going there.

How far apart are the two schools? If it is a short bus ride, then AWESOME! More money for everyone.

[SeattleGriz]

Nevermind, I looked it up. 240 miles. That is sweetass.

Congrats Illinois State.

[putter]

Reading another reply, this home and home is pretty amazing. How many of the Delaware fans would think it is ok to play @ West Chester? How many Montana fans would not have a problem playing at Ft. Lewis or Westen State?? I realize that Ball State and Illinois State are both DI and the difference being FBS, FCS but it is still surprising that this would happen without Ball State saying that there would be no guarantee when Illinois State returned the game thus making more money for the school.