Ball State @ Indiana preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2016 ) Ball State 20, Indiana 30

Indiana looks to stay unbeaten when it hosts Ball State on Saturday. The Hoosiers opened the season with a 38-28 victory against FIU before edging Virginia 20-16 in Week 2 to extend their non-conference regular-season winning streak to five games. They hope to continue their winning ways by improving to 3-0 for the first time since 2015.

Indiana is 38-9-1 against Mid-American Conference opponents but has struggled against Ball State during the last decade, dropping three of the last four meetings since 2008. "They've had a lot of success against us in the past so they have our full attention," Indiana coach Tom Allen told reporters. "We know how they're going to come here and they're going to play their tails off so we have to match that and play our best." The Hoosiers have won 13 of their last 14 regular-season, non-conference games and hope to notch back-to-back wins against the Cardinals for the first time since 2006-07. Ball State fell short in its upset bid of No. 8 Notre Dame, dropping a 24-16 decision in South Bend last weekend, but the Cardinals hope to do one better by knocking off a Power 5 opponent for the first time since Oct. 5, 2013.

TV: Noon ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Indiana -14.5.

ABOUT BALL STATE (1-1): Riley Neal threw for 180 yards and a touchdown against Notre Dame to move past Talmadge Hill (5,902) for fourth spot on the Cardinals' all-time passing yards list with 5,915. Linebacker Jaylin Thomas had one of the best games of his collegiate career as he made a personal-best nine tackles against the Irish while Morgan Hagee kicked three field goals to move into sixth place on Ball State's all-time scoring list with 230 points."They rose to the occasion and they rose to the challenge," Ball State coach Mike Neu told reporters. "I know without a doubt that we left everything we had on the field."

ABOUT INDIANA (2-0): Stevie Scott was named the Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week after racking up 204 rushing yards to go along with his first career touchdown in the win against Virginia. Peyton Ramsey completed 16-of-22 passes for 150 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but highly-touted freshman signal caller Michael Penix Jr. could see some action on Saturday after a fierce battle in fall camp. Running back Morgan Ellison, who led the team with 704 rushing yards last season, was suspended on Aug. 24 for undisclosed reasons and his status remains unchanged with no future date given for his reinstatement.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Indiana has won nine of its last 10 regular season non-conference home games.

2. Scott ranks second nationally in rushing yards by a freshman with 274.

3. Ball State has dropped nine straight road games.

PREDICTION: Ball State 31, Indiana 30