On Saturday, NIU will face archrival Ball State for the last time before making its exit from the Mid-American Conference next year.
The Huskies are set to host the Cardinals for rights to the Bronze Stalk trophy, which has stayed in Muncie, Indiana, for the past three years. This year, NIU will try to reclaim the trophy and take a lead in the currently tied all-time series (25-25-2) for the foreseeable future.
With a high-stakes Bronze Stalk battle on deck, the Northern Star went Behind Enemy Bylines with Elijah Poe, a football beat reporter for the Ball State Daily News, to gain insight on NIU’s hated rival.
Northern Star: Saturday’s game is the last scheduled meeting between NIU and Ball State. How important is it for Ball State to keep its claim to the Bronze Stalk trophy?
Elijah Poe: There is no doubt the Bronze Stalk is incredibly important to Ball State, and I think I could say the same for NIU. Every single game is important in college football, but it really does hold a different weight when two rivals face off.
In terms of their season, I think picking up a win against a rival on the road to possibly move to 4-4 on the season and 3-1 in the MAC would be enormous for the season outlook. Mike Uremovich is in his first year coaching at Ball State, and for the Cardinals to even be in the talks of going to a bowl game at the end of the season would be massive for the program.
NS: The Cardinals are coming off their best offensive performance of the season — a five-touchdown outing against Akron. What was working for the Ball State offense in that game?
EP: The offense was really able to set the tone early against Akron, and Ball State’s defense was able to limit Akron’s explosive plays after the weather delay. Ball State was down 8-0 just minutes into the ballgame, but was able to rattle off 14 unanswered points in the first quarter.
A large part of the win came from the ground game with redshirt senior quarterback Kiael Kelly and redshirt junior running back Qua Ashley picking up chunk plays. The Cardinals finished with 216 yards on the ground. On the other side of the ball, the secondary came up with two interceptions to silence the Zips en route to the victory.
NS: All three of Ball State’s wins have come in Muncie, while the Cardinals are winless (0-4) on the road. What’s been the cause for the struggles away from home?
EP: Two of the four road losses were at Purdue and Auburn, and the big road environment mixed with very elite athletes proved to be too much for Ball State in those two losses. The Ball State defense was able to get to both Purdue and Auburn’s quarterbacks, but the offense really struggled in those two matchups.
The loss against UConn can honestly be summed up as a good loss, if there is such a thing. The Cardinals played their best game to that point, but the defense was gashed on the ground, leading to a Huskie win.
Their matchup against Western Michigan is a different story; Ball State was flat-out beaten. Uremovich summed it up to being outcoached, and the Cardinals were dominated on all levels of play in the 42-0 loss. The offense had 88 yards of total offense; that stat alone kind of shows how that game went.
Overall, each of the losses has been plagued by very slow starts from the offensive side of the ball. Ball State plays differently when the offense has even an OUNCE of momentum, but slow starts have been the death of each of those four losses.
NS: Defensive end Nathan Voorhis is tied for second in the Football Bowl Subdivision with nine sacks this season. What’s been the reason for his success, and who are some other Ball State defenders we can expect to make an impact on Saturday?
EP: Nathan Voorhis has had an incredible impact on the Ball State defense. His speed and strength off the line have caught some offensive linemen off guard, and Voorhis really is relentless. He has to be accounted for every single play, because if he isn’t, he wreaks havoc. The defensive line unit as a whole has caused issues for opponents this season.
Linebackers Joey Stemler and Alfred Chea have also made impacts for Ball State in 2025. They are super consistent in racking up tackles every single game. In the secondary, the Cardinals have Roman Pearson and Willizhuan Yates, just to name a few, who have been very solid for Ball State.
It sounds obvious, but when the Cardinals’ defense can get pressure on the quarterback and limit the rushing attack, Ball State has played really well overall.
NS: Though NIU and Ball State aren’t scheduled to face each other again after the Huskies leave the MAC next year, it’s not unprecedented for departing schools to continue traditional rivalries as non-conference matchups. Do you think there’d be interest on the Ball State side to continue this rivalry, if possible?
EP: I do really think this rivalry will be in the best interests of both schools. Although I am not sure it is going to happen anytime soon, with most teams scheduling out in advance, I do think we will see this game played again. And honestly, I would question anyone who does not want this rivalry to stay. It has produced some of the best football games I have ever watched. It is #MACtion, but it really is wild every single time. I mean, the teams are 25-25-2. That is unreal. DEAD EVEN!
I also think the possibility of having this game at the beginning of the season would be beneficial for both teams to get a good understanding of what talent they have, since both are usually equal opponents. In general, it would just be great to keep this rivalry alive because it has produced some amazing football, plus who doesn’t love some good ol’ fashioned football hate?
(And who doesn’t love that trophy, am I right!?)
NS: Finally, what’s your final score prediction for this game?
EP: This is going to be a close game, as it almost always is. I think Ball State will win this game by a score of 24-21. Although if the Cardinals get off to a slow start, I believe NIU will hold that momentum and win the ballgame. I think Ball State’s defensive line can cause some issues for the Huskies, and if they can limit the NIU ground attack, I think that will prove too much for the Huskies to overcome.
