Football (2-3, 0-1 MAC) will face off against Ball State (2-3, 0-1 MAC) at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at Huskie Stadium. Sports writer Thomas Hiley breaks down the key players for the Cardinals heading into Saturday’s game.

Quarterback

True freshman quarterback Riley Neal is in his first season for the Cardinals. He came from Yorktown High School, where he led his team to an 11-2 season as a senior, ending with a 27-9 career record. In his first four games this season, Neal has thrown 72 completions on 119 attempts, completing 60 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He’s also been able to add 217 rushing yards on 46 attempts, averaging 4.7 yards per rush.

Running Back

Ball State has a committee of running backs including sophomore running back Darian Green and true freshman James Gilbert. Green has started every game this season after not starting at all last season. He appeared in all 12 games in 2014 but only rushed for 49 yards. Already halfway into the 2015 season, he has already run the ball for 422 yards for four touchdowns, averaging 6.5 yards-per-carry. Gilbert, who acts as the Robin to Green’s Batman, has appeared in all five games this season, rushing for 244 yards and five touchdowns. The two of them have combined for 666 yards with nine rushing touchdowns on the year.

Wide receiver

Senior wide receiver Jordan Williams was second team All-Mid-American Conference in 2014 and was also on the watch list for the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver. Williams appeared in 11 games last year, racking up a total of 753 yards and six receiving touchdowns for the Cardinals, leading the team in both categories. Williams is a dominant receiver with a big frame, standing at 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds. Midway through his 2015 season, Williams has caught 30 passes for 447 yards and four touchdowns, leading the way for all receivers on the roster.

Defensive Line

Junior defensive end Joshua Posley is a transfer student from the University of Cincinnati. Before transferring to Ball State, Posley played two years of football for the Bearcats and saw action in only two games during that span, both coming in the 2013 season. After transferring and sitting out a year, Posley has appeared in all five games for the Cardinals and has shown what a presence he brings to the defense. In five games this season, he has 27 total tackles, six of those being for-loss, four quarterback hurries and one fumble.

Linebacker

Senior linebacker Ben Ingle, one of the captains for the Cardinals in the last two seasons, has racked up 203 tackles for the team. Ingle led the team last season in tackles with 87 and has almost half of that already into this season with 42. He’s been a consistent player for the Cardinals and is a huge part of their defensive success.

Secondary

Junior cornerback Tyree Holder is a big corner at 6-foot-1, giving him the ability to go up against big receivers and contend for the ball whenever it comes his way. Holder started in all 12 games last season, recording 39 tackles with two interceptions, tied for second on the team. He also picked up seven pass break-ups which was the most by any corner on the team. In 2015, he has just seven tackles, but already has two interceptions underneath his belt.