Football (9-0, 5-0 MAC) and Ball State (9-1, 6-0 MAC) are set for what could be the best game in the MAC this season. There is a lot at stake for both teams as the winner of this game will likely find themselves representing the MAC West in the MAC Championship game. The Huskies will also look to increase their winning streak at Huskie Stadium to 25 games as well as their MAC winning streak to 23 games. Football writer Brian Earle breaks down the key players for Ball State.

Quarterback: The Huskies will face one of their toughest tests of the season in senior Keith Wenning. Wenning has been one of the best quarterbacks in college football this season. The senior has thrown for 3,164 yards this season, which is the fourth-most in the nation. Wenning also does a strong job of taking care of the ball, throwing only five interceptions. On top of that, Wenning has thrown 27 touchdowns this season. Wenning does most of his damage through the air as he will look to stay in the pocket and air it out.

Running back: While the Cardinals heavily rely on their dominant passing game, they have a strong running game behind junior Jahwan Edwards. Edwards receives the bulk of the carries for Ball State, carrying the ball 145 times for 749 yards. Edwards is also tied for seventh in the nation with 12 rushing touchdowns. Edwards’ biggest game came against Virginia when he ran for 155 yards and three touchdowns. Don’t look for the junior to do a lot of damage in the passing game as he has only recorded five receptions for 31 yards.

Wide Receiver: The go-to target for Wenning is junior Willie Snead. He does not have a lot of size, coming in at 5-foot-11, but he makes up for it with his speed. Snead has caught 74 passes for 1,175 yards, which is the third-most receiving yards in the nation. He has also hauled in 12 touchdown passes from Wenning, which ties him for third in the nation with Texas A&M’s Mike Evans. Snead has been a touchdown machine with catching, having caught two touchdowns a game in five games this season.

Offensive line: The Ball State offensive line is made up of relatively new starters. One starter who has been reliable for the Cardinals throughout his career is senior offensive guard Jordan Hansel. In his career Hansel has made 33 total starts, the most of any offensive lineman. He and the rest of the offensive line will look to buy Wenning as much time as they can to allow him time to throw downfield. On the season, the offensive line has only allowed 13 sacks for a loss of 84 yards. The Huskies have recorded 26 sacks for a loss of 156 yards.

Defensive line: Senior Jonathan Newsome has been a force at defensive end this season. He is one of the best at getting to the quarterback as he is second in the MAC with eight total sacks for a loss of 41 yards. Newsome is just as effective when it comes to stopping the run. He is tied for fifth in the MAC with 8.5 tackles for a loss. Against the Huskies, Newsome’s ability to stop the run will have a huge result on the outcome of the game.

Linebacker: In his first season starting at linebacker, sophomore Ben Ingle has established himself as one of the most important members of the Ball State defense. Ingle runs all over the field as he leads the Cardinals with 78 tackles. He has been effective against the run, recording 2.5 tackles for a loss of 9 yards. Ingle also has half a sack for a loss of 3 yards. While he is a tackling machine, Ingle can also drop back in pass coverage as he has one interception on the season.

Defensive back: The only player in the MAC with five interceptions other than Jimmie Ward is senior cornerback Jeffery Garrett. Garrett is a ball hawk as he has defended nine passes and broken up four other passes this season. While Garrett is great in pass coverage, he can also offer support against the run, recording 3.5 tackles for a loss of 10 yards this season. Garrett will have a big impact on where Jordan Lynch throws the ball as the Huskie may try to avoid trying to throw in his direction.

Special teams: With 1,765 career kickoff return yards, senior Jamill Smith is No. 2 in kickoff return yards in the history of Ball State. He is one of the most electrifying kick returners in the MAC and averages 26.8 yards per return. He hasn’t had many opportunities to return kicks this season, as he only has 19 returns. In his first game of the season against Illinois State, Smith returned a kick for a career-high 90 yards. He can change the dynamics of the game at any time and is dangerous to kick to.