by Heading into week five of the college football season, James Madison and Ball State have been heading in different directions: three straight wins for the unbeaten Dukes and back-to-back losses for the Cardinals.
After putting up 70 points in Chapel Hill against North Carolina, James Madison’s dynamic offense was going to put Ball State’s struggling defense to the test. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, whose defense had given up over 500 yards of total offense to opponents the previous two weeks, this week was no different. The Dukes’ offense and defense seemed to move in perfect sync, forcing turnovers and consistently forcing the ball into the opponent’s end zone without punting a single time in 60 minutes of action that culminated in a 63-7 loss for Ball State.
In the week that led up to the game, James Madison’s first-year head coach, Bob Chesney, noted two things that stood out to him about Ball State. In a weekly press conference, he said that the team was “very well coached” and “have a great tight end,” and despite the Cardinals’ 56-point loss, Chesney still has a point.
Ball State’s brightest spot throughout the game was their tight end, Tanner Koizol. The junior finished with 9 receptions for 78 yards and caught the Cardinals’ only touchdown pass of the game.
Ball State’s leading rusher, senior running back Braedon Sloan, also had another positive week, earning 72 yards on the ground in 14 carries, but was limited because of the game script forcing Ball State into a pass-heavy offensive scheme.
As for the coaching, immediately following the game, Ball State Head Coach Mike Neu made one thing abundantly clear.
“I’m not doing a good enough job,” Neu said. “I have to figure out a better way to prepare our football team at the end of the day. That’s where it starts and that’s where it stops.”
Neu instantly took responsibility for the downward spiral that his team has been on since their week one victory over Missouri State. He observed that the team seemed timid throughout the game, afraid to make big mistakes, and said that he feels it is his responsibility to instill confidence in players moving forward.
“It’s totally on me, and I told the team at the end of the game: I love them to death,” Neu said. “We just have to keep fighting. Tough times in life never last. Tough people do.”
Ball State’s head coach also noted the electric atmosphere of James Madison’s Bridgeforth Stadium on “Family Weekend.” He said that he has always had a vision of Ball State’s Scheumann Stadium reaching a similar capacity to that of the Dukes. 
“For a mid-major, that atmosphere, that’s really what it’s all about, right there,” Neu said. “In a lot of ways, I always had a vision and hope to have that kind of environment at Ball State. Obviously, I haven’t done a good enough job.”
Amid a three game losing streak, it’s hard to find the positives, but taking responsibility could be the first step to the Cardinals reclaiming their season. Senior linebacker Keionte Newsom and redshirt freshman quarterback Kaiden Semonza were both quick to reassert the blame towards themselves after the game, each taking responsibility for the team’s recent shortcomings.
“Right now I’m being a fraud,” Newsom said, referencing his position as one of Ball State’s team captains. “It’s getting challenging trying to keep guys up when things like this keep happening, so I just have to get back to being who I am and being a better leader.”
Similarly, Semonza, who finished the game with three interceptions, took responsibility for his own play and noted that he needs to motivate his fellow teammates from his position as quarterback.
“I have to play better,” Semonza said. “I have to keep pushing these guys to keep their confidence up so that we can go achieve what we’re supposed to achieve.”
Despite the team’s recent woes, Semonza says he still has faith that his team can bounce back and turn their season around.
“Through the highs and lows, what you are going to hear from me is that I’m going to stand by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and at the end of the day, he makes no mistakes,” Semonza said. “No matter how hard or how difficult the times may be, I truly believe that he’s got a plan for us.”
The Cardinals will look to build from the ground up when they return to their home in Muncie, Indiana, next weekend when Ball State faces Mid-American Conference opponent, Western Michigan at Ball State’s own “Community and Family Weekend Game” on Oct. 5.
