| Mode: | football |
| Year: | 2020 |
| Team: | Ball State Cardinals |
| Conference: | Mid-American Conference |
| Division: | West Division |
| Short Conf: | MAC |
| Coachrank: | 23 |
| Aprank: | 23 |
| Record: | 7–1 |
| Conf Record: | 5–1 |
| Head Coach: | Mike Neu |
| Hc Year: | 5th |
| Off Coach: | Kevin Lynch |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Def Coach: | Tyler Stockton |
| Dc Year: | 2nd |
| Off Scheme: | Multiple |
| Def Scheme: | 3–4 |
| Stadium: | Scheumann Stadium |
| Champion: | MAC champion MAC West Division champion Arizona Bowl champion |
| Conf Champ: | MAC Championship Game |
| Conf Champ Result: | W 38–28 vs. Buffalo |
| Bowl: | Arizona Bowl |
| Bowl Result: | W 34–13 vs. San Jose State |
The 2020 Ball State Cardinals football team represented Ball State University during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cardinals were led by fifth-year head coach Mike Neu and played their home games at Scheumann Stadium in Muncie, Indiana. They competed as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference.
In a season impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cardinals played to a 5–1 record in a limited regular-season schedule. The team then defeated Buffalo in the conference championship game. The season ended with a victory over San Jose State in the Arizona Bowl for the first bowl game victory in program history.[1]
Ball State had games scheduled against Indiana, Maine, and Michigan, which were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] [3] On July 28, it was announced that Ball State had added Iowa State to the schedule.[4] Soon after, the MAC decided to cancel its season, followed by the same announcements from the Big Ten Conference, Pac-12 Conference, and Mountain West Conference.
On September 25, the Mid-American Conference changed course, playing a six-week scheduled football season starting the week of November 4.[5]
Schedule Source:[6]
See also: 2020 Miami RedHawks football team.
See also: 2020 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team.
See also: 2020 Northern Illinois Huskies football team.
See also: 2020 Toledo Rockets football team.
See also: 2020 Central Michigan Chippewas football team.
See also: 2020 Western Michigan Broncos football team.
See also: 2020 Buffalo Bulls football team and 2020 MAC Championship Game.
See also: 2020 San Jose State Spartans football team and 2020 Arizona Bowl.