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It's never too early to pay attention to the scheduling non-conference games. With so many things in flux on a year-to-year basis, a big non-conference matchup fans were looking forward too could get wiped off the schedule due to some scheduling conflicts. But, alas, not to worry Ball State fans. That is not the case here.
Ball State and Michigan both announced that their 2016 non-conference matchup at the Big House in Ann Arbor, Mich., has been pushed back to Sept. 12, 2020. There was no reason given for the four year push back, but the fact that it wasn't scrapped is good news for the Cardinals, though it does delivery a blow to their 2016 non-conference slate as it currently stands. BSU now just has road games at Middle Tennessee and at Indiana on its 2016 slate, so far.
The Michigan matchup originally seemed interesting because of Brady Hoke, the Wolverines head coach, a former Ball State player and coach. But seven years is a long time, and it could very well end up that Hoke won't be in the maize and blue come that time, but we'll have to wait and see.
As it currently stands here are the Cardinals' confirmed non-conference games for the next few seasons:
2014:
- Sat., Sept. 5 @ Iowa
- Sat., Oct. 4 @ Army
- Sat., Oct. 25 vs. Colgate
2015:
- Sat., Sept. 4 vs. VMI
- Sat., Sept 12 vs. Middle Tennessee
- Sat., Sept. 26 @ Northwestern
2016:
- Thurs., Sept. 1 @ Middle Tennessee State
- Sat., Sept 10 @ Indiana
2017:
- Sat., Sept. 2 @ Illinois
- Sat., Oct. 7 vs. Army
2020:
- Sat., Sept. 12 @ Michigan
