Ball State 2026 — The Chapter Being Written

Record 3-5

Final result In-progress

AP final — post-bowls

SP+ -5.0 last-week

Era —

The shape of the season · week by week, cumulative W-L below

Who carried it

Keldric LusterQB1,300 passing yards
TJ HortonRB426 rushing yards
Jalen BondsRB224 rushing yards
Donovan HamiltonWR310 receiving yards
Jamarion McDougleWR264 receiving yards
Isaiah ThackerWR217 receiving yards
Kaleb StewartLB37 tackles
Gavin ForshaLB36 tackles
Sterling SmithDB36 tackles
Ben MarshDE2 sacks
Ameir GlennDT2 sacks

Season leaders, 2026.

Defining moments

The statement

The 2026 season's largest margin: Ball State 41, Stony Brook 17. A 24-point win — the year's high-water mark.

The setback

The season's deepest loss: Ball State 3, Ohio State 56. A 53-point margin the season is remembered by.

"Chirp Chirp"

— Ball State fanbase voice · 2026· synthesized

What it meant

2026 is a middle chapter for Ball State — neither a crown year nor a crisis. It is the kind of season that fills the ledger between the named ones and gives the arc its shape.