2012 Ball State Cardinals football team

2012 Ball State Cardinals football
Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, L 17–38 vs. UCF
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Division	West Division
Record	9–4 (6–2 MAC)
Head coach	Pete Lembo (2nd season)
Offensive coordinator	Rich Skrosky (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Jay Bateman (2nd season)
Base defense	3–4
Home stadium	Scheumann Stadium
Seasons ← 2011 2013 →

2012 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Kent State x		8	–	0					11	–	3
Bowling Green		6	–	2					8	–	5
Ohio		4	–	4					9	–	4
Buffalo		3	–	5					4	–	8
Miami (OH)		3	–	5					4	–	8
UMass		1	–	7					1	–	11
Akron		0	–	8					1	–	11
West Division
No. 22 Northern Illinois x$		8	–	0					12	–	2
Toledo		6	–	2					9	–	4
Ball State		6	–	2					9	–	4
Central Michigan		4	–	4					7	–	6
Western Michigan		2	–	6					4	–	8
Eastern Michigan		1	–	7					2	–	10
Championship: Northern Illinois 44, Kent State 37
$ – Conference champion and BCS representative as top non-AQ school to meet automatic qualification criteria x – Division champion/co-champions UMass not eligible for conference title or bowl game as part of FBS transition Rankings from AP Poll

The 2012 Ball State Cardinals football team represented Ball State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Pete Lembo and played their home games at Scheumann Stadium. They were a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 9–4, 6–2 in MAC play to finish in a tie for second place in the West Division. They were invited to the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl where they were defeated by UCF. The Cardinals were led by Junior QB #10 Keith Wenning with 3,095 yards passing, 24 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.^[1]

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30	7:00 PM	Eastern Michigan	Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN	ESPN3	W 37–26	12,725
September 8	12:30 PM	at No. 12 Clemson*	Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC	ACCN/ESPN3	L 27–52	79,557
September 15	8:00 PM	at Indiana*	Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN	BTN	W 41–39	48,186
September 22	4:30 PM	South Florida*	Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN	Big East Network/ESPN3	W 31–27	16,397
September 29	12:00 PM	at Kent State	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	ESPN+/CSS	L 43–45	21,657
October 6	2:00 PM	Northern Illinois	Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN (Bronze Stalk Trophy)	ESPN3	L 23–35	11,238
October 13	3:00 PM	Western Michigan	Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN	ESPN3	W 30–24 OT	14,192
October 20	3:30 PM	at Central Michigan	Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI	ESPN3	W 41–30	14,081
October 27	12:00 PM	at Army*	Michie Stadium West Point, NY	CBSSN	W 30–22	15,288
November 6	8:00 PM	at No. 23 Toledo	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	ESPN2	W 34–27	18,211
November 14	8:00 PM	Ohio	Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN	ESPNU	W 52–27	10,097
November 23	1:00 PM	at Miami (OH)	Yager Stadium Oxford, OH		W 31–24	8,154
December 21	7:30 PM	vs. UCF*	Tropicana Field St. Petersburg, FL (Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl)	ESPN	L 17–38	21,759
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	0	13	0	13	26
Cardinals	10	3	21	3	37

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	7	3	10	7	27
#12 Tigers	13	32	0	7	52

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	14	10	14	3	41
Hoosiers	10	15	0	14	39

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulls	3	6	10	8	27
Cardinals	3	7	14	7	31

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	0	13	13	17	43
Golden Flashes	0	21	14	10	45

	1	2	3	4	Total
Huskies	7	7	7	14	35
Cardinals	3	13	7	0	23

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Broncos	7	14	0	3	0	24
Cardinals	7	3	7	7	6	30

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	7	17	7	10	41
Chippewas	0	10	7	13	30

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	14	3	3	10	30
Black Knights	7	3	3	9	22

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	14	3	7	10	34
#23 Rockets	7	10	3	7	27

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bobcats	3	14	7	3	27
Cardinals	7	14	10	21	52

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	14	7	10	0	31
RedHawks	7	7	0	10	24

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	0	7	3	7	17
Knights	13	15	7	3	38