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FACTS & STATS: Site: Scheumann Stadium (22,500) -- Muncie, Indiana. Television: ESPNU. Home Record: North Texas 0-0, BSU 0-0. Away Record: North Texas 0-0, BSU 0-0. Neutral Record: North Texas 0-0, BSU 0-0. Conference Record: North Texas 0-0, BSU 0-0. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: Coming off the most successful season in program history, the Ball State Cardinals will try to rekindle that magic when they open the 2009 campaign this Thursday evening at home against the North Texas Mean Green.

The Mean Green also had a historic season for their program, but for all the wrong reasons, as the team went just 1-11, while losing all seven of its Sun Belt matchups. Coach Todd Dodge begins his third season at North Texas, and it could be his most important, as the coach has posted a terrible 3-21 mark in two years in Denton.

As for the Cardinals, the 2008 team flew higher than any other squad in Ball State's history. The Cardinals soared to a 10-0 ledger in 2008, and were ranked for the first time in school history. Although the team finished 12-2, suffering back-to-back losses to Buffalo in the Mid-American Title game and to Tulsa in the GMAC Bowl, new head coach Stan Parrish will try to lead this hungry Ball State team through another glorious run, beginning with Thursday's meeting with North Texas.

Coach Dodge was supposed to bring a spread attack to Denton, but since taking over at North Texas, the Mean Green have not really caught on. However, that could all change on the arm of the coaches' son, Riley. Considered one of the biggest recruits to ever sign with the Mean Green, Riley Dodge has a good arm and the luxury of having his father as a coach. The 6-0, 182-pound redshirt freshman, who was the 2006 and 2007 Gatorade Player of the Year in high school, is set to be the future of the program, but will surely go through some growing pains first. There will be a whole new set of receivers that the young signal caller will have to get adjusted to on the field, but he will likely look toward sophomore Sam Roberson early and often. In the backfield is where North Texas actually has some stability thanks to the return of Cam Montgomery. The 6-1, 210-pound senior rushed for 928 yards and nine touchdowns last season and he will be leaned on heavily with an inexperienced passing attack. With the entire starting offensive line back for another season, Montgomery's should eclipse 1,000 yards in 2009.

The Mean Green were simply atrocious defensively this past season, but with plenty of players returning with starting experience, there is really no where but up for this unit. Hope for a solid pass rusher comes in the form of Eddrick Gilmore, who missed the 2006 season with academic issues and some of last year for personal reasons. The 6-5, 240-pound end still led the team with three sacks last season and if he can stay on the field for a full year, he has the potential to be an all-league player. In the middle, North Texas is loaded with a talent and experience and Tobe Nwigwe is the best of the linebacking group. The 6-1, 251-pound senior led the team with 111 tackles and three interceptions last season, and he has great speed and leadership skills. The secondary had all sorts of issues slowing down opponents last season, but there is hope with some returning experience. Royce Hill, a 5-10, 173-pound sophomore continued to improve last season and finished with 34 tackles. The talented Hill has good speed and quickness and is developing into a shutdown corner. Fellow sophomore Darien Williams put forth a noteworthy rookie campaign in 2008, posting 61 tackles and five PBUs.

The Cardinals were a well-oiled machine in 2008, passing and running all over the opposition, but with the majority of last year's talent gone, coach Parrish will likely see his offensive unit struggle to find consistency early in the year. Filling the shoes of former quarterback Nate Lewis will be tough, but Kelly Page will have the opportunity to show the Ball State fans that he is the right replacement. Expect Page to lean heavily on returning wideout Briggs Orsbon Thursday evening, as he is clearly the top option for the redshirt freshman signal caller. Orsbon stepped up after the team lost Dante Love for the season, as the wideout hauled in 68 passes for 813 yards and five touchdowns. Fortunately for coach Parrish, the running game will likely continue its success thanks to the return of MiQuale Lewis. Lewis set school records with 1,736 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2008, and while the tailback is extremely dangerous, repeating those numbers could be tough with only one starter from the offensive line back in the mix.

With all the new faces on offense, the defensive unit for Ball State will have to step up its efforts early in the season. The front line will have all four starters back, including team leader Brandon Crawford, who is the anchor on the line after earning a spot on the All-MAC Second Team last year. The linebacking corps will not be as experienced, as Davyd Jones is the only starter back in the fold. Jones led the team last year with 10 TFLs and recorded 85 total tackles, but the junior will have to lead an inexperienced bunch in the middle. The corners for BSU are wet behind the ears, so look for Koreen Burch and Charlie Todd to see plenty of action early on Thursday night, as the Mean Green will likely attempt to abused the inexperienced players. Burch and Todd will likely lean heavily on safeties Sean Baker and Alex Knapp. Baker was tabbed Freshman of the Year in the MAC after racking up 94 tackles, to go with 10 PBUs and six interceptions.

The Cardinals will not be as explosive as the 2008 squad, but the team should have an easy time playing in front of a home crowd against a relatively weak defensive team in North Texas.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Ball State 41, North Texas 24