Ball State football's confidence was shaken after its third straight loss, a 63-7 loss to James Madison

Less than 30 minutes after Ball State football's 63-7 loss to James Madison, Keionte Newson sat in front of a computer screen and let out a long sigh. The veteran linebacker laughed to himself as he looked down, then formulated his thoughts.

“I just have to get better,” he said. “…Right now I’m a fraud.”

Newson finished Saturday's game with three total tackles and an early pass breakup in coverage. By the standards of Tough Cardinal No. 1, that wasn't good enough to help Ball State compete against the Dukes.

However, Newson wasn't the only Cardinal defender to struggle this season. Essentially the entire unit has underperformed through the first four games.

Saturday marked the third straight game in which Ball State's defense allowed more than 520 yards, and the 63 points surrendered are the most the Cardinals have given up since 2017.

“The biggest thing holding us back right now is communication on the defensive end, and I don’t know what I need to do to fix it,” Newson said. “…It’s all on my shoulders. (Head) Coach (Mike) Neu tries to take all the blame, but at the end of the day all he does is train.

“It comes down to the players executing and I don’t execute. My teammates and I are not at a high level.”

While Ball State's offense topped 430 yards twice this season, the Cardinals struggled against opponents with higher standards. Sure, James Madison is theoretically on the same playing field as Ball State, as the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) and Mid-American Conference (MAC) each fall into “Group of 5” territory, but the Dukes (4: 0) has already had two straight winning seasons since joining the SBC in 2022.

They even ranked 18th in all of FBS college football last season. Even if Ball State's offense arrived in Harrisonburg, Va., red hot after rushing for 431 yards and four touchdowns last week, James Madison halted that momentum.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Kadin Semonza threw three interceptions with one touchdown and was sacked another five times.

“I have to play better; It is what it is and there is nothing more to it,” Semonza said. “It's difficult. Nobody wants to be where we are now.”

The California native was just as frustrated as Newson, but his first priority after the game was to focus on his faith. Semonza stated that he will continue to stand by his “Lord and Savior” Jesus Christ no matter what, citing his faith and trust in God as his main source of refuge when he begins to lose self-confidence.

“No matter what happens, be it on the field or off, I will stand by it,” Semonza said. “Not a moment goes by when I let up on it. I’m proud of my faith.”

Like Neu and Newson, Semonza believes much of the blame for Ball State's 1-3 start lies with him, but also acknowledged that it is his responsibility to try to instill confidence in his teammates. Although the Cardinals only lost by three points to Central Michigan in Week 4 after a last-second touchdown, the other two Ball State losses were all-time lows for the program.

Week 3's 62-0 loss to Miami (FL) was the biggest loss in Neu's nine-year tenure and the biggest deficit since 2000. Saturday's 53-point loss to James Madison isn't just Neu's second-biggest loss this season time leading the Cardinals, but it is the longest of the 21st century when facing a Group 5 opponent.

Neu said he could see the Cardinals' fear of making mistakes against the Dukes, he could see his players tense in the middle of the game. It all comes down to the confidence that Neu feels Ball State lacks right now, and ultimately he believes these issues are his fault.

“I have to find a way as a head coach to get better and make sure I’m putting our football team – our guys – in the best position to be successful,” Neu said. “…I believe in the process. I believe in what we do. I believe in what we give our boys.”

Whether it was following a strict diet, maintaining an intense training regimen, or waking up before sunrise every day, Neu recognized everything his 100-plus players were going through before each game. Yet these efforts are not enough, for a reason unknown to Neu, Semonza or Newson.

“Losing stinks,” Neu said. “It's the worst feeling in your gut because you know how much you put in every week and you know how much work and effort the players have put in.

“Right now I can’t give a magical answer that will ease the pain.”

The Cardinals return to play on Saturday, October 5, when they host MAC rival Western Michigan at Scheumann Stadium in Muncie at 2 p.m. In the six days between games, Newson believes Ball State's squad needs the most perspective.

“We're playing a child's game. I’ve been playing since I was five years old,” Newson said. “Just find your base. Talk to your family again, your girlfriend, your friends, whatever you need to do to center yourself.”

Contact Kyle Smedley by email at [email protected] or via X @KyleSmedley_.