Derek Schultz

A conference title is something Ball State has claimed just once since 1996—a COVID-shortened 2020 campaign that also included the program’s first bowl victory and top-25 ranking in the final national polls.

As we enter the best three weeks on the sports calendar—with the annual opportunity to embrace a new Cinderella—here’s a look back on some of the state’s most out-of-nowhere tournament runs since the event’s last major field expansion 40 years ago.

In college and professional sports history, the state of Indiana hasn’t produced many dynasties, but several teams have had notable runs.

The Ignite, the newest member of the fledgling Pro Volleyball Federation, took flight in their inaugural season earlier this month, scoring a 3-1 win over Orlando in front of a sellout crowd at the brand-new Fishers Event Center.

However, throughout the rest of the country Saturday in college football’s rivalry football, many displays went beyond rivalry pettiness. In fact, if we’re adding them all up, IU’s fake punt doesn’t even register on the “out for blood” scale.

In the Colts’ eyes, nothing has changed, nor should it have.

If you have never been to the historic strip before, the experience watching these rocket ships on wheels—at over 330 miles per hour, they’re the fastest race cars on the planet—is unique to anything else in sports.