The Ball State Cardinals will play at the Northwestern Wildcats during the 2026 season, FBSchedules.com has learned.
Ball State will travel to face Northwestern at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill., on Oct. 10, 2026. The Cardinals will receive an $875,000 guarantee for playing the game, according to the copy of the contract obtained from Ball State University via a state public records request.
In their first and only gridiron meeting on Sept. 26, 2015, Northwestern narrowly defeated Ball State at home in Evanston, 24-19.
Ball State was previously scheduled to play at the Indiana Hoosiers during the 2026 season, but that contest has been canceled, according to a copy of the amendment to the original contract obtained by FBSchedules.com. Indiana canceled the contest and will pay Ball State a cancellation fee of $375,000 by Dec. 31, 2026.
Prior to canceling the 2026 contest, Ball State and Indiana signed a new contract for a game that will be played in Bloomington, Ind., on Sept. 1, 2029. The Hoosiers will pay the Cardinals a $1.3 million guarantee for the game, per the contract copy.
As a result of the aforementioned changes, Ball State has also modified the dates of two other non-conference games that are scheduled for the 2026 season. Ball State will now host the Stony Brook Seawolves one week earlier on Sept. 12 (was Sept. 19) and will also host the Liberty Flames one week earlier on Sept. 19 (was Sept. 26).
Ball State is slated to open the 2026 season on the road against the Ohio State Buckeyes on Sept. 5.
Football Schedules