The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

Bronze Stalk Trophy

Northern Illinois24-24-1Ball State
Regional Program IV#115 of 138–Regional Program V#132 of 138–
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →

The series is dead even at 24-24-1. They've met 49 times since 1968. Northern Illinois once took 10 straight.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Northern Illinois
Transfer portal
-26
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -49
Ball State
Transfer portal
+12
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: +24

Stature & the series, 1968–2025

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeNorthern IllinoisBall Stateevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Northern Illinois won, gray: Ball State won)198020002020

The identity war

Ball State was the more pass-heavy program — then Northern Illinois took it over.

Ball State threw it more in 15 of 15 seasons, 2004–2018. Since 2019, Northern Illinois has led 4 of 8. Real exceptions: 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025.

more passmore runNorthern IllinoisBall State2004200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262019Northern Illinois 3.9 ptsBall State won 27-202024Ball State 14.4 ptsBall State won 25-23
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

The biggest win was Northern Illinois by 46 in 2017. The biggest crowd, 24,121, was in 2003.

The coaching duels

Joe Novak vs Bill Lynch4-2
Thomas Hammock vs Mike Neu1-5
Joe Novak vs Brady Hoke3-2
Bill Mallory vs Dwight Wallace1-3
Jerry Pettibone vs Paul Schudel0-4
Jerry Kill vs Stan Parrish2-1

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
25-17
Northern Illinois leads
1st-rounders
2-0
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
Northern IllinoisBall State
1960s1-2
1970s5-4
1980s4-0
1990s1-2
2000s7-5
2010s7-2
2020s0-2

Best picks, either side

2009Larry English Defensive End · San Diego ChargersRd 1, pick 16#16 overall
2014Jimmie Ward Safety · San Francisco 49ersRd 1, pick 30#30 overall
1976Shafer Suggs Defensive Back · New York JetsRd 2, pick 5#33 overall
2019Max Scharping Offensive Tackle · Houston TexansRd 2, pick 23#55 overall
1969John Spilis Wide Receiver · Green Bay PackersRd 3, pick 12#64 overall
2009Robert Brewster Offensive Tackle · Dallas CowboysRd 3, pick 11#75 overall
1994LeShon Johnson Running Back · Green Bay PackersRd 3, pick 19#84 overall
1978Maurice Harvey Defensive Back · Oakland RaidersRd 4, pick 2#86 overall

Recent meetings

2025Northern Illinois21-7
2024Ball State25-23Northern Illinois — Northern Illinois favored by 13.5
2023Ball State20-17Northern Illinois — decided by 3
2022Ball State44-38
2021Northern Illinois30-29Ball State — decided by 1
2020Ball State31-25
2019Ball State27-20
2018Northern Illinois24-16
2017Northern Illinois63-17
2016Northern Illinois31-24
2015Northern Illinois59-41
2014Northern Illinois35-21
2013Northern Illinois48-27
2012Northern Illinois35-23

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Northern Illinois’s chance to win through that meeting. Northern Illinois is 1-2 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter.

2025Northern Illinois 21-7Northern Illinois won 21-7 vs Ball State. Chance to win started at 72%, low 60%, high better than 99%.
2024Ball State 25-23Northern Illinois lost 23-25 at Ball State. Chance to win started at 78%, low under 1%, high 78%.
2023Ball State 20-17Northern Illinois lost 17-20 vs Ball State. Chance to win started at 66%, low under 1%, high 74%.
2021Northern Illinois 30-29Northern Illinois won 30-29 vs Ball State. Chance to win started at 41%, low 11%, high better than 99%.
2020Ball State 31-25Northern Illinois lost 25-31 at Ball State. Chance to win started at 21%, low 2%, high 56%.
2019Ball State 27-20Northern Illinois lost 20-27 vs Ball State. Chance to win started at 71%, low under 1%, high 96%.
2018Northern Illinois 24-16Northern Illinois won 24-16 at Ball State. Chance to win started at 58%, low 50%, high better than 99%.

Meetings with their own story page

3 meetings in our archive, 2021 to 2024.