QB
C-Kelly at QB (75, senior, stamina 95). Top-3 of 69.7.
**Dynasty-start roster (CFB 26)**DC Rating 4.4 / 10
Ball State
Architect Uremovich with a Tier-3 Indiana home and a multi-year HB pair at 1-prestige MAC bottom.
The Dynasty Verdict
If you want a Mike Uremovich program where a Tier-3 Indiana home meets a 62 overall floor and four top-10 ball-carriers, Ball State is the MAC team built for a four-year scratch-and-claw rebuild. Ashley anchors the run game at junior HB 81 with acceleration 91 and speed 88. Magwood stretches the field at senior WR 76 with acceleration 93. Kelly runs the offense at senior QB 75 with stamina 95 and toughness 91. Yates patrols the secondary at sophomore CB 75 with acceleration 92. The home pipeline is one Tier-3 in Indiana plus four Tier-2 reaches across the Midwest, which beats most 1-prestige boards but doesn't approach the MAC contenders.
What makes Ball State different from the other 1-prestige MAC programs is the multi-year backfield. Buffalo asks you to ride a senior front-seven anchor at MIKE. Eastern Michigan asks you to ride an A- stability mark and a senior offensive line. Ball State asks you to ride a junior HB1 (Ashley) plus two sophomore HBs (Jackson, Horton) and a sophomore CB (Yates) as the rebuild's multi-year skeleton. Same conference, very different roster shape.
The 4.4 lands on the multi-year HB cluster and the Tier-3 Indiana home — and gets capped by the 62 overall and the F stadium grade. Uremovich at C- coach prestige and D+ stability has neither the recruiting currency nor the staff continuity Eastern Michigan brings to the same prestige tier. Don't pick Ball State for a Year 1 contender push. Pick Ball State for the deep MAC rebuild where Ashley, Jackson, Horton, and Yates carry the multi-year identity while Uremovich tries to convert the Indiana home into Year 3-4 contention.
Head Coach
Mike Uremovich
ArchitectThe launch hands Uremovich a 62-overall MAC floor with Ashley as the multi-year HB anchor and Yates as the multi-year secondary bridge. C- coach prestige and D+ stability is the structural caution: the recruiting math doesn't compound, and the staff turnover that grade implies disrupts the pipeline before it bites. Architect archetype suggests scheme depth, but the dynasty math runs through whether the Year 1 recruiting class converts the Indiana Tier-3 home into multi-year talent. Without that, the program holds at the 1-prestige floor.
Team at a Glance
| Conference | MAC |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Mike Uremovich · Architect |
| Team Prestige | 1 stars |
| Team Overall (in-game) | 62 |
| Top Position Group | Running Back · C+ · top-3 avg 76.3 |
| Weakest Position Group | Special Teams · C- · top-3 avg 68.3 |
| Stadium Atmosphere | F |
| Brand Exposure | D- |
| Coach Prestige | C- |
| Coach Stability | D+ |
| Top-10 Senior Departures After Year 1 | 4 of 10 |
Top 10 Players
By overall rating at dynasty start
| # | Player | Pos | Yr | OVR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Qua Ashley | HB | Jr | 81 | Acceleration 91 |
| 02 | Qian Magwood | WR | Sr | 76 | Acceleration 93 |
| 03 | Kiael Kelly | QB | Sr | 75 | Stamina 95 |
| 04 | Willizhuan Yates | CB | So | 75 | Acceleration 92 |
| 05 | Chris Hood | LT | Jr | 74 | Strength 87 |
| 06 | Elijah Jackson | HB | So | 74 | Acceleration 92 |
| 07 | Joey Stemler | MIKE | Sr | 74 | Injury 88 |
| 08 | TJ Horton | HB | So | 74 | Acceleration 89 |
| 09 | Maximus Webster | TE | So | 73 | Stamina 95 |
| 10 | Otto Hess | C | Sr | 73 | Toughness 91 |
Position Group Grades
RB
C+Ashley at HB (81, junior, acceleration 91), Jackson at HB (74, sophomore, acceleration 92) and Horton at HB (74, sophomore, acceleration 89). Top-3 of 76.3, the strongest unit on the roster.
WR
CMagwood at WR (76, senior, acceleration 93). Top-3 of 72.3.
TE
C-Webster at TE (73, sophomore, stamina 95). Top-3 of 70.3.
OL
CHood at LT (74, junior, strength 87) and Hess at C (73, senior, toughness 91). Top-3 of 73.0.
DL
CTop-3 of 71.7.
LB
CStemler at MIKE (74, senior, injury 88). Top-3 of 72.0.
DB
CYates at CB (75, sophomore, acceleration 92). Top-3 of 71.7.
ST
C-Top-3 of 68.3.
Recommended Playbooks
Offense
Spread (Ball State Default)
Run Spread because the four ball-carrier rotation is the design's only above-grade asset. Ashley takes the lead carries at acceleration 91 and speed 88. Jackson rotates as the change-of-pace at acceleration 92. Horton handles the third-down work at acceleration 89. Magwood stretches the field at acceleration 93. Kelly's senior dual-threat package keeps the option keepers honest at stamina 95.
Why this fits
A C+ RB grade across three top-10 backs spreads the carries and protects Ashley's junior workload. Jackson and Horton's sophomore eligibility carries the multi-year backfield bridge.
Defense
Base 3-4 (Ball State Default)
Run the Base 3-4 because the back end has the only top-10 defensive skill. Yates at sophomore CB locks the boundary at acceleration 92 and stamina 89. Stemler anchors the senior MIKE level at injury 88 and toughness 86. The C DL grade and C LB grade behind him are the structural risk — the front seven carries the MAC's interior runs without a top-10 anchor.
Why this fits
The Base 3-4's two-deep secondary protects the C DB grade and lets Yates's multi-year boundary cover compound across three eligibility years.
Recruiting Outlook
Pipeline regions
- IndianaTier 3
- OhioTier 2
- IllinoisTier 2
- MichiganTier 2
- MissouriTier 2
- TennesseeTier 1
- PennsylvaniaTier 1
- TidewaterTier 1
- KentuckyTier 1
- LouisianaTier 1
You'll recruit the Midwest. The in-state Indiana Tier-3 home anchors the plan, and four Tier-2 reaches (Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri) widen the regional board. That's a wider above-Tier-1 footprint than most 1-prestige MAC peers — Buffalo and Eastern Michigan both lack a Tier-3 home. Uremovich at C- coach prestige can't compete head-to-head with the bigger MAC programs for top Indiana recruits, but the in-state mid-tier prospects are reachable.
Position priorities for Year 1 are dictated by the 4-senior cliff plus the 62 overall floor. Quarterback is critical — Kelly graduates with no clear underclass starter. After QB, replacement WR behind Magwood, replacement OL depth across the line, replacement MIKE behind Stemler.
The Tier-1 cluster (Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Tidewater, Kentucky, Louisiana) is for filling specific position gaps with single-player targets only. Don't burn time on the deep South or the East unless you're chasing a specific recruit a Power-4 school hasn't already locked.
Your Year-by-Year Path with Ball State
Year 1
The Floor Year
You're inheriting a 62-overall MAC roster with the four ball-carrier rotation as the only above-grade asset. Don't experiment. Run Spread, lean Ashley on the lead carries with Jackson and Horton rotating, let Magwood stretch the field while Yates locks the boundary. Year 1 is 4-5 wins and bowl eligibility is a stretch. While you're surviving, sign the Year 1 QB and OL classes that the Indiana Tier-3 board can deliver.
Goal
4-5 wins, MAC bottom-half finish, top-110 recruiting class.
Years 2-3
The Ashley Window
Four senior anchors graduate. Ashley becomes the senior HB identity. Yates moves to senior CB1, Jackson and Horton step into the carry rotation, Webster develops at TE. The Year 1 QB recruit becomes Year 2's starter behind a still-thin OL. Uremovich's Architect archetype gives him the scheme depth to keep the offense functional, but D+ stability still threatens the staff continuity development depends on.
Goal
5-6 wins, MAC middle, Ashley at 84+ as a senior, top-110 recruiting class.
Year 4+
The MAC Floor
By Year 4, Ball State's dynasty depends on whether Uremovich's Year 1-2 recruiting closed enough multi-year talent to backfill the senior cliff and whether his staff survived. A realistic Year 4+ ceiling is a 6-7 win MAC program with bowl eligibility on the line, with a 1.5-prestige climb contingent on a MAC West contender push.
Goal
6-7 win MAC program, 1.5-prestige climb if recruiting compounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ball State good for dynasty mode in CFB 26?
Only for a deep four-year MAC rebuild, with caveats. Ball State enters CFB 26 with a 62-overall roster, C- coach prestige and D+ coach stability under Uremovich's Architect archetype, and a C+ RB grade anchored by Qua Ashley at junior HB 81 with acceleration 91. The 1-prestige floor and F stadium grade are the structural caps.
What's Ball State's prestige in CFB 26?
Ball State enters CFB 26 with a 1-star prestige rating, paired with C- coach prestige and D+ coach stability. The Tier-3 Indiana home plus four Tier-2 reaches (Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri) give Ball State a wider above-Tier-1 board than most 1-prestige MAC peers.
What playbook does Ball State use in CFB 26?
Mike Uremovich's Ball State runs the Spread offense and the Base 3-4 defense. The Spread fits the three-deep HB room (Ashley, Jackson, Horton) plus Magwood at senior WR. The Base 3-4 deploys Stemler at MIKE (74, senior, injury 88) and Yates at CB (75, sophomore, acceleration 92).
Who is Ball State's best player in College Football 26?
Qua Ashley at 81 OVR, junior halfback, with acceleration 91, injury 90, and stamina 89. Ashley is the multi-year offensive anchor and the centerpiece of the Spread run game. Qian Magwood at WR (76, senior, acceleration 93) and Kiael Kelly at QB (75, senior, stamina 95) round out the top three.
Should I rebuild Ball State or take an easier team?
Ball State is a deep MAC rebuild, not a quick contender flip. The Year 1 ceiling is 4-5 wins; the Year 2-3 floor depends on Ashley maturing into an 84+ senior and the Year 1 QB recruit developing. Take Ball State if you want a bottom-MAC floor with multi-year HB depth at 1 prestige. If you want a similar MAC rebuild with stronger coach stability, look at Eastern Michigan.