Following Ball State football's Week 12 loss to Buffalo, the program has fired head coach Mike Neu, after going 40-63 in nine seasons, per ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Neu won the MAC title in 2020, which was his only winning season there. He led Ball State to a pair of bowl games in his tenure. He was hired as head coach in 2016, and despite his loyalty from the university, it appears that it was time for a change for both sides.

“Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell also announced that offensive line coach Colin Johnson will serve as interim head coach for Ball State's two remaining contests this season, including next Saturday's final home game against Bowling Green. Johnson, like Neu, is a Ball State football alum,” the statement read, per Cade Hampton of Muncie Star Press.

“Coach Neu has poured his heart into the Ball State football program,” Mitchell in the university's statement. “I commend him for his professionalism and the positive team culture he has constructed. His efforts have greatly impacted the lives of hundreds of young men. He has represented the Ball State brand with integrity and class, and I wish him well in future pursuits.”

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Neu signed a contract extension after the 2020 season where Ball State finished 7-1, earned a MAC Championship, and an Arizona Bowl victory over San Jose State. Neu is set to receive a $550,000 buyout, and any future compensation in his next coaching position would not impact the amount he's owed from Ball State. He is the only person to win the MAC as a player and a head coach for the same school, per Hampton.

Ball State football moves forward without Mike Neu

Oct 19, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Ball State Cardinals head coach Mike Neu paces the sidelines against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at FirstBank Stadium.
Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Offensive line coach Colin Johnson will serve as interim head coach, per Brett McMurphy of Action Network. Ball State is 3-7, and will face Bowling Green on November 23, followed by Ohio on November 29 to wrap up the 2024-25 season.