Letterman given game ball

Letterman given game ball (10/10/2000)

Ball State alumnus David Letterman accepts a game ball from Al Rent, director of marketing. (CBS)

Charlie Cardinal shows New York what a true fighting cardinal looks like. (CBS)

Our long national nightmare has come to an end -- David Letterman

Ball State gave thanks to its most famous alumnus Monday night by sending Charlie Cardinal and Marketing Director Al Rent to give David Letterman Saturday's game ball.

VIEW a clip from the broadcast. (You need the free RealPlayer basic to view the clip.)

Letterman has been ribbing his alma mater for weeks for having the nation's longest football losing streak. The streak ended Saturday in a 15-10 victory against rival Miami.

On Friday, Letterman asked former NBA all-star Magic Johnson to give the team a pep talk.

"You've got to knock someone's head off," Johnson said.

Letterman took partial credit for the win Monday, "I'd like to think I had something to do with it."