It's not a case of bad luck; probably not even a mental block.But for some reason, Muncie has not been a kind place to favoredToledo teams, and Ball State has played a poor host.
Saturday's 38-14 throttling by the Cardinals did not comeagainst an unbeaten Rocket team (as in 1997 and 2001), but theresult was equally shocking.
Just a week removed from its worst defeat in conference history,Ball State (4-4, 3-1 Mid-American Conference) rolled up 505 yardsof offense and converted 12 of 15 third downs to put itself back inthe thick of the MAC West race.
The Cardinals and Rockets (5-3, 3-1) are tied with NorthernIllinois for second behind Bowling Green. Ball State plays atNorthern on Saturday and hosts the Falcons in the seasonfinale.
"It's a championship week; we can't lose any more," said juniorsafety Justin Beriault, who notched 11 tackles, an interception anda fumble recovery. "From here on out, we have to win every game. Wehave no option than to have that kind of demeanor for the rest ofthe season."
"We're exactly where we want to be," head coach Brady Hokeadded. "We hold our destiny in our hands."
Quarterback Talmadge Hill did his part and much more to help putthe Cardinals in that position. The fifth-year senior was pinpointwith his passing (22 of 27 for 307 yards and three touchdowns),shifty with his running (67 yards on 13 carries) and sure with hishands (recovering an onside kick despite losing his helmet).
The onside kick came with 11:46 remaining in the game and theCardinals leading 24-8 after Toledo's Bruce Gradkowski threw toTerrance Hudson for an 8-yard touchdown. Hill proceeded to lead a44-yard drive for the game-clinching score, with a 6-yard TD passto tight end Michael Steinhaus coming on the seventh play.
Beriault's fumble recovery was sandwiched by four 15-yardpenalties on Toledo -- a chop block and three unsportsmanlike calls-- that nullified a Rockets touchdown and showed their frustration.Scott Blair, who rushed for 97 yards, scored from 3 yards out sixplays later to complete the shellacking with 4:18 to go.
While he said his team was clearly outplayed, Toledo head coachTom Amstutz also felt the rain-soaked field hampered his team'splay some.
"Not to use it as an excuse, because Ball State deserved towin," he said, "but the track was muddy and sloppy, and in myopinion it was a little bit of an equalizer.
"We weren't as physical today as I've seen our team. I don'treally have an explanation for it. They were a tougher footballteam than us today."
To BSU receiver Larry Bostic, it was a matter of the Cardinalshaving a feel for the conditions.
"I heard it was Toledo's first time playing on grass," he said."We've been in that position before (with rain), so we knew how toadjust to the footing. We came out before the game, got our footingdown on our routes."
Ball State gave an early indication of how things would go onthe game's first possession. On third-and-4, Dante Ridgeway turnedan underneath crossing pattern into a 38-yard gain to the Toledo15. Charles Wynn blasted in from yard out three plays later to putthe Cardinals up with 11:01 remaining in the first.
Hill found success all day with underneath throws -- several onthird down -- to Ridgeway, who finished with 10 catches for 152yards.
"That was a route I would expect after seeing it a few timesthat we would step up and make plays," Amstutz said. "We justdidn't do it and they executed at a high level.
"I give Ball State the credit. They used their personnel realwell. They made plays when they had to."
Beriault's interception at the 21 ended Toledo's threat on itsfirst drive. On consecutive second-and-10s, Hill took a quarterbackdraw 46 yards to the Rockets 27 and lofted a scoring pass to Bosticfor an early 14-0 lead.
Justin Riley's interception, also at the Cardinals 21, killedToledo's next possession.
Ball State took its first possession of the second half anddrove 72 yards on 16 plays to set up Brian Jackson's 25-yard fieldgoal. After taking over on downs, the Cardinals moved ahead 24-0 onHill's 18-yard strike to Bostic with 13:49 to go in the game.
Toledo finished with 440 yards of offense, but 206 came afterthat touchdown. Gradkowski was 33 of 42 for 320 yards.
"I'm satisfied that we fought as a football team," Hoke said."Last week we didn't fight, and we fought all week in practice. Asa team, we fought in every phase."
"I don't know if you can play that 60-minute game, but we'redaggone gonna try to. I think it was our best football game as ateam."
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