Repeated missed tackles on defense and an inability to get any offense going until the third quarter led to the Ball State football team's 63-3 loss against Auburn.
"It was an embarrassing day, I can tell you," head coach Brady Hoke said. "I think we flat-out embarrassed ourselves - all of us."
The Cardinals' defense continuously missed tackles resulting in big play after big play, leading to Auburn scoring on every one of its nine possessions in the game.
"It's all about heart," senior safety Erik Keys said about finishing a tackle. "You can't be scared of nobody. You just have to come and make the hit."
The Cardinal's problems started early. Devin Aromashodu returned the opening kickoff 52 yards to the Ball State 48-yard line and the Tigers scored four plays later on a 13-yard run by Kenny Irons.
After scoring two more touchdowns, the Tigers struck yet again in the second quarter, this time on a 68-yard touchdown run by Irons.
"People just weren't stepping up," Keys said. "That's not our team; that's not how we play."
Irons teamed up with Brad Lester to combine for four rushing touchdowns. Seven of the Tigers' nine touchdowns came on rushing plays. Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox threw for one touchdown, a 3-yard strike to Ben Obomanu with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.
On the other Auburn touchdown, Lester broke through the Cardinal's special teams to return a 93-yard kickoff for a touchdown.
"When you miss that many tackles, that's effort, and that's intensity, and I didn't think we played with any intensity," Hoke said.
On top of the defense's woes, the Cardinals struggled to find any offense, resembling its performance against Iowa two weeks ago.
The offense produced 76 yards in the first half to Auburn's 325. Two weeks ago against Iowa, the Cardinals gave up 302 yards while settling for 22 of its own.
"They didn't do anything we didn't expect or didn't see [on video]," quarterback Joey Lynch said. "We just couldn't get it going early. And when we did have an opportunity, we just didn't capitalize."
After two quarters, Ball State's leading rusher was a linebacker. Junior Jason Sieman ran 14 yards on a fake punt on fourth and three in the first quarter. The play put the ball on Ball State's 46-yard line. Joey Lynch's following 26-yard run to Auburn's 28-yard line put the Cardinals in scoring position for its only opportunity in the first half.
But three plays later, after Charles Wynn ran for two yards lost and Lynch threw an incomplete pass to Bryan Williamson, the junior quarterback was sacked for a 15-yard loss, and the Cardinals were forced to punt.
"Good football teams make the most of their opportunities, and we did not do that today," Lynch said.
The Cardinals produced 93 yards on the ground. Six players rushed for at least 14 yards, including 15 yards from Wynn, who started the game at tailback. Ball State's aerial attack produced 137 yards and was led by Tery Moss who caught four passes for 46 yards.
When you can't run the ball, and you're forced to throw the ball, you're going to have problems," Hoke said. "When you can't protect the quarterback, you've got bigger problems."
Ball State finally got on the scoreboard with 9:06 remaining in the third quarter. Down 35-0, the Cardinals set up Brian Jackson's 33-yard field goal with a 55-yard drive.
Jackson, a Dothan, Ala. native, had another field goal attempt in the fourth quarter, a 32-yard attempt that missed wide left.
"There's no good news out of this football game at all," Hoke said.
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