TOLEDO, Ohio – Once again Ball State held a double-digit lead in the first quarter against a Mid-American Conference opponent. And once again, Ball State would watch it vanish.
For the second week in a row, Ball State was unable to hold a big lead early in the game, and lost 31-24 at Toledo on Saturday night. The loss came just a week after Ball State blew two 21-point leads against previously-winless Eastern Michigan before falling in overtime.
Against the MAC-leading Rockets, the Cardinals (2-6, 1-3) started quickly. Ian McGarvey kicked a 35-yard field goal on their first drive of the game. Keith Wenning and wide receiver Jack Tomlinson connected for two touchdown passes to give Ball State a 17-0 lead with just under five minutes to play in the first quarter.
But it wouldn't last.
Toledo (5-3, 4-0) scored 31 unanswered points to deal Ball State its third-straight loss, all coming in MAC play. The loss left Stan Parrish looking beaten.
"I don't think they thought we were going to be ready to play," he said. "We just don't make enough plays."
Despite all of the Cardinals' shortcomings Saturday night, they still had a chance to tie the game twice in the second half. The first came with the Rockets leading 24-17 in the third quarter. MiQuale Lewis fumbled just as he was about to cross the goal line and the ball rolled out of the end zone for a touchback. Lewis was switching the ball from his right hand to his left when it was knocked loose.
Parrish said he had not talked to Lewis about the play and said he didn't know what he was doing changing hands so close to the end zone.
"Who knows?" Parrish said.
Lewis was not available for comment after the game. He finished with 94 yards, his highest total since breaking the single-game Ball State rushing record last season.
Toledo drove 80 yards for a touchdown on the following possession, appearing to put the game out of reach. But Ball State was able to score for the first time since the first quarter with 12 seconds to play on a 12-yard pass from Wenning to wide receiver Tori Gibson.
The Cardinals recovered the onside kick at their own 45-yard line, but couldn't move the ball. Wenning threw an incomplete pass, before his Hail Mary was intercepted as time ran out.
As Ball State looks ahead to the final four games of its season, it must be able to figure out why it hasn't been able to protect big leads in recent weeks.
Parrish said the Cardinals did a lot of new things in the first quarter Saturday that they hadn't shown before. The Rockets were able to make the necessary adjustments and controlled the game the rest of the way.
"We took a lot of shots and got done what we wanted," Parrish said. "We emptied out our play book pretty good."
Linebacker Davyd Jones said while this loss was a tough one, Ball State couldn't let it linger.
"It will definitely stick with us for a little while," he said. "But we've got to go on to the future."
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