KENT, Ohio – The game was slipping away from Ball State. Again.
For the second week in a row, a fumble by one of the Cardinals' feature backs in their opponent's half of the field thwarted a chance to tie the game late in the third quarter. Also for the second week in a row, Ball State's opponent took the ball the length of the field in a clock-draining drive immediately following the turnover.
There would be no furious comeback attempt this time, and Kent State pulled away from Ball State for a 33-14 victory Saturday.
As the disastrous final 20 minutes played out, left tackle Michael Switzer said it was an emotional time on the sideline.
"You want to try and keep cool," he said. "And when you get a chance to go back out there again, to do the best you can."
After the final seconds ticked off on Ball State's fourth-straight loss, there wasn't much to say. The Cardinals (2-7, 1-4 Mid-American Conference) clinched their second consecutive losing season.
The same problems that have confounded Ball State all season were back. An inability to make plays on defense or block much of anything on offense plagued the Cardinals.
"For us, it was the same old, same old," coach Stan Parrish said. "We couldn't block them, and that makes for a tough day."
Backup quarterback Kelly Page was Ball State's leading rusher for much of the day. He gained 23 yards on two carries in the first half and wasn't passed by MiQuale Lewis until the fourth quarter. Lewis finished with 39 yards on 11 carries.
Kent State entered the game with the nation's second-best rush defense. By the end of the day, the Golden Flashes were the best in the country, allowing just 2.05 yards per carry this season. The Cardinals managed 2.3 on Saturday, but with only Lewis operating at full health, their talented running backs couldn't give quarterback Keith Wenning much help.
"They blitzed us a lot, and their defensive line is good," Parrish said. "We couldn't run. And when you're one-dimensional, it's tough to get going."
Wenning finished 15 of 32 for 200 yards. He threw three interceptions for the second week in a row but threw for a touchdown and ran for one.
After another loss, the Cardinals now must find a way to scrap together at least one win in the season's final weeks.
"We have three games left," Switzer said. "We need to finish the season right and play with a good confidence level."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
