Fourth Quarter
The Keydets began the fourth quarter with a 6-yard touchdown, ending a 17-play, 99-yard drive. The Cardinals led 34-24 after the score.
After going nowhere on offense, the Cardinals were forced to punt.
Three plays into the Keydets' drive, the defense got a strip sack fumble recovery, giving the ball back to its offense at the VMI 33-yard line. James Gilbert carried the ball five times, 32 yards ending, and a 14-yard touchdown to put Ball State up 41-24 with 7:41 remaining.
The Cardinals stopped the Keydets initially, but a fake punt pass moved the chains. VMI later went for it on fourth down again, scoring a touchdown and cutting the score to 40-31 with 4:49 remaining.
Ball State recovered the VMI onside kick attempt, and scored on a Green 46-yard touchdown scamper. Green tied the Ball State record with four touchdowns in a game (three rushing, one receiving).
The Keydets equalized with a drive highlighted by a deep 51-yard completion to Mauck, who caught a touchdown earlier in the game. VMI failed on the two-point conversion attempt as well as its onside kick attempt.
The Cardinals ran out the clock to win the game by a final score of 48-36. The total combined offense was a Scheumann Stadium record of 1,114 yards.
Third Quarter
Ball State continued its short passing game early in the quarter, capping off a drive with a 25-yard screen pass to Darian Green for the touchdown, his third of the game.
Jack Milas has set career-highs so far with 47 attempts and 330 yards.
On the ensuing kick off, the Cardinals forced a fumble and recovered deep inside VMI territory. Freshman James Gilbert carried the ball three times in a row for 24 yards and a touchdown.
It appeared the Cardinals would force another three-and-out, but after a 15-yard penalty added on to a 17-yard pick up. The Keydets' Brice Tucker ran in a 36-yard touchdown.
The Keydets are driving down the field at the Cardinals' 40. The score at the end of the third is 34-17 in favor of Ball State.
Second Quarter
The Cardinals started the second quarter with the lead and the ball at midfield.
The Keydets had no answers for the Cardinals up-tempo offense.
Lacanaria was instrumental in the opening drive, picking up two of their three first downs in just four plays. Milas kept the ball and almost managed to run it in for the score but was tripped up, putting the Cardinals at the 4-yard line. Darian Green would bump to the outside for a touchdown, capping off the 8-play, 51-yard scoring drive.
Following the scoring drive, Solomon almost managed to get the first interception of the game but was dropped, forcing another three-and-out for the Keydets.
Cardinals would continue their assault on offense with Milas throwing to Williams that would go for 46 yards. Incredible blocking by the offensive line with center Jacob Richard all the way up the field with Williams made it possible. Following back to back penalties that set the Cardinals back, the Keydets would make their own mistake with a pass interference to keep the drive alive, only for the Cardinals to commit another penalty. The Cardinals would wind up settling for a 27-yard field goal, putting the Cardinals up 13-0 with 8:35 left in the half.
On the second play of the Keydets ensuing possession, Cobb would throw a deep ball as he was hit to hit a wide open Mock for an 80-yard touchdown, making the score 13-7 with the Cardinals leading with 7:54 left in the half.
Green responded in a big way returning the kickoff for 48 yards, putting the Cardinals at midfield. After a couple of runs, Green punched it up the middle for a 2-yard touchdown run, capping off the 6-play, 49-yard drive.
The Keydets ran up the middle with Tucker before a controversial call that was ruled a catch and fumble rather than an incompletion caused by Corey Hall that gave the Keydets short yardage on a third down. After a trick play with a sideline catch, the Keydets would move into scoring position. The Keydets would fail on a fake field goal run to cause a turnover on downs.
The Cardinals began moving the ball down the field, but after a tipped pass off the hands of Shillings, the Keydets would pick off the pass, taking it back into Cardinals territory.
This time the Keydets would actually kick the field goal, bringing the score to 20-10, with the Cardinals leading with 29 seconds remaining.
The Cardinals would drive but time would expire making the score 20-10, with the Cardinals leading after the first half. The Cardinals will receive opening the third quarter.
First Quarter
Seniors Jacob Richard and Ben Ingle ran out to represent Ball State for the opening coin flip of the 2015-16 season. VMI won the toss and elected to receive.
The Cardinals defense got off to a hot start, opening the game with a three and out by stopping a quarterback keep at the line of scrimmage.
Running backs Teddy Williamson and Darian Green pounded the ball up the middle several times, pushing the ball up the field for the Cardinals.
After establishing the run game, quarterback Jack Milas connected with Jordan Williams for a 12-yard pick up to move the chains. Milas then hit Green with a screen pass that would've went for a touchdown, but was tripped up after a 24-yard gain.
The Cardinals stalled, but a quarterback keep on 4th and inches would move the ball into red zone territory. The Cardinals could not capitalize, however, and settled for a 24-yard field goal by freshman Morgan Hagee. This capped off a 16-play, 76-yard drive.
Both offenses failed to get anything going for the rest of the quarter, and Ball State leads 3-0 after one quarter.
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