Fourth Quarter
The Cardinals got a sack to start the quarter, and Miami punted it away. A nice roll put the ball at the Ball State 7-yard line.
Sophomore quarterback Riley Neal rushed for 12 yards and a first down on the first play, but junior Corey Lacanaria was stuffed on a third-down catch. Senior Kyle Schmidt punted to the Miami 25, where the RedHawks took over.
Miami quarterback Gus Ragland started off the next drive 4-4 for 47 yards to put the RedHawks at the Cardinals' 35-yard line. Ball State's Kevin Thurmon came up with a big sack on scond down, but Ragland found Sam Shisso on the right side for a 27-yard touchdown.
With the extra point, Miami took the lead 21-20 with 5:44 left in the game.
Senior KeVonn Mabon took the following kickoff back 90 yards for a score, but it was called back for holding. Instead, Ball State started its drive at the 32-yard line.
Ball State used several short gains to get the ball into Miami territory, but head coach Mike Neu elected to punt it on 4th-and-1 from the RedHawks 48-yard line. With 2:42 left, Miami took over at its 15.
The RedHawks got a first down and ran the rest of the clock out.
Miami comes back to defeat Ball State 21-20.
Third Quarter
Miami didn't waste any time putting points on the board in the second half. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Gus Ragland hit 5th-year senior wideout Rokeem Williams down the middle, who broke a tackle and took it 74 yards for the score. The extra point made it 17-14.
The Cardinals responded with a 13-play, 57-yard drive that ended in a Morgan Hagee 25-yard field goal to make the score 20-14. Sophomore quarterback had junior wide receiver Corey Lacanaria in the corner of the end zone, but it was incomplete on 3rd-and-goal.
After the kickoff, the RedHawks set up shop at their own 27-yard line with 9:19 left.
Ball State fielded the punt at its own 10, and was also forced to punt after the drive stalled.
Miami has moved the ball from its own 24 to the Ball State 37, but Ragland has been sacked twice on the current drive, and they face a 2nd-and-17 as the quarter expires.
After three, Ball State was on top of Miami 20-14.
Second Quarter
Miami quarterback Gus Ragland threw an incompletion down the left sideline to start the quarter. After a punt on fourth down, the Cardinals started their drive at the 20.
Ball State put together a very solid drive to take the lead, going 80 yards in seven plays. Sophomore quarterback Riley Neal had completions to Corey Lacanaria, Jordan Hogue and KeVonn Mabon, who tied the program's all-time receptions record with a 16-yard catch.
Neal finished the drive with a 3-yard rushing touchdown on a read option. Sophomore kicker Morgan Hagee's extra point was good, extending the lead to 14-7.
The defense came up big, as senior defensive end Anthony Winbush got a sack on third down. Miami went for it on 4th-and-10 from the Ball State 41, but came up about four yards short.
The Cardinals took over at their own 35-yard line with 7:23 left. Mabon broke the record for most receptions in program history with a 7-yard catch across the middle. Ball State had a first down at the Miami 18, but Neal underthrew a pass to the end zone and was intercepted.
Ball State's defense forced a punt, however, and the offense set up shop again at its own 28-yard line with 2:05 left.
The Cardinals' offense controlled the rest of the half, traveling 58 yards in 14 plays. Neal was called for intentional grounding late in the drive, but they called a timeout with four seconds left. Hagee made a 31-yard field goal to end the half.
At halftime, Ball State led Miami 17-7.
First Quarter
Ball State won the toss, and chose to receive. The Cardinals began their drive at the 22-yard line after the kick return.
Sophomore quarterback pushed the offense near midfield with a 21-yard run, but the drive stalled from there. Senior punter Kyle Schmidt's punt was downed at the Miami 26, where the RedHawks took over.
The RedHawks got on the board quick, going 74 yards and four plays capped off by a 36-yard touchdown pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback Gus Ragland to 5th-year senior receiver Rokeem Williams. With the extra point, Miami took a 7-0 early lead.
Ball State punted again, and a targeting call against junior cornerback David Moore put the RedHawks at the 20-yard line. After a tackle for loss and a sack, however, they settled for a field goal that was missed.
The Cardinals took over at their own 30-yard line.
Sophomore running back James Gilbert got the drive going with a 40-yard run to the Miami 30. Neal hit senior receiver KeVonn Mabon for four yards, then again on a catch-and-run 25-yard touchdown. Sophomore Morgan Hagee made the extra point, and tied the score at 7-7.
After the first quarter, Ball State and Miami were tied 7-7.
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