Ball State University
2-5 , 2-2
Central Michigan
4-3 , 4-0
Central Mich. 18, BSU 7
October 14, 2006 | Football
Ball State's football team suffered an 18-7 loss at Mid-American Conference West Division leader Central Michigan Saturday. With the loss, Ball State falls to 2-5 overall and 2-2 in the MAC, while CMU improved to 4-3 overall and 4-0 in the league.
"We made too many mistakes and had too many penalties," Ball State head coach Brady Hoke says. "Central Michigan did some nice things defensively. This was a very frustrating loss."
Central Michigan managed a 6-0 lead at the half and a 12-0 lead with 7:13 left in the third quarter.
Ball State scored its only touchdown of the game with 2:00 left in the third stanza on a Brad Salyer one-yard run to close the gap to 12-7.
Central Michigan responded with a one-yard TD run with 13:20 to play in the game to take the 18-7 advantage.
When Ball State got the ball back, the Cardinals mounted a 13-play, 66-yard drive, but it ended with a no gain play on fourth and goal from the one yard line.
"We had some opportunities and put ourselves in position to make some plays, but did not get it done," Hoke says. "We lost our composure some today. You cannot do that, you have to be poised."
After the failed fourth and one, Central Michigan mounted a small drive, but the Cardinals' Erik Keys forced a fumble and Trey Lewis recovered, but Lewis fumbled the recovery and CMU recovered with 4:03 to play and finished off the contest.
In the first half, Ball State's defense limited Central Michigan to six points behind an outstanding goal line stand, and a defensive stop after an interception deep in Chippewas' territory.
After a 46-yard punt by Ball State's Chris Miller in the second quarter, Central Michigan mounted a 15-play, 78-yard drive that ended with the Chippewas failing to get in the endzone despite having a first and goal from the six yard line. On the fourth down try, Amara Koroma intercepted a tipped pass to give Ball State the ball on the one yard line.
The Cardinals threw an interception two plays later, but Ball State's defense stopped CMU again, and a 29-yard field goal missed to keep the score at 6-0.
The Cardinals could muster only three first downs in the first 30 minutes of action, while Central gained 185 yards and 10 first downs, but were limited to one touchdown and a failed two-point converstion attempt.
"When you cannot run the football well enough, that affects your offense," Hoke says. "Defensively, we stood up a couple of times and did a pretty good job. We just did not play well enough as a team. We made too many mistakes."
Ball State will host Western Michigan Saturday in a 2 p.m. Homecoming Game at Scheumann Stadium.
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Team Stats
BALL 0, CMU 6
CMU - LeFEVOUR, Dan 15 yd run (ALBRESKI, Rick rushfailed), 8 plays, 62 yards, TOP 3:34
BALL 0, CMU 12
CMU - LeFEVOUR, Dan 3 yd run (LeFEVOUR, Dan passfailed), 13 plays, 76 yards, TOP 5:37
BALL 7, CMU 12
BALL - SALYER, Brad 1 yd run (JACKSON, Brian kick), 13 plays, 69 yards, TOP 5:13
BALL 7, CMU 18
CMU - ARCHER, Marcel 1 yd run (ALBRESKI, Rick kickfailed), 2 plays, 7 yards, TOP 0:14
