Ball State University
North Dakota State
N. Dakota St. 29, BSU 24
September 23, 2006 | Football
The Ball State football team built an eight-point lead through three quarters Saturday night, but North Dakota State scored three times in the fourth quarter to hand the Cardinals a 29-24 loss at Scheumann Stadium.
"North Dakota State is a great team with good coaches, and they took it to us," Ball State coach Brady Hoke said. "We can't let that happen."
Ball State quarterbacks Joey Lynch and Nate Davis combined to pass for 399 yards in the game. Lynch completed 13-of-21 passes for 262 and a touchdown, and Davis connected on 5-of-11 passes for 123 yards and a score.
When Davis found Terry Moss on an 81-yard touchdown pass up the left sideline with 53 seconds left in the third quarter, Ball State took a 24-16 lead.
As the fourth quarter began, North Dakota State began to chip away at the Cardinal lead.
With 11:20 to play, Bison kicker Shawn Bibeau knocked through a 29-yard field goal to cut Ball State's advantage to 24-19. Five minutes later, Bibeau chipped in a 24-yard field goal to pull the Bison within two points at 24-22.
Ball State punted on its next possession, and punter Chris Miller pinned North Dakota State at its own 8-yard line. The Bison mounted a drive that took them all the way to the Ball State 39-yard line before North Dakota State quarterback Steve Walker found receiver Travis White, who split the Cardinal defense and ran in for the winning score.
"It was a hard-fought game," North Dakota State coach Craig Bohl said. "We knew going in Ball State was a good football team, and we're proud of the way we competed."
Ball State took possession with 1:24 remaining and picked up one first down before turning the ball over on downs.
Walker finished the game 29-of-46 passing for 451 yards and three touchdowns. White caught six of those passes for 112 yards and a touchdown.
"We didn't have any defense today," Hoke said. "When we played the zone, it was better, but we didn't coach them well."
Ball State put two receivers over 100 yards. Dante Love led the Cardinals with five catches for 116 yards. He caught a 70-yard touchdown pass from Lynch in the second quarter.
Tight end Darius Hill added four catches for 108 yards for Ball State.
Running back B.J. Hill scored the Cardinals' first touchdown of the night on a one-yard run in the first quarter.
Ball State returns to action next Saturday against Northern Illinois. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Scheumann Stadium.
