Ball State University
2-2
Nebraska
3-1
Football Falls In Final Minutes At Nebraska, 41-40
September 22, 2007 | Football
LINCOLN, Neb. -- In front of 84,394 fans and the eyes of the college football nation, the Ball State football team held a 40-35 lead over No. 22/24 Nebraska with 7:05 left in the game.
However, in a game that continued to go back and forth, Nebraska took a 41-40 lead with 3:13 to play on an 11-yard scoring pass play.
The Cardinals moved the ball in the final three minutes, but a pair of incomplete passes -- the first to the Dante Love and the second to Darius Hill --forced a 55-yard field goal attempt from Jake Hogue with :12 on the clock.
Hogue's attempt was wide left, allowing the Huskers to escape with the 41-40 victory.
"We had some opportunities and did not capitalize," said BSU head coach Brady Hoke. "We are very disappointed in the outcome, but proud of the heart and character of this team. Nebraska executed and we had the opportunity, but did not. We work too hard 12 months a year for moral victories. We go to win."
Nate Davis completed the game 26-of-43 with three touchdowns for 422 yards.
Love caught 10 of the passes for 214 yards and a touchdown, while Hill caught five passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.
MiQuale Lewis recorded 19 rushes for 123 yards and a touchdown, while Davis rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown.
For the afternoon, the two teams combined for over 1,100 yards of total offense. Ball State tallied 610 yards, while the Huskers managed 552 total yards.
Ball State took a 37-28 lead with 12:50 to play in the game, and as the Huskers mounted a fourth period drive, the Cardinals defense came up big and forced a Nebraska fumble which was recovered by Amara Koroma and gave Ball State the ball back with a nine point lead and 9:43 to go in the contest.
However, Nebraska answered the challenge and intercepted a Nate Davis pass with 9:21 left in the contest and returned it 34 yards for a score to cut the margin to 37-35.
Today's Scoring Summary:
Nebraska's Maurice Purify caught an 11-yard pass from Sam Keller with 3:13 remaining for the 41-40 final.
Jake Hogue connected on a 22-yard field goal with 7:05 to push the Cardinals ahead 40-35 in the fourth.
Nebraska's Bo Rudd managed a 34-yard interception return with 9:21 to make the score 37-35.
The Cardinals increased their lead to nine at 37-28 on 21-yard pass from Nate Davis to Madaris Grant with 12:50 in the fourth.
After the Cardinals scored on a 58-yard pass play from Davis to Dante Love with 54 seconds to play in the third quarter to take a 31-28 lead and hush the famed Memorial Stadium, home of the Nebraska Huskers, Ball State's defense opened the fourth quarter with a B.J. Hill interception on the Nebraska 4-yard line with 14:19 to go in the contest.
With 12:30 to play in the third quarter,
On the initial drive of the game,
After Ball State pulled ahead on a 44-yard Jake Hogue field goal with just over three minutes to play in the first half, but the Huskers answered with a one-yard TD run with 26 seconds to play in the second quarter to take the lead back, 14-10.
Ball State's defense limited Nebraska to 187 total yards and only two scores in the first half.
Team Stats
BSU 0, NU 7
NU - Lucky, Marlon 28 yd run (Henery, Alex kick), 9 plays, 63 yards, TOP 4:43
BSU 7, NU 7
BSU - HILL, Darius 20 yd pass from DAVIS, Nate (HOGUE, Jake kick) 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 2:58
BSU 10, NU 7
BSU - HOGUE, Jake 45 yd field goal 13 plays, 48 yards, TOP 3:40
BSU 10, NU 14
NU - Castille, Q. 1 yd run (Henery, Alex kick), 9 plays, 73 yards, TOP 4:10
BSU 17, NU 14
BSU - DAVIS, Nate 14 yd run (HOGUE, Jake kick), 3 plays, 39 yards, TOP 0:59
BSU 17, NU 21
NU - Hill, Sean 73 yd pass from Keller, Sam (Henery, Alex kick) 3 plays, 81 yards, TOP 1:22
BSU 24, NU 21
BSU - LEWIS, MiQuale 43 yd run (HOGUE, Jake kick), 5 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:44
BSU 24, NU 28
NU - Swift, Nate 18 yd pass from Keller, Sam (Henery, Alex kick) 7 plays, 71 yards, TOP 2:40
BSU 31, NU 28
BSU - LOVE, Dante 58 yd pass from DAVIS, Nate (HOGUE, Jake kick) 4 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:15
BSU 37, NU 28
BSU - GRANT, Madaris 21 yd pass from DAVIS, Nate (HOGUE, Jake kickfailed) 5 plays, 96 yards, TOP 1:29
BSU 37, NU 35
NU - Ruud, Bo 34 yd interception (Henery, Alex kick)
BSU 40, NU 35
BSU - HOGUE, Jake 22 yd field goal 7 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:10
BSU 40, NU 41
NU - Purify, Maurice 11 yd pass from Keller, Sam (Keller, Sam passfailed) 9 plays, 82 yards, TOP 3:45
