Ball State University
3-4 , 2-1
Central Michigan
1-6 , 0-3
Football Rallies for Last-Minute Win at Central Michigan
October 13, 2018 | Football
Riley Neal accounts for three touchdowns, Morgan Hagee boots game-winner
Morgan Hagee connected on the game-winning field goal in the final minute as the Cardinals (3-4, 2-1 MAC) snapped a six-game Mid-American Conference road losing streak. Quarterback Riley Neal accounted for all three Cardinals touchdowns as Ball State won for the fifth time in its past six trips to Mount Pleasant.
"That was our best half of football this year," Ball State head coach Mike Neu said. "We needed to win a close game. For us to be able to do that on the road against a good football team like Central Michigan … it was great that we were able to come here and get a win, considering the situation at halftime."
Three times in the first six games this season, Ball State found itself trailing by one score on its final possession. And three times, the Cardinals were unable to produce points.
This time was different. Down 23-21 and facing a third-and-14 with less than four minutes to play, the Cardinals remained composed. Neal hit Justin Hall for 13 yards, and then James Gilbert converted a fourth-and-short to keep the drive alive.
The Cardinals methodically worked the ball 56 yards over 12 plays, aided by a roughing the passer penalty that negated a CMU interception. Ball State maneuvered the ball to the 19-yard line before Hagee came on and drilled a 36-yarder with 47 seconds left.
Central Michigan (1-6, 0-3 MAC) had one final chance near midfield, but Jaylin Thomas corralled CMU quarterback Tommy Lazzaro and brought him to the ground as time expired.
Morgan Hagee's 36-yard field goal with 47 seconds left puts @BallStateFB ahead of Central Michigan 24-23!#ChirpChirp | #WeFly pic.twitter.com/dEngOY2is1
— Ball State Sports (@BallStateSports) October 13, 2018
The game morphed into a battle of running quarterbacks. Neal was sacked a career-high five times but also used his legs to keep the Cardinals in the game in the second half. He finished with a career-high 24 rushes and scored on a pair of quarterback sneaks. His 19 non-sack carries went for 84 yards. Lazzaro ran 24 times for 131 yards and a touchdown of his own.
"We knew going into the game Central Michigan had the No. 1 defense in the MAC," Neu said. "We knew it was going to be tough, so we took our shots when we had them. But we also knew the quarterback run game was going to be a chance for us to even up the odds, get an extra blocker. Riley's a tough dude, and he left it all on that field today."
Thomas and the Ball State defense swung the momentum late in the third quarter. Central Michigan was in control, leading 20-7 and threatening again in Ball State territory. An official review overturned a first down and adjusted the spot half a yard, leaving CMU with fourth down and a half yard to go.
Jacob White blasted through the line to bust up the play, and Thomas met Romello Ross in the backfield to force a turnover on downs. From that point on, the Cardinals had a different look about them.
The @BallStateFB defense comes up with a big 4th down stop in the 3rd quarter. Cards still trail, 20-7. #MACtion #ItsTime
— Ball State Sports (@BallStateSports) October 13, 2018
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Ball State marched 73 yards and 80 yards for touchdowns on its next two possessions. Neal's 6-yard scoring toss to Riley Miller pulled the Cardinals within one score, and his second rushing touchdown of the day put Ball State on top for the first time at 21-20. BSU had the ball four times in the second half, and all four possessions lasted at least 11 plays.
The Chippewas responded with Ryan Tice's third field goal of the day to regain the lead with 4:19 to play before Ball State's game-winning drive. Central Michigan, which built its lead by scoring on its first four possessions, had not scored since the 5:21 mark of the second quarter.
"Our guys responded to the challenge," Neu said. "We always talk about doing simple better. In the first half, we did not do simple better. We did that better in the second half. We tackled, we had guys around the football. We made it much tougher in the second half."
It was the second time in the past three trips to Central Michigan that Ball State won on a last-minute field goal. Scott Secor's 55-yarder with 17 seconds left dealt the Chippewas a 32-29 defeat in 2014 and was the Cardinals' most recent game-winning field goal. Four of the past five meetings in the series have been decided by three points or fewer.
Ball State will return to Muncie for its Homecoming game Saturday against Eastern Michigan. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. from Scheumann Stadium on ESPN+.
For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State football team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateFB and @BSUCoachNeu.
Time to celebrate!! #MACtion #ItsTime @BallStateFB pic.twitter.com/MkMJKmp5rp
— Ball State Sports (@BallStateSports) October 13, 2018
Team Stats
BALL 0, CMU 3
CMU - TICE, Ryan 53 yd field goal 13 plays, 63 yards, TOP 4:45
BALL 0, CMU 6
CMU - TICE, Ryan 26 yd field goal 13 plays, 79 yards, TOP 6:16
BALL 7, CMU 6
BALL - NEAL, Riley 1 yd run (HAGEE, Morgan kick), 12 plays, 82 yards, TOP 5:08
BALL 7, CMU 13
CMU - POLJAN, Tony 18 yd pass from LAZZARO, Tommy (TICE, Ryan kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:38
BALL 7, CMU 20
CMU - LAZZARO, Tommy 1 yd run (TICE, Ryan kick), 3 plays, 20 yards, TOP 0:22
BALL 14, CMU 20
BALL - MILLER, Riley 6 yd pass from NEAL, Riley (HAGEE, Morgan kick) 12 plays, 73 yards, TOP 5:18
BALL 21, CMU 20
BALL - NEAL, Riley 1 yd run (HAGEE, Morgan kick), 11 plays, 80 yards, TOP 4:09
BALL 21, CMU 23
CMU - TICE, Ryan 47 yd field goal 10 plays, 38 yards, TOP 3:53
BALL 24, CMU 23
BALL - HAGEE, Morgan 36 yd field goal 12 plays, 56 yards, TOP 3:32
