Ball State University
3-6 , 2-3
Ohio
5-3 , 3-1
Ohio Ground Game Keeps Cardinals off Balance
October 25, 2018 | Football
Riley Miller catches fourth touchdown in past five games for BSU
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Ball State (3-6, 2-3 MAC) struck first with a Riley Neal to Riley Miller touchdown pass after a Christian Albright interception set the offense up near midfield. But the Bobcats kept the Cardinals from scoring again until the final three minutes.
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"We lost to a good football team," Ball State head coach Mike Neu said. "We didn't have an answer for what they were doing to us offensively. We had a few good things going in the first half, but we had a turnover, lost momentum, got ourselves down by two scores and could never get the momentum switched back."
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A.J. Ouellette (135 yards) and Maleek Irons (102) both surpassed the 100-yard mark on the ground for Ohio (5-3, 3-1 MAC). Starting quarterback Nathan Rourke added 77 yards of his own as he successfully directed a heavy option attack. All three players ran for two touchdowns, while Rourke also threw one.
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James Gilbert led Ball State with 52 yards on nine carries, while Justin Hall caught four passes for 42 yards. Neal completed 7 of 15 passes and exited late in the second quarter when he was banged up. Drew Plitt finished the game at quarterback and ran for a late touchdown after engineering a 75-yard drive.
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"All I cared about at halftime was coming out in the second half and trying to have a one-play-at-a-time approach," Neu said. "Leave everything you had on the field, no negative vibes, no negative energy on the sideline. I looked around and I saw a lot of guys competing, a lot of young guys competing and fighting."
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Ball State has another short week upcoming, with a visit to Toledo on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2 in the Cardinals' third game in 12 days.
For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State football team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateFB and @BSUCoachNeu.
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Team Stats
BALL 7, OHIO 0
BALL - MILLER, Riley 18 yd pass from NEAL, Riley (HAGEE, Morgan kick) 7 plays, 52 yards, TOP 2:34
BALL 7, OHIO 7
OHIO - IRONS, M. 6 yd run (ZERVOS, L. kick), 8 plays, 70 yards, TOP 4:06
BALL 7, OHIO 10
OHIO - ZERVOS, L. 23 yd field goal 9 plays, 54 yards, TOP 3:59
BALL 7, OHIO 17
OHIO - OUELLETTE, A. 9 yd run (ZERVOS, L. kick), 5 plays, 40 yards, TOP 1:46
BALL 7, OHIO 24
OHIO - ROURKE, N. 2 yd run (ZERVOS, L. kick), 8 plays, 56 yards, TOP 4:25
BALL 7, OHIO 31
OHIO - MEYER, A. 21 yd pass from ROURKE, N. (ZERVOS, L. kick) 4 plays, 60 yards, TOP 0:31
BALL 7, OHIO 38
OHIO - ROURKE, N. 3 yd run (ZERVOS, L. kick), 10 plays, 74 yards, TOP 5:12
BALL 7, OHIO 45
OHIO - OUELLETTE, A. 44 yd run (ZERVOS, L. kick), 2 plays, 60 yards, TOP 0:45
BALL 7, OHIO 52
OHIO - IRONS, M. 1 yd run (ZERVOS, L. kick), 4 plays, 11 yards, TOP 2:08
BALL 14, OHIO 52
BALL - PLITT, Drew 8 yd run (HAGEE, Morgan kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:15
