Ball State University
4-4 , 3-1
Ohio
4-4 , 3-1
Cardinals Suffer First MAC Setback in Downpour versus Ohio
October 26, 2019 | Football
Walter Fletcher runs for 156 yards and a touchdown to lead BSU attack
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Ohio ran its was to 34-21 victory, handing the Cardinals (4-4, 3-1 MAC) their first defeat in MAC play as BSU's league schedule reached its midway point.
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On a day when both passing attacks were limited by the wet conditions, the game came down to who could move the ball most effectively on the ground.
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Walter Fletcher kept the Cardinals in it, but the overall run game for Ohio (4-4, 3-1 MAC) was more consistent. Bobcat quarterback Nathan Rourke optioned his way to 127 yards and two touchdowns, O'Shaan Allison pounded for 104 yards, and De'Montre Tuggle accounted for two scores on the ground for the MAC preseason favorites.
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"We got beat by a good football team," Ball State head coach Mike Neu said. "They handled the elements better than we did. We've been good at stopping the run; we struggled with that today. Ohio does what they do, and they did a good job of executing. We fought, but we didn't play well enough to win the game today."
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Fletcher ran 14 times for 156 yards, seeing the bulk of the BSU carries after a first-half injury to Caleb Huntley. The graduate transfer set up Ball State's first touchdown with three big runs and broke off a 73-yarder, the Cardinals' longest of the season, for the second touchdown.
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The Answer!
One play and we're right back where we started the half. Longest BSU play of the year.#OTM | #BeatOU pic.twitter.com/X01uKoBGqP— Ball State Football (@BallStateFB) October 26, 2019
He found the end zone one more time, if only momentarily. That run would have made it a one-score game late in the third quarter, but it was called back for a holding penalty. Instead, the Cardinals had a field goal blocked and began the final stanza still down 27-14.
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Ball State added a late touchdown on a tipped pass caught by Riley Miller, but not before a Rourke touchdown put the Cardinals in real catch-up mode late.
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Antonio Phillips intercepted a pass for the third straight week, leading to Ball State's first points of the day, but neither team attempted much through the air. Rourke was 8-of-16 passing, while Ball State's Drew Plitt finished 11-of-20 with the majority of those completions coming on the final two possessions.
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Despite the loss, Ball State still controls the MAC West Division. Western Michigan is also right in the mix and is the Cardinals' next destination. BSU will visit Kalamazoo on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
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
OHIO 7, BALL 0
OHIO - ROURKE, N. 1 yd run (ZERVOS, L. kick), 10 plays, 36 yards, TOP 5:37
OHIO 7, BALL 7
BALL - PLITT, Drew 1 yd run (RIMMLER, Ryan kick), 6 plays, 62 yards, TOP 1:29
OHIO 10, BALL 7
OHIO - ZERVOS, L. 20 yd field goal 7 plays, 20 yards, TOP 3:06
OHIO 13, BALL 7
OHIO - ZERVOS, L. 23 yd field goal 8 plays, 67 yards, TOP 4:01
OHIO 20, BALL 7
OHIO - TUGGLE, D. 11 yd run (ZERVOS, L. kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:13
OHIO 20, BALL 14
BALL - FLETCHER, W. 73 yd run (RIMMLER, Ryan kick), 1 plays, 73 yards, TOP 0:11
OHIO 27, BALL 14
OHIO - TUGGLE, D. 1 yd run (ZERVOS, L. kick), 8 plays, 65 yards, TOP 4:56
OHIO 34, BALL 14
OHIO - ROURKE, N. 12 yd run (ZERVOS, L. kick), 9 plays, 64 yards, TOP 4:38
OHIO 34, BALL 21
BALL - MILLER, Riley 14 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (RIMMLER, Ryan kick) 7 plays, 88 yards, TOP 1:21
