Ball State University
5-7 , 4-4
Miami (Ohio)
7-5 , 6-2
Cardinals Close 2019 in Style with Comeback Win over MAC East Champ Miami
November 29, 2019 | Football
BSU shuts out RedHawks in second half to win Redbird Rivalry Trophy
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From an outside perspective, there really wasn't all that much for his Ball State football team to play for in Friday's season finale against Miami. Despite marked, visible strides this season, there was no MAC championship game appearance on the line, no bowl eligibility.
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From the inside, though, there were plenty of reasons to lay it all out there. The chance to beat the rival RedHawks, to eclipse last season's win total and, the one that really got Neu choked up, to send his 16 seniors out in memorable fashion.
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Ball State did just that with a 41-27 victory at Scheumann Stadium and made it even more memorable by coming from 17 points down and outscoring the MAC East Division champion RedHawks 27-0 in the second half.
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"It's special," Neu said. "You always remember your last one, no matter what … We believed in each other. (At halftime) we knew we had 30 minutes left together with this group. It's a really special group. These 16 guys have done a lot, so we wanted to get a win for them. They set the standard to be honest with you. You talk about building a program and trying to do things the right way. The set the standard."
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??The Red Bird Rivalry Trophy is staying in Muncie??@BallStateFB uses a strong second-half to come back and take down the RedHawks!#MACtion I #ChirpChirp pic.twitter.com/2KSmql3M8l— #MACtion (@MACSports) November 29, 2019
The stats in this one really weren't close. The Cardinals (5-7, 4-4 MAC) out-gained Miami 578-275 and limited the RedHawks to just 79 yards and one first down after halftime. The majority of that damage came on a 45-yard pass midway through the fourth quarter after BSU had already taken the lead.
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Drew Plitt threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns -- two of them to Yo'Heinz Tyler -- and Caleb Huntley ran for 134 yards and three scores.
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If not for blocked punts by Miami (7-5, 6-2 MAC) on back-to-back BSU possessions in the second quarter, this one might have been a runaway. Lonnie Phelps blocked the first one to set up a Miami touchdown and scooped up the next one for a score of his own to stake the RedHawks to a 24-7 lead early in the second quarter.
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But the rout was not on for Miami. Instead, the script completely flipped. Ball State outscored the RedHawks 34-3 the rest of the way.
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"I'm proud of the guys for staying together on the sideline," Neu said. "Nobody got flustered, nobody got down. We just came back out in the second half and fought. It's great to have a moment like this. We've had so many gut-wrenching losses, and we just wanted to go out the right way."
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.@BallStateFB toss a 40 yard bomb for a TOUCHDOWN! pic.twitter.com/Jcy9bofZZb— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) November 29, 2019
Plitt found Tyler deep for a 40-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter, and Huntley's second score of the day, which came on a 4th-and-2 play, pulled the Cardinals even on the first play of the fourth.
Meanwhile, the Ball State defense was shutting Miami down. Amechi Uzodinma II picked off passes on back-to-back RedHawk possessions. The second set up another 40-yard connection between Plitt and Tyler as BSU grabbed its first lead.
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The Cardinals got the ball right back and needed just one play for Huntley to scamper 30 yards for an insurance touchdown. And that was it. A game that looked completely in Miami's control early ended with Ball State in the victory formation.
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All gas no brakes for @1DukeHuntley ??@BallStateFB pushes the lead to 41-27! #MACtion pic.twitter.com/fidZN2WgXs— #MACtion (@MACSports) November 29, 2019
The Cardinals swarmed the field and sung the fight song with the crowd one last time. The 2019 season didn't always unfold how they had hoped, especially down the stretch. A few plays here and there over the past few weeks, and there may have been more on the line Friday.
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But you couldn't tell this BSU team there was nothing to play for.
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"For this year, this is as good a moment as I can have," Neu said. "I'll never forget the celebration with this group of 16 guys."
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Team Stats
MIAMI 7, BALL 0
MIAMI - BESTER, Jaylon 16 yd run (SLOMAN, Sam kick), 7 plays, 87 yards, TOP 2:54
MIAMI 7, BALL 7
BALL - HUNTLEY, Caleb 3 yd run (RIMMLER, Ryan kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:03
MIAMI 10, BALL 7
MIAMI - SLOMAN, Sam 32 yd field goal 14 plays, 57 yards, TOP 6:02
MIAMI 17, BALL 7
MIAMI - SORENSON, Jack 10 yd pass from GABBERT, Brett (SLOMAN, Sam kick) 1 plays, 10 yards, TOP 0:05
MIAMI 24, BALL 7
MIAMI - PHELPS, Lonnie 32 yd blocked punt return (SLOMAN, Sam kick)
MIAMI 24, BALL 14
BALL - HALL, Justin 7 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (RIMMLER, Ryan kick) 14 plays, 75 yards, TOP 6:07
MIAMI 27, BALL 14
MIAMI - SLOMAN, Sam 50 yd field goal 5 plays, 51 yards, TOP 2:11
MIAMI 27, BALL 20
BALL - TYLER, Yo'Heinz 40 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (RIMMLER, Ryan kickfailed) 10 plays, 92 yards, TOP 3:38
MIAMI 27, BALL 27
BALL - HUNTLEY, Caleb 5 yd run (RIMMLER, Ryan kick), 12 plays, 80 yards, TOP 5:03
MIAMI 27, BALL 34
BALL - TYLER, Yo'Heinz 40 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (RIMMLER, Ryan kick) 4 plays, 62 yards, TOP 1:42
MIAMI 27, BALL 41
BALL - HUNTLEY, Caleb 30 yd run (RIMMLER, Ryan kick), 1 plays, 30 yards, TOP 0:06
