Productive Plitt, Cardinals Set for First True Road Test at NC State

Game 4
Ball State (1-2) at NC State (2-1)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 21
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Location: Raleigh, N.C. (Carter-Finley Stadium)
Watch: ESPNU | Listen: WLBC 104.1 FM | Live Stats
Social: @BallStateFB, @BallStateSports, #ChirpChirp, #WeFly, #OTM
Game Notes: Ball State | NC State

Anthony Gordon of Washington State. Joe Burrow of LSU.

Through three weeks of the 2019 college football season, those are the only two FBS quarterbacks in the country with more passing yards than Ball State's Drew Plitt.

The redshirt junior has been slinging it all over the place, racking up 1,040 yards and 11 touchdowns. Only Gordon and Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa have more TD passes. Plitt's yardage total is the highest ever through three games for a BSU quarterback, while his touchdown count has already surpassed his career total entering the season.

"Drew has done such a good job of running the show and improving his play each and every week," Ball State head coach Mike Neu said. "He really prepares hard through the week. He does a good job of spreading the ball around. A lot of guys have opportunities to get touches during the game."

Plitt has connected with 12 different receivers on completions and hit seven guys for touchdowns. It's been an impressive first quarter of the season for a signal caller in his first year as a full-time starter.

And all that action through the air makes it a little easier to understand how Florida Atlantic could lose him last week on probably the longest quarterback sneak you will ever see.

Well, this QB sneak worked out a little better than most. ??#SCtop10 | #OTM pic.twitter.com/mdXcW7E0ze
— Ball State Football (@BallStateFB) September 14, 2019

Plitt and the Cardinals take their show truly on the road for the first time this year with a visit to NC State this Saturday. It will be a primetime, under-the-lights opportunity against a Wolfpack team that opened with a pair of thorough performances before suffering a surprising 17-point setback last week at West Virginia.

Ball State is looking to bounce back from disappointment of its own in a costly four-turnover performance against FAU. The Cardinals have turned it over seven times this season but have also generated seven takeaways, including Jordan Williams' scoop and score last week.

NC State has yet to turn the ball over in the traditional sense this season, though the Wolfpack has been stopped on 5-of-8 fourth down tries. Still, NC State's strength in the trenches jumps out.

"Their front on both sides of the ball is very good; that's going to be the first challenge," Neu said. "If we go down there and execute, play the way we're capable and eliminate some of the self-inflicted wounds, we'll play four quarters of football and see how it all shakes out."

Productive Plitt, Cardinals Set for First True Road Test at NC State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Drew Plitt

Productive Plitt, Cardinals Set for First True Road Test at NC State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Drew Plitt

Related Videos