Ball State University
1-1
Fordham
0-2
Plitt Torches Fordham as Cardinals Shake off Slow Start
September 07, 2019 | Football
Riley Miller, Antwan Davis catch two touchdown passes each in 57-29 win
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Drew Plitt tied the Ball State record with six touchdown passes, and the Cardinals rolled up nearly 600 yards of offense in a 57-29 victory over Fordham on the newly minted Gainbridge Field at Scheumann Stadium.
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Plitt's 439 yards were 30 fewer than his head coach Mike Neu's school record in the famous 1993 Homecoming comeback against Toledo. But the redshirt junior signal caller didn't get a chance at that one. His sixth touchdown pass of the day, matching Keith Wenning's mark, was his final throw before John Paddock took the snaps on BSU's final possessions.
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"We responded from a shaky start," Neu said. "Drew's one of those guys, the ultimate competitor. He settled in nicely and really ran the show offensively. He did a lot of good stuff at the line of scrimmage where he made some adjustments. Six touchdowns passes speaks for itself. Most importantly, it's a win."
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Riley Miller and Antwan Davis were both on the receiving end of two touchdowns, while Justin Hall snagged a 50-yard score and Cody Rudy snuck out of the backfield and caught the first of his career. Miller led the way with 116 receiving yards, while Davis hauled in BSU career highs of five catches and 86 yards.
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Ball State (1-1) started slowly, but Plitt's scoring connection to Hall seemed to get things going. Walter Fletcher scored on a 10-yard run late in the first quarter to even the score at 14-all, and the Cardinals went on to score 36 unanswered points on the Rams (0-2).
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The play-action. Drew with all day. Justin running free. Cardinals on the board.#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #OTM pic.twitter.com/P7IE5YkdOA
— Ball State Football (@BallStateFB) September 7, 2019
Caleb Huntley accounted for the other BSU touchdown of the day on a 16-yard scamper for his second score in as many games. The Cardinals' 57 points were the fourth-most in school history and their most since going for 60 in a five-overtime game at Western Michigan in 2005.
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"We know we didn't play our best football today," Neu said. "The first half was a little bit sluggish. We overcame a poor start and settled in. We came out in the second half and did a lot of good things, but we still have a lot of things to clean up."
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The first good thing of the second half came just eight seconds in when the Cardinals corralled Fordham running back Zach Davis in the endzone for a safety.
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Fordham quarterback Tim DeMorat threw for 221 yards and a touchdown on the day, but the Cardinals picked him off twice and nearly scored both times.Â
Amechi Uzodinma II returned his second interception of the year inside the 5-yard line to set up Rudy's second-quarter touchdown. Tyler 'Red' Potts' fourth-quarter pick-six was called back for a holding penalty, but the Cardinals scored five plays later on Plitt's sixth touchdown pass.
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Plitt's 2nd scoring connection with Davis is his 6th TD pass of the day, tying Keith Wenning's school record.#OTM | #WeFly pic.twitter.com/W61mGjlBAO
— Ball State Football (@BallStateFB) September 7, 2019
Saturday was Ball State's first true home game of the season after opening last week against Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Cardinals are home again next Saturday for a 2 p.m. Family Weekend kickoff against FAU before hitting the road for three straight.
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
FORD 7, BALL 0
FORD - Davis, Zach 2 yd run (Mevis, Andrew kick), 8 plays, 58 yards, TOP 3:15
FORD 7, BALL 7
BALL - HALL, Justin 50 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (RIMMLER, Ryan kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:31
FORD 14, BALL 7
FORD - Lynch, Jack 5 yd pass from DeMorat, Tim (Mevis, Andrew kick) 7 plays, 71 yards, TOP 2:24
FORD 14, BALL 14
BALL - FLETCHER, W. 10 yd run (RIMMLER, Ryan kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:19
FORD 14, BALL 21
BALL - RUDY, Cody 3 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (LECORRE, P. kick) 3 plays, 5 yards, TOP 1:11
FORD 14, BALL 28
BALL - DAVIS, Antwan 40 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (LECORRE, P. kick) 6 plays, 70 yards, TOP 1:58
FORD 14, BALL 30
BALL - THOMAS, Jaylin 1 yd safety
FORD 14, BALL 36
BALL - MILLER, Riley 3 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (LECORRE, P. kickfailed) 7 plays, 48 yards, TOP 2:36
FORD 14, BALL 43
BALL - HUNTLEY, Caleb 16 yd run (RIMMLER, Ryan kick), 4 plays, 40 yards, TOP 1:02
FORD 22, BALL 43
FORD - Sneed, Trey 1 yd run (Kokosioulis, Fo pass), 4 plays, 29 yards, TOP 1:18
FORD 22, BALL 50
BALL - MILLER, Riley 28 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (RIMMLER, Ryan kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:48
FORD 29, BALL 50
FORD - Sneed, Trey 5 yd run (Mevis, Andrew kick), 6 plays, 77 yards, TOP 2:57
FORD 29, BALL 57
BALL - DAVIS, Antwan 4 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (RIMMLER, Ryan kick) 5 plays, 25 yards, TOP 1:46
