Rockets Outlast Cardinals in Rain-Soaked Battle of Field Goals at The Scheu

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Peny Boone's three-yard burst with 1:31 remaining helped Toledo snap a 6-6 tie and send the Rockets to their sixth straight victory, 13-6, on a day accented with driving and swirling rain. Ball State limited the Rockets, averaging 40.8 points per game, to just a field goal through three quarters, but couldn't muster a go-ahead score in what was the quarterback starting debut of redshirt-sophomore Kiael Kelly.

Kelly rushed for 98 yards to lead the Ball State offense, but was 4-of-16 passing for 38 yards. Neither team had success moving the ball as driving rains engulfed Scheumann Stadium shortly after kickoff and continued in waves throughout the contest.

Trailing 6-3 in the fourth period, Kelly's 28-yard pass to Ahmad Edwards was the longest completion of his career and sparked a 10-play, 66-yard drive that produced Jackson Courville's second field goal. The Kelly-to-Edwards pass was Ball State's longest play of the afternoon, and after a personal foul penalty against the Rockets two plays later, Ball State was knocking on the proverbial door – 1st-and-10 from the Toledo 25-yard line. Kelly rushed twice for another Cardinals first down at the Toledo 14, but the drive stalled at the nine and Courville's kick with 4:57 to play tied the score again.

"I'm proud of our football team," said Ball State coach Mike Neu, reinforcing the Cardinals' fight while trying to end a four-game losing skid. "Our guys fought their guts out. It didn't work in our favor today, but we're going to battle adversity and keep battling for each other. I'm proud of our effort. I'm proud of our fight and I'm proud of everything I've heard from our men on the sideline and in the locker room."

Knotted 3-3 at halftime and through three periods, Courville and Toledo kicker Luke Pawlak each connected again in the fourth to set up the game's final sequence.

Toledo drove 72 yards on six plays with quarterback Dequan Finn completing both his passes and Boone rushing four times for 31 yards, the final three accounting for the game's final score and putting Ball State in a must-score position. With 91 seconds remaining, Ball State had to move 80 yards for a tying score.

Cardinals fans were nearly treated to a last-gasp comeback when Kelly's second-down pass to a streaking Rico Barfield was bobbled then dropped, with Barfield clearly beyond the closest defender. Any hopes of a BSU rally were dashed when Kelly's fourth-down pass was intercepted.

"I thought Kiael stepped in and made good decisions on a dicey day," added Neu. "I thought he was outstanding in a difficult situation. Defensively, we battled all afternoon. Our defense forced a key turnover early and they put us in positions to win. You can't ask for much more than that."

In what was Ball State's first game this season decided by a single possession, the Cardinals defense was stout in limiting the Rockets offense. Toledo was twice turned back inside the Red Zone including a forced fumble by Sidney Houston Jr., at the Ball State 8-yard line. Nearly half of Toledo's total offense, 152 of the Rockets' 376 total yards, was gained on its final two possessions.

Ball State returns to Scheumann Stadium next Saturday to host Central Michigan at 3:30 p.m., in its annual homecoming game.

Follow the Cardinals
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Rockets Outlast Cardinals in Rain-Soaked Battle of Field Goals at The Scheu

Next Event

Team Stats

Kiael Kelly

Players Mentioned

Rico Barfield

Jackson Courville

Ahmad Edwards

Sidney Houston Jr.

Kiael Kelly

Players Mentioned

Rico Barfield

Jackson Courville

Ahmad Edwards

Sidney Houston Jr.

Kiael Kelly