Tuesday, November 7
DeKalb, IL
7:00 p.m.
Ball State University
3-7 , 2-4
20
at
17
Northern Illinois
4-6 , 3-3
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Ball St.
7
3
0
10
20
NIU
0
10
0
7
17
Courville Game-Winner Lifts Cardinals Past NIU to Retain Bronze Stalk Trophy
November 07, 2023 | Football
DeKALB, Ill. – Freshman placekicker Jackson Courville missed a 50-yard field goal early and missed his first attempt this season inside 50 yards early in the fourth period – but when Ball State needed him most, he booted a 36-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Cardinals past Northern Illinois, 20-17 on Tuesday night.
Ball State (3-7, 2-4 MAC) won for the second time in three games and captured its first road game of the season, while dealing the Huskies (4-6, 3-3 MAC) their second straight defeat.
Courville's game-winner sparked a postgame celebration that Ball State has waited on for two months. Capturing their first road win in Week 11 of a season filled with challenges, the Cardinals hoisted their Bronze Stalk rivalry trophy at midfield of Huskie Stadium, rejoicing after their defense forced a season-high three turnovers and their remade offense scored the game's last 10 points.
Following a tie score at intermission and a scoreless third period, Courville had an opportunity to put Ball State back into the lead, but his 37-yard field goal attempt on the first snap of the fourth quarter was wide right. It was his first miss out of 10 tries inside of 50 yards this season, and it led to more Ball State adversity when, on the ensuing possession, NIU receiver Trayvon Rudolph took a handoff and sprinted 35 yards to give the Huskies their first lead of the game – 17-10 with exactly 10 minutes remaining.
The Cardinals punted after four plays, but won the game over the course of the next three possessions. A fumble recovered by Mikhari Sibblis put the ball back in Ball State's hands and quarterback Kiael Kelly threw the first touchdown pass of his career, a 6-yard strike to Tanner Koziol, to tie the score at 17. With the clock ticking under four minutes, Sibblis added a sack and Kyron Mimms recovered another Huskie fumble to set the stage for Courville's game-winner.
Ball State began its final possession with 2:13 to play, and eight plays later Courville trotted from the sidelines with the ball on the NIU 19-yard line. Moments later, the Cardinals' sideline erupted with the hard-fought victory in hand.
Ball State started the evening in fast fashion, going 65 yards on the game's first seven plays to take a 7-0 lead after a six-yard touchdown run by Kelly. It was the Cardinals' first touchdown on an opening drive this season and got momentum from Marquez Cooper's 21-yard burst on the game's first play.
NIU knotted the score when Huskies' QB Rocky Lombardi matched Kelly with a four-yard TD run early in the second period. And after Jackson Courville's 37-yard field goal put Ball State back into the lead, the Huskies' Kanon Woodill answered with a 27-yarder to tie the score on the final play of the first half.
Kelly finished the game 15-of-25 passing for a career-high 115 yards. He threw for one score and ran for another among his 66 rushing yards. in his four late-season starts, the Cardinals are now 2-2 with their losses totaling just 10 points.
Helping Kelly carve Ball State's new identity on the ground, Cooper added 93 yards while maintaining his quest to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a third straight season – rising within 233 yards of the milestone with two home games remaining.
Sibblis was the Cardinals' defensive standout, registering the fourth quarter sack and recovery to help turn the game. Damion Charity added seven tackles, one tackle for loss and a deflected pass.
The Cardinals are off until Saturday, Nov. 18 when they host Kent State (2 p.m.) at Scheumann Stadium to begin a two-game homestand to close the regular season.
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Ball State (3-7, 2-4 MAC) won for the second time in three games and captured its first road game of the season, while dealing the Huskies (4-6, 3-3 MAC) their second straight defeat.
Courville's game-winner sparked a postgame celebration that Ball State has waited on for two months. Capturing their first road win in Week 11 of a season filled with challenges, the Cardinals hoisted their Bronze Stalk rivalry trophy at midfield of Huskie Stadium, rejoicing after their defense forced a season-high three turnovers and their remade offense scored the game's last 10 points.
Following a tie score at intermission and a scoreless third period, Courville had an opportunity to put Ball State back into the lead, but his 37-yard field goal attempt on the first snap of the fourth quarter was wide right. It was his first miss out of 10 tries inside of 50 yards this season, and it led to more Ball State adversity when, on the ensuing possession, NIU receiver Trayvon Rudolph took a handoff and sprinted 35 yards to give the Huskies their first lead of the game – 17-10 with exactly 10 minutes remaining.
The Cardinals punted after four plays, but won the game over the course of the next three possessions. A fumble recovered by Mikhari Sibblis put the ball back in Ball State's hands and quarterback Kiael Kelly threw the first touchdown pass of his career, a 6-yard strike to Tanner Koziol, to tie the score at 17. With the clock ticking under four minutes, Sibblis added a sack and Kyron Mimms recovered another Huskie fumble to set the stage for Courville's game-winner.
Ball State began its final possession with 2:13 to play, and eight plays later Courville trotted from the sidelines with the ball on the NIU 19-yard line. Moments later, the Cardinals' sideline erupted with the hard-fought victory in hand.
Ball State started the evening in fast fashion, going 65 yards on the game's first seven plays to take a 7-0 lead after a six-yard touchdown run by Kelly. It was the Cardinals' first touchdown on an opening drive this season and got momentum from Marquez Cooper's 21-yard burst on the game's first play.
NIU knotted the score when Huskies' QB Rocky Lombardi matched Kelly with a four-yard TD run early in the second period. And after Jackson Courville's 37-yard field goal put Ball State back into the lead, the Huskies' Kanon Woodill answered with a 27-yarder to tie the score on the final play of the first half.
Kelly finished the game 15-of-25 passing for a career-high 115 yards. He threw for one score and ran for another among his 66 rushing yards. in his four late-season starts, the Cardinals are now 2-2 with their losses totaling just 10 points.
Helping Kelly carve Ball State's new identity on the ground, Cooper added 93 yards while maintaining his quest to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a third straight season – rising within 233 yards of the milestone with two home games remaining.
Sibblis was the Cardinals' defensive standout, registering the fourth quarter sack and recovery to help turn the game. Damion Charity added seven tackles, one tackle for loss and a deflected pass.
The Cardinals are off until Saturday, Nov. 18 when they host Kent State (2 p.m.) at Scheumann Stadium to begin a two-game homestand to close the regular season.
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Team Stats
BSU
NIU
Total Yards
301
315
Pass Yards
115
141
Rushing Yards
186
174
Penalty Yards
25
18
1st Downs
20
17
3rd Downs
10
3
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
34:50
25:10
1st Quarter
BSU 7, NIU 0
BSU - Kelly,Kiael 6 yd run (Courville,Jackson kick), 7 plays, 65 yards, TOP 04:06
2nd Quarter
BSU 7, NIU 7
NIU - Lombardi,Rocky 4 yd run (Woodill,Kanon kick), 13 plays, 98 yards, TOP 07:02
BSU 10, NIU 7
BSU - Courville,Jackson 37 yd field goal 10 plays, 56 yards, TOP 03:18
BSU 10, NIU 10
NIU - Woodill,Kanon 27 yd field goal 12 plays, 70 yards, TOP 00:57
4th Quarter
BSU 10, NIU 17
NIU - Rudolph,Trayvon 35 yd run (Woodill,Kanon kick), 8 plays, 80 yards, TOP 04:57
BSU 17, NIU 17
BSU - Koziol,Tanner 6 yd pass from Kelly,Kiael (Courville,Jackson kick) 6 plays, 32 yards, TOP 03:17
BSU 20, NIU 17
BSU - Courville,Jackson 36 yd field goal 8 plays, 22 yards, TOP 02:13
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
15
TD
1
YDS
115
INT
0
Players Mentioned
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RB
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K
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TE
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DL
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