Cardinals Top Sycamores 45-7 to Retake Victory Bell

MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State managed 425 yards in total offense and got three turnovers from its defense to overwhelm Indiana State with a 45-7 rout in its home opener at Scheumann Stadium.

In front of 15,054 on Family Weekend, the Cardinals got 177 rushing yards and one of five offensive touchdowns from transfer running back Marquez Cooper. For Cooper, a first-team All-Mid-American Conference selection last year at Kent State, it was the second-best rushing game of his career and his 14th game over 100 yards.

Cooper crossed the 100-yard barrier in the first half while Ball State clung to a 10-0 lead at intermission. After a scoreless first period, fellow running back Rico Barfield opened the scoring with a 16-yard screen pass from Kadin Semonza. Freshman placekicker Jackson Courville connected on a 23-yard field goal with 94 seconds before intermission.

Barfield, who added 48 rushing yards on just five carries, made the score 17-0 with his second TD of the day, scoring on the longest run of his career from 24 yards. That capped a quick, three-play, 55-yard drive in which Cooper had his longest run of year, 31 yards. Indiana State connected on a 49-yard scoring pass from Elijah Owens to Dakota Caton only a minute later, but it was all Cardinals the rest of the way.

Cooper reached the end zone for the first time with Ball State in the opening moments of a dominant fourth quarter that was dictated by the defense. On the second play following Cooper's TD, senior cornerback Red Potts snagged his second interception of the season to set up a two-play scoring drive with Semonza hitting tight end Tanner Koziol on back-to-back plays. The 8-yard score made it 31-7.

Indiana State drove 41 yards on four plays in its next series, but Loren Strickland's strip-sack resulted in Keionte Newson's 66-yard fumble return and touchdown to extend the onslaught. After the teams traded possessions, Ball State's punt was muffed by the Sycamores. Dalton Elrod fell on the fumble to set up the Cardinals' final score – a 1-yard plunge by Charlie Spegal with 3:13 to play.

Newson had a career-high eight tackles to pace Ball State defenders for the second straight week, to lead a Cardinal defense that totaled four sacks among eight tackles for loss. Offensively, Semonza completed 17 of 22 passes for 137 yards and a pair of scores, but the game was controlled on the ground. The Cardinals' 288 rushing yards represented their best rushing effort since the home opener of 2020 with 304 yards against Eastern Michigan.

Ball State hopes to continue its momentum and avenge a road loss from last season when it hosts Georgia Southern next Saturday. Kickoff is 2:00 p.m.

Cardinals Top Sycamores 45-7 to Retake Victory Bell

Players Mentioned

Rico Barfield

Marquez Cooper

Jackson Courville

Dalton Elrod

Tanner Koziol

Kadin Semonza

Charlie Spegal

Loren Strickland