Cardinals Drop Final Home Outing to Bowling Green

MUNCIE, Ind. -- For the first time since 2015, Ball State welcomed Bowling Green to Scheumann Stadium for a Mid-American Conference matchup. The Cardinals were unable to fend off the Falcons on the breezy Saturday afternoon, however, and fell by a 38-13 decision.

Ball State, led by Colin Johnson in his head coaching debut, fell to 3-8 (2-5 MAC) on the season, while Bowling Green advanced to 7-4 (6-1 MAC) with its victory.

The Cardinals' pair of scores came on well-placed strikes from Kadin Semonza. He first connected with Vaughn Pemberton late in the second quarter for a 51-yard touchdown, which marked the third-consecutive game in which Ball State had a score of more than 50 yards. Qian Magwood was the second receiver to find the endzone, hauling in a pass in the red zone midway through the fourth quarter.

Pemberton's explosive touchdown catch and run highlighted his finest individual outing of the season. The redshirt junior halfback produced his highest all-purpose yardage total (99) of his collegiate career.

The chilly MAC battle was the Cardinals' last home contest of the 2024 campaign, marking the final opportunity for the program's seniors to take the Scheumann turf. Fourteen seniors and their families were honored on the field prior to kickoff, commemorating their sacrifices and commitment to Ball State football.

Ball State received the opening kickoff but was forced to punt following a quick three-and-out. Though Brian Cooey Jr. landed his kick within Bowling Green's 10-yard line, the Falcons managed to find the scoreboard after marching down the field with a methodical 16-play drive that ended with a touchdown connection between Connor Bazelak and Harold Fannin Jr.

After Bowling Green found the endzone midway through the opening frame, the ensuing possessions showcased stout defensive play for both sides. The Cardinals and Falcons managed just 79 yards of combined offense over the following seven drives, and each defense produced a takeaway in the second quarter. DD Snyder II recovered a fumble for Ball State, and on the next play, Jordan Oladokun snatched an interception for Bowling Green on a surprise throw from Cardinals wide receiver Cam Pickett.

The defensive struggle eventually came to an end in the final minutes of the first half. Bowling Green capitalized on the strong field position after its interception and produced a 43-yard field goal, advancing the score to 10-0.

Ball State quickly answered the call on its next opportunity with the Semonza-Pemberton connection. The late score sent the teams into the locker room at halftime with Bowling Green holding a 10-7 advantage.

Just as they did on their first drive of the opening half, the Falcons started the second half with a lengthy possession that chewed nearly seven minutes off the clock. Though Bowling Green maintained possession for a considerable period, Ball State's defense held the visitors to a field goal, which moved the score to 13-7 in favor of the Falcons.

Bowling Green soon found paydirt again on a Rahkeem Smith jet sweep, capping off a 5-play, 46-yard drive. The Falcons then converted on their two-point try to build a two-touchdown lead, 21-7.

The offensive edge remained in Bowling Green's corner for the remainder of the second half, as the Falcons produced 17 more points to the Cardinals' 7.

Ball State will close out the 2024 season with a nationally televised Black Friday matchup at Ohio. Kickoff is slated for noon inside the Bobcats' historic Peden Stadium, and the game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

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Team Stats

Kadin Semonza

Cam Pickett

Players Mentioned

Brian Cooey Jr.

Qian Magwood

Vaughn Pemberton

Cam Pickett

Kadin Semonza

DD Snyder

Players Mentioned

Brian Cooey Jr.

Qian Magwood

Vaughn Pemberton

Cam Pickett

Kadin Semonza

DD Snyder