Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
3-5 , 2-2
Sacramento State
1-7 , 0-5
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento St. | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Ball St. | 0 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 34 |
October 24, 2026 | Football
The Cardinals (3-5, 2-1 MAC) earned their second straight win in a traditional seven-day span for the first time since homecoming in 2022 versus Connecticut (Oct. 22). Ball State also recorded its fifth consecutive homecoming win, and its sixth in seven games since 2019.
TJ Horton ran in his conference-leading ninth rushing touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, his second touchdown of the afternoon, to seal the Ball State win over the Hornets (1-7, 0-5 MAC). Horton has collected a pair of rushing touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. His first of the day was a one-yard rush in the closing seconds of the first half, which gave Ball State a 20-10 advantage going into halftime.
Horton finished the day with 33 yards on nine attempts. Jalen Bonds led the Cardinals' rushing efforts, totaling 77 yards on 17 attempts.
Keldric Luster led Ball State's offense to total 417 net yards, eclipsing Sacrament State's 266. By himself, Luster had 302 yards of total offense, tallying over 300 yards in consecutive weeks to become the first Cardinal with that accomplishment since QB John Paddock in 2022. Along with 234 passing yards on 14 completions and two touchdowns, the primary signal caller gained 68 yards on the ground, including a six-yard touchdown at the end of Ball State's early in the second half.
Luster showed off the power of his arm in the first half versus the Hornets. In the second quarter, at the beginning of a back-and-forth scoring battle with Sacramento State, Luster connected with Isaiah Thacker for a 65-yard touchdown. After the Hornets matched with a 65-yard touchdown on the other end on the responding drive, Luster found Jamarion McDougle for a 55-yard answer to give Ball State another six points.
Although the Cardinals lost two interceptions in the game, including one inside the red zone during the third quarter, Ball State's defense managed to create opportunities that turned into points. A strip sack caused by Kaleb Stewart was recovered by Ben Marsh with just over 30 seconds left in the first half, leading to Horton's one-yard score three plays later. The Cardinals also managed a trio of sacks and pass breakups, along with four tackles for loss. Chris Jackson, a transfer from Colorado State, made his first start on Ball State's defensive unit and led team with five tackles along with Mikeah Webster and Ameir Glenn.
The Cardinals enjoy a bye week before entering MACtion with a road contest at UMass. Kickoff on Nov. 4 is scheduled for 7 or 7:30 p.m., with broadcast available on ESPN+ and WLBC 104.1 FM.
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
SSU 3, BSU 0
SSU - Meadors,Grant 47 yd field goal 9 plays, 47 yards, TOP 03:43
SSU 3, BSU 7
BSU - Thacker,Isaiah 65 yd pass from Luster,Keldric (Boehm,Brody kick) 6 plays, 83 yards, TOP 02:54
SSU 10, BSU 7
SSU - Wilson,Jace 65 yd pass from Sharman,Jackson (Meadors,Grant kick) 5 plays, 78 yards, TOP 02:22
SSU 10, BSU 13
BSU - McDougle,Jamarion 55 yd pass from Luster,Keldric () 2 plays, 57 yards, TOP 00:49
SSU 10, BSU 20
BSU - Horton,TJ 1 yd run (Boehm,Brody kick), 3 plays, 26 yards, TOP 00:19
SSU 10, BSU 27
BSU - Luster,Keldric 6 yd run (Boehm,Brody kick), 5 plays, 45 yards, TOP 02:01
SSU 17, BSU 27
SSU - Coleman,Matthew 4 yd pass from Sharman,Jackson (Meadors,Grant kick) 11 plays, 81 yards, TOP 05:47
SSU 17, BSU 34
BSU - Horton,TJ 6 yd run (Boehm,Brody kick), 9 plays, 73 yards, TOP 04:33