Mount Pleasant, MI (Sportsbooks) - Nate Davis threw four touchdown passes and MiQuale Lewis rushed for 177 yards as the 14th-ranked Ball State Cardinals stayed perfect on the season with a 31-24 decision over Central Michigan in an exciting Mid-American Conference bout.
Davis notched just 175 passing yards on 12-of-22 efficiency in cold, windy conditions that saw the occasional snowfall, but it was enough for Ball State (11-0, 7-0 MAC) to improve the best start in program history while clinching a share of the MAC West Division title and recording a school record for wins in a season.
Both of Louis Johnson's catches went for touchdowns, while Briggs Orsbon and Daniel Ifft brought down the other scores for the Cardinals, who play Western Michigan in their regular-season finale next Tuesday.
Dan LeFevour did all he could in an effort to clinch the Chippewas' (8-3, 6-1) third straight MAC West Division title, passing for 345 yards and two touchdowns on 30-of-44 attempts while rushing for a team-high 75 yards on 24 carries. But his interception in the closing seconds proved costly in snapping CMU's six-game winning streak.
Kito Poblah caught five balls for 110 yards and a touchdown, while kicker Andrew Aguila missed 2-of-3 field goal attempts in the loss.
Central Michigan bounced back from Aguila's second missed kick as Poblah made a nice adjustment on an under-thrown LeFevour toss for a 38-yard score and a 24-17 lead 39 seconds in the final stanza.
Ball State had an answer on the fourth play of the next possession when Johnson caught a pass down the right sideline, broke a tackle and raced into the end zone for a 45-yard TD.
CMU was forced to punt on the next drive and Lewis went to work with six rushes for 63 yards on the ensuing possession. Facing 3rd-and-8 at the Chippewas 11-yard line, Davis fired a perfect pass to a covered Orsbon, who caught the out route in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with 7:29 remaining.
The Chippewas moved into Ball State territory on the next drive, but two incompletions and a sack on third down left the ball at the Cardinals 40 with just over four minutes to play. A fake punt on 4th-and-18 stood no chance, but CMU managed to get the ball back with just under a minute remaining.
After instant replay nullified an interception, three completions put the ball on the Ball State 36. Attempting a pass into the red zone, LeFevour was picked off by Sean Baker and the Cardinals' hope for an appearance in a BCS game stayed afloat.
The offensive explosion expected from both clubs didn't come to fruition in the first half. After Aguila's missed 40-yard field goal attempt, Ball State marched to paydirt, culminating in Johnson's 20-yard grab with less than two minutes to play in the opening quarter.
CMU answered with a touchdown drive of its own. Two plays after LeFevour rushed for a first down on 4th-and-1 at the Ball State 25, he found Joe Bockheim down the middle, as the receiver took a big hit at the two, stayed on his feet and reached the ball into the end zone early in the second quarter.
Aguila's 31-yard kick gave CMU a brief 10-7 lead, and Ian McGarvey's 21-yarder knotted it just before intermission.
The programs came out of the break and exchanged blows. The Chippewas went first and scored on a six-play, 63-yard drive when Ontario Sneed penetrated the goal line on an eight-yard scamper.
The Cardinals curiously went for it on 4th-and-1 on their own 37 on the next drive and Lewis rushed for the first by the nose of the ball. Davis' 18-yard hookup with Ifft at the midway point of the third tied the game, 17-17.
Game Notes
Central Michigan finishes its regular season against Eastern Michigan next Friday...CMU still owns a narrow 21-20-1 advantage in the all-time series with Ball State...Sneed had 40 yards rushing on 10 carries, but the team as a whole was out-rushed, 232-121.
