To see a photo gallery of the game, click here.
YPSILANTI, Mich. – The ball fluttered through the air, headed for the goal post, the game's fate fluttering along with it. As the ball sailed through the uprights and the officials signaled it good, Ball State's sideline erupted in celebration. With just nine seconds to play Saturday at Eastern Michigan, Steven Schott's 44-yard field goal had given Ball State a 33-31 lead.
Watching from the sideline, quarterback Keith Wenning's only thought was "Thank you."
Two plays later, with the clock expired and the ball rolling on the turf of Rynearson Stadium, the Cardinals' sideline spilled onto the field. Safety Josh Howard leapt into tight end Aaron Mershman's arms. Cornerback Jason Pinkston leaned back and screamed for joy.
Ball State had held off Eastern Michigan for a 33-31 victory – it's sixth of the year – making it bowl eligible for the first time since 2008. The win required a goal-line stand with less than two minutes to play and a 46-yard drive in the game's final minute to set up Schott's game-winner.
Coach Pete Lembo said he was pleasantly surprised at how much resiliency Ball State showed to win the game and become bowl eligible in the first year of his tenure.
"I think it says a lot about the quality of the young men we have and how they're slowly but surely believing more and more in themselves," Lembo said. "Some guys are really stepping up and making plays, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, when we need them to."
Chief among the playmakers was once again Wenning. For the second time this season, the sophomore quarterback led Ball State on a game-winning drive in the final minute of the fourth quarter. Twice the nine-play drive that brought the Cardinals into field goal position, Wenning very slowly pulled himself off the turf after being hit by defenders.
He confessed he wasn't sure himself if he would be able to get back to his feet.
"A couple of them I didn't think I was going to get back up," Wenning said. "I just tried to tough it out and move on to the next play."
Wenning appeared to be able to effectively ignore the pain when it mattered most. Facing fourth-and-seven, he found wide receiver Briggs Orsbon over the middle for 12 yards and a first down. Out of timeouts, Wenning rushed the Cardinals to the line to spike the ball and stop the clock with 13 seconds to play.
Though there was time for one more play to make the field goal a little shorter, Lembo opted to send in Schott.
"We were just concerned about all the bad things that can happen if we tried to run another play," Lembo said. "We felt like we were well within Steven's range."
Eastern Michigan coach Ron English took a timeout just before the ball was snapped, and Schott attempted the field goal anyway. The kick was good, though it wouldn't count because the officials awarded the Eagles their timeout.
Punter Scott Kovanda, who is also the holder for Schott, said he told him a joke during the timeout. Schott said he wasn't nervous following the delay, especially after making the first kick.
"I wasn't really thinking much after that," he said.
Before the late game dramatics, Ball State's defense continued to be plagued by the same penchant for giving up big plays that has hurt it in recent weeks. While Eastern Michigan didn't become the sixth team to have a scoring play of at least 60 yards against Ball State, it did score on passes of 42 and 32 yards by quarterback Alex Gillett.
The Cardinals had a big play of their own. They opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 94-yard touchdown pass from Wenning to Tori Gibson, Ball State's longest play of the season. As Gibson streaked down the sideline, he said he didn't worry about the pursuing defenders.
"I was just focused on the end zone and getting there," Gibson said.
While Ball State is now bowl eligible, it can improve the likelihood of being selected to go to a bowl game with at least one more victory in its last two games against Northern Illinois and Toledo. And with a Mid-American Conference West Division title still possible, the Cardinals are ready to move on to their next goal.
"What I told our guys is this: ‘We're eligible, but No. 1 we're still in the hunt for a championship,'" Lembo said. "'And No. 2, obviously with every additional win, your chances of going get better.' All we got to do now is get ready for the next game."
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