Fourth Quarter
Ball State took over at its own 20-yard line following the punt that started the final quarter.
The Cardinals punted, and the Owls took advantage by marching it down the field. Jason Driskel found Kalib Woods with a 25-yard pass on third down to the Ball State 28. Aaron Taylor ripped it out and the Cardinals recovered, but after review Woods was ruled down by contact. Florida Atlantic settled for a 41-yard field goal to take a 27-24 lead.
Another lightning delay pulled the teams off the field with 5:33 left. Ball State has a first down at its own 30-yard line after a stand on fourth down.
The Cardinals moved the ball down the field quickly, ending with a 2-yard touchdown rush by Riley Neal. Ball State held a 31-27 lead with just under two minutes remaining.
Josh Posley came up with a big sack on third down, and Zack Ryan picked off the fourth down pass.
Ball State wins, 31-27.
Third Quarter
The second-half kickoff sailed into the end zone for a touchback, giving Ball State the ball at the 25-yard line.
Both teams were taken off the field for a lightning delay with 10:17 left in the quarter.
After the weather delay, Ball State's drive quickly stalled and Kyle Schmidt punted the ball away. The Owls took over at their own 35-yard line with 8:52 left in the third after the punt.
The teams traded punts on their next two possessions. Florida Atlantic took over on its own 40 with 5:48 left in the third quarter, still leading 24-17.
Florida Atlantic's next ensuing punt bounced into the end zone for a touchback. The Cardinals started the drive on the ground, with runs by James Gilbert and Riley Neal. With the ball on the Owls' 44, the home team was called for pass interference on a deep ball intended for KeVonn Mabon. Neal hit Lacanaria down the right sideline for a 29-yard score on the next play to tie the game at 24-24 with 1:46 left.
The Owls are facing a 4th-and-3 from the Ball State 45 as time expires.
At the end of the third quarter, Ball State and Florida Atlantic are tied 24-24.
Second Quarter
Riley Neal's pass to KeVonn Mabon was incomplete on the first play of the quarter, but Neal found tight end Sam Brunner on the next play for a 26-yard score. Morgan Hagee's extra point cut the deficit to 14-7.
Florida Atlantic quarterback Jason Driskel completed a pass to Harrison Bryant on third down of the next drive, but Bryant fumbled. Marc Walton recovered the ball at the Cardinals' 48-yard line.
Ball State got creative on the next drive. Neal threw a backwards pass to Corey Lacanaria, who threw it back to Neal for a 10-yard gain and a first down. James Gilbert came up just short of the end zone a few plays later, but Neal powered it in from a yard away. After the score, Ball State and Florida Atlantic were tied 14-14 with 10:29 left in the quarter.
The Owls took no time to respond. Driskel found Nate Terry deep down the field for 47 yards, and redshirt freshman Kerrith White ran it in from three yards out on the next play. Florida Atlantic took a 21-14 lead with 9:29 remaining in the half.
Ball State responded with its longest drive of the game, capped off by a 39-yard Morgan Hagee field goal. Neal and the Cardinals went nine plays for 53 yards to cut the Owls' lead to 21-17.
The lack of defense continued on the next drive, as the Owls marched down the field behind their passing game. They had a 1st-and-goal from the Cardinals' 2-yard line, but the Ball State defense held on three straight runs. A field goal made it 24-17 with 1:23 left in the half.
Neal picked up the pace for the Cardinals with two timeouts in his back pocket. Big plays by Jordan Hogue, Mabon and Lacanaria moved Ball State deep into enemy territory before they took a timeout with 19 seconds left. Hagee missed a 29-yard field goal as time expired.
At the half, Florida Atlantic leads Ball State 24-17.
First Quarter
Ball State won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. Florida Atlantic got the ball to start the game.
After a Florida Atlantic punt, sophomore quarterback Riley Neal found Corey Lacanaria along the left side for a first down on 3rd-and-8. Neal was sacked by Shalom Ogbonda two plays later, however, and threw a pick down the field on third down to Owls' safety Andrew Soroh at the 39-yard line.
The Owls wasted no time putting points on the board, going 65 yards on six plays. Quarterback Jason Driskel completed a 46-yard pass to start the drive and capped it off with a 5-yard touchdown run. With 7:26 left in the quarter, Florida Atlantic took a 7-0 lead.
After a touchback on the kickoff, James Gilbert got the drive started with a 5-yard run. Neal found some space on the left side for 23 yards and KeVonn Mabon broke off a 16-yard run out of a direct snap. Ball State went for it on 4th-and-6 from the Florida Atlantic 33, but the pass was broken up.
Jeremiah Jackson recorded Ball State's first sack of the game on the next drive. Florida Atlantic went for it on 4th-and-2 from the Cardinals' 36-yard line, and converted on an 8-yard rush by Greg Howell. Driskel found Kalib Woods a few plays later for a 31-yard touchdown to put the Owls up 14-0 with 44 seconds left.
Ball State has a first down at the Florida Atlantic 26-yard line.
At the end of the first quarter, Florida Atlantic leads 14-0.
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