Heading into Saturday’s contest against the Western Michigan Broncos, the consensus around the Ball State football program after three straight losses was that all the Cardinals needed to get back on track was confidence.
The Cardinals headed into the Mid-American Conference (MAC) contest as 10.5-point underdogs, according to FanDuel SportsBook, and Western Michigan had defeated Ball State in the last two contests between the programs.
Saturday was no different as the Cardinals lost their third straight game to the Broncos (2-3, 1-0 MAC) and their fourth straight this season with a 45-42 defeat. Now Ball State sits at 1-4 overall and 0-2 in MAC play.
Here’s how it happened.
Explosive Plays Define Ball State Offense
On the first drive of the game, Ball State’s offense only managed one first down on five plays for 18 yards. The next drive, redshirt junior Kiael Kelly filled in for starting quarterback Kadin Semonza, only to fumble off a read option.
It looked like the Cardinals were in for a long day, just like last Saturday’s 63-7 loss to James Madison trailing the Broncos 14-0 in the first quarter. That was until Ball State senior wide receiver Malcolm Gillie returned a kick for a 97-yard touchdown with 7:23 remaining in the first quarter.
The Ball State faithful, who were previously silent after the rough start, all rose to their feet and roared with applause for the jolt of life. The Cardinals' defense came up clutch on the following drive, and Ball State took back over on offense at its own five-yd line with 6:32 left in the first quarter.
Senior running back Braedon Sloan rushed for a measly two yards, then Semonza threw an incomplete pass. The Cardinals faced third-and-eight deep in their own territory, but Semonza connected with Sloan in the flat for a 72-yd reception.
The play sent Ball State’s sidelines into a frenzy, and it was the second-longest passing gain for the Cardinals since 2000. On the next play, Semonza hit returning redshirt junior wide receiver Ty Robinson for a 21-yard touchdown pass.
The extra point was successful, meaning less than two minutes after Ball State trailed Western Michigan 14-0, the Cardinals tied the game.
Western Michigan fired back with another touchdown before the first quarter ended, but the Cardinals stayed ahead of the curve with a change of pace on their next drive. Ball State tied the game at 21 apiece after a 9-minute, 10-second drive. On the 15th play, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Cam Pickett ran a four-yard jet sweep for a touchdown.
By halftime, the score stood at a 21-21 tie, but the Cardinals first score of the second half once again came off an unexpectedly explosive play. Sloan threw the first pass of his collegiate career, a 37-yard touchdown to tight end Christian Abney to keep Ball State tied with Western Michigan 28-28.
On the next drive, the Cardinals got even more inventive when Semonza threw a two-yard touchdown pass to defensive lineman Drew Hughes to take their first lead of the afternoon.
Defense Struggles in the First, Recovers in the Middle
In the first quarter, Ball State’s defense looked a lot like it did against the Dukes in Virginia last Saturday.
Western Michigan’s offense scored on their first two drives of the afternoon, a 21-yard rush from redshirt junior running back Jaden Nixon and a 10-yard pass by redshirt senior quarterback Hayden Wolff.
Even when the Cardinals’ offense came alive to tie the game at 14 apiece, the defense let up another touchdown before the first quarter even ended when Nixon broke through for a 57-yard score. By the end of the first 15 minutes, the Broncos had rushed for 104 yards on just eight attempts, and had added 62 more yards through the air.
However, things changed for the better in the second and third quarters. Ball State’s defense pitched a shutout in the second quarter, highlighted by preventing Western Michigan from reaching the end zone on four straight plays from 1st-and-goal on the Cardinals’ seven-yard line.
When Ball State’s defense forced a turnover on downs, head coach Mike Neu ripped off his headset and charged off the sidelines pumping his fist with excitement. He smacked the top of each defender’s helmets as they ran off the field.
After turning Western Michigan’s offense over on downs again before the first half ended, the Cardinals opened up the second half with another touchdown allowed. It only took the Broncos six plays to march 69 yards downfield for a 43-yard touchdown pass from Wolff to wide receiver Malique Dieudonne.
Unlike the first quarter, Ball State’s defense responded on the next possession by forcing a fumble on the Western Michigan 28-yard line. That turnover led to Hughes’ touchdown that gave the Cardinals a late third quarter lead.
On the next possession, redshirt junior linebacker Joey Stemler came up with a big stop when Western Michigan faced third-and-five on the Ball State 22-yard line. Even if the Broncos found a field goal afterward, the Cardinals’ defense only allowed a combined 10 points in the second and third quarters.
Offensive Errors Cost Ball State Late, Poor 4th Quarter Defense Didn’t Help
The first 90 seconds and change of the fourth quarter were madness. Semonza threw his sixth interception of the season after a low pass was tipped by Western Michigan defensive lineman Tyson Lee and picked by defensive back Tate Hallock.
On the third play of the following drive, Nixon rushed 23 yards for his third touchdown of the day to give the Broncos their lead back with 13:19 remaining. The Cardinals went three-and-out on their next drive, but Western Michigan answered right back with a seven-play, 65-yard drive that resulted in another score when Wolff hit wide receiver Anthony Sambucci for a short touchdown.
Ball State trailed 45-35 with 7:43 left in regulation, and the Cardinals desperately needed a spark. It didn’t come, as Semonza fumbled a snap on the fifth play of the following drive then threw an interception to Broncos junior defensive back Aaron Wofford on the next play.
From there, Western Michigan tried to run out the clock to clinch a victory at Scheumann Stadium, but after the defense only allowed one first down, the Broncos were forced to punt.
Semonza and the offense bounced back from a tough fourth quarter, finally finding the end zone after a 27-yard touchdown pass off a Pickett slant route.
With 1:47 remaining, the Cardinals trailed by three and attempted an onside kick. It was unsuccessful, and the game was sealed 45-42.
Semonza finished with 264 passing yards and three touchdowns, but his two interceptions in the final quarter may have cost the Cardinals a win.
The Ball State defense finished with 461 total yards and six touchdowns allowed. The Cardinals return to action next Saturday, Oct. 12 when they travel to take on MAC rival Kent State (0-5) at Noon.
Contact Kyle Smedley via email at kmsmedley213@gmail.com or via X @KyleSmedley_.
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