Ball State still undefeated at 11-0

From NCAA College Football Information & Resource

November 20, 2008

Ball State (11-0,7-0) extended its undefeated run after carving out a 31-24 victory over Central Michigan in a tight battle that went down the wire and featured four deadlocks.

Nate Davis threw for four touchdowns, including the go-ahead 11-yard scoring pass midway through the final quarter that gave the Cardinals its only other lead since scoring the first points of the game. Davis finished the game completing 12-of-22 passes for 175 yards without an interception to survive a duel with another prolific quarterback in Dan LeFevour.

“This game was a dogfight," Ball State head coach Brady Hoke said. "I was proud to see our players hang tough and stay composed down the stretch. It was amazing how calm everyone was on the sideline, we stayed confident and believed that we would come out on top in the end."

After Davis' first touchdown pass for Louis Johnson opened the scoring with about 2 minutes left in the first quarter, the Chippewas made a 10-0 run in the second period that gave CMU its first taste of the lead. LeFevour answered Davis with his own 24-yard TD strike to Joe Bockheim early in the second, then guided the Chippewas to a 15-play, 73-yard march on their ensuing possession that resulted in Andrew Aguila's 31-yard field goal conversion.

9 plays later, Ball State responded with their own field goal conversion courtesy of Ian McGarvey from the 21. Since then, the game went into a see-saw battle with both teams exchanging scores.

At the start of the second half, CMU drew first blood when Ontario Sneed rushed for an 8-yard score but the Cardinals managed to answer back with Davis' 18-yard TD strike to Daniel Ifft, his second TD pass of the game.

CMU actually had a chance to grab a 20-17 lead with over 2 minutes left in the third quarter but Aguila muffed a 37-yard field goal attempt that went wide left. Ball State also missed a chance to recapture the lead after being forced to a three-and-out.

The Chippewas once again surged ahead to a 24-17 lead with LeFevour's 28-yard touchdown strike to Kito Poblah to cap a drive that took only 4 plays and 52 ticks to materialize. Davis then launched his third touchdown strike of the game, a 45-yarder to Johnson that tied the game for the last time.

Ball State's 9-play, 74-yard game-winning drive happened after LeFevour threw a couple of incompletions that gave the ball back to the Cardinals.

In that crucial possession, the Cardinal defense made their presence felt and provided a series of defensive stops that forced LeFevour to a couple of incompletions before sacking him for an 8-yard loss. CMU decided to go for it on a 4th and 18 but Taylor Bradley was stuffed for no gain.

Although the Chippewas forced BSU to punt and get the ball back with 62 seconds left, their hopes of sending the game to extra period got denied when Sean Baker intercepted LeFevour to seal the win.

LeFevour went 30-for-44 for 345 yards and 2 TDs but was sacked thrice. He was also CMU's leading rusher with 24 carries for 75 yards. Poblah led all receivers with 110 yards on 5 receptions for CMU (8-3, 6-1). MiQuale Lewis had another 100-yard game after rushing for 177 yards on 28 carries for the Cardinals.

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