Saturday, October 21
Muncie, Ind./Scheumann Stadium
3:30 p.m.
Central Michigan University
17
at
24
Ball State
CMU running back Marion Lukes (9) tries to break free from a Ball State Cardinal on Saturday in a 24-17 loss in Muncie, Ind.
Photo by: Jack Reeber
Slow Start, Strong Ball State Ground Game Dooms Chippewas
10/21/2023 7:54:00 PM | Football
Box Score Full Game Book (PDF)Box ScorePost Game Notes (PDF)Video: Jim McElwain Post-Game InterviewHighlight: Tristan Mattson 45-yard field goalHighlight: Jase Bauer 19-yard TD pass to Jesse Prewitt IIIHighlight: Marion Lukes 1-yard touchdown runPhoto Gallery
CMU slips to 4-4, 2-2 MAC; Chippewas return home to face Northern Illinois on Halloween night
MUNCIE, Ind. – All is not lost for the Central Michigan football team.
But there is no more room for error, and scant little time for wound licking.
Ball State took advantage of a lethargic first half by Central Michigan and then used a dominant run game in handing the Chippewas a 24-17 loss on Saturday in a Mid-American Conference game at Scheumann Stadium.
The loss dropped the Chippewas to 4-4, 2-2 MAC. They trail first-place Toledo – a 21-17 winner at Miami (Ohio) on Saturday -- by two games in the West Division with the meat of the league schedule coming over the next four weeks, beginning with an Oct. 31 home game against Northern Illinois.
"Ultimately, for this team, we've got a lot ahead of us," fifth-year CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "We've got to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off and come back and get ready to play on Halloween."
Marquez Cooper ran for 162 yards and a touchdown and the Cardinals (2-6, 1-3) rolled up 243 rushing yards, a season high for a CMU opponent.
Cooper's touchdown came on a 15-yard run on the Cardinals' first possession of the third quarter, giving them a 17-3 lead.
CMU drew to 17-10 on a 19-yard Jase Bauer-to-Jesse Prewitt touchdown pass late in the third quarter, but the Cardinals went back to their reliable run game, grinding out the clock and keeping the CMU offense off the field.
Ball State made it 24-10 when quarterback Kiael Kelly dove in from a yard out less than two minutes into the fourth quarter to cap a 13-play, 75-yard drive.
The Chippewas finished with 260 yards in total offense, but their longest play from scrimmage was a 24-yard pass from Bauer to Tyson Davis and their most explosive play of the day came when Marion Lukes returned the opening kickoff 45 yards to the 50.
That drive ended with a 45-yard Tristan Mattson field goal that gave CMU a 3-0 lead.
"Give (Cooper) credit," McElwain said. "He made some really nice cuts in the hole and made us look silly at times. Defensively we had some opportunities for negative plays and obviously didn't wrap up and offensively we just never did create any explosive plays, that's the bottom line."
Bauer completed 19 of 31 pass attempts for 161 yards. Davis finished with six catches for 65 yards – both career highs – while Lukes finished with 159 all-purpose yards (58 rushing, 42 receiving, and 49 in returns).
Lukes bulled in from a yard out with 4:33 left to give the Chippewas life and cut their deficit to 24-17.
They then forced a Ball State punt and took over at their own 8-yard line with 2:11 to play. They got as far as their own 49 where they failed to convert on fourth down with 19 seconds left.
"I hate to say it because of where we're at in the season," McElwain said, "our identity is we just hang in there and play with whatever the heck's across the line of scrimmage instead of with a little bit of an attitude to go out and get it done.
"I told our guys, I believe in them still and I love them. Got to get it out of each other and we've got to stay together."
Defensive Leaders
Junior linebacker Justin Whiteside led CMU's defense with eight tackles, while cornerback Da'Raun McKinney and safety Trey Jones made six each.
The Chippewas played without leading tackler, linebacker Kyle Moretti, who was injured a week earlier in CMU's 17-10 win over Akron.
Turnover Free
Neither team committed a turnover. The Chippewas committed six in their previous two games, a 37-13 loss at Buffalo and their win over Akron.
It was the first time the Chippewas have played a game in which neither team committed a turnover since their 34-30 win at South Alabama on Sept. 23.
The Series
Ball State leads the series with CMU, 28-27-1. The Cardinals, who defeated CMU, 17-16, in Mount Pleasant last season, won their second consecutive game over the Chippewas for the first time since 2014.
Next
The Chippewas entertain Northern Illinois on Oct. 31 on Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. The kickoff time will be either 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.
NIU is 4-4, 3-1 and has won three consecutive games. The Huskies topped Eastern Michigan, 20-13, at home on Saturday.
But there is no more room for error, and scant little time for wound licking.
Ball State took advantage of a lethargic first half by Central Michigan and then used a dominant run game in handing the Chippewas a 24-17 loss on Saturday in a Mid-American Conference game at Scheumann Stadium.
The loss dropped the Chippewas to 4-4, 2-2 MAC. They trail first-place Toledo – a 21-17 winner at Miami (Ohio) on Saturday -- by two games in the West Division with the meat of the league schedule coming over the next four weeks, beginning with an Oct. 31 home game against Northern Illinois.
"Ultimately, for this team, we've got a lot ahead of us," fifth-year CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "We've got to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off and come back and get ready to play on Halloween."
Marquez Cooper ran for 162 yards and a touchdown and the Cardinals (2-6, 1-3) rolled up 243 rushing yards, a season high for a CMU opponent.
Cooper's touchdown came on a 15-yard run on the Cardinals' first possession of the third quarter, giving them a 17-3 lead.
CMU drew to 17-10 on a 19-yard Jase Bauer-to-Jesse Prewitt touchdown pass late in the third quarter, but the Cardinals went back to their reliable run game, grinding out the clock and keeping the CMU offense off the field.
Ball State made it 24-10 when quarterback Kiael Kelly dove in from a yard out less than two minutes into the fourth quarter to cap a 13-play, 75-yard drive.
The Chippewas finished with 260 yards in total offense, but their longest play from scrimmage was a 24-yard pass from Bauer to Tyson Davis and their most explosive play of the day came when Marion Lukes returned the opening kickoff 45 yards to the 50.
That drive ended with a 45-yard Tristan Mattson field goal that gave CMU a 3-0 lead.
"Give (Cooper) credit," McElwain said. "He made some really nice cuts in the hole and made us look silly at times. Defensively we had some opportunities for negative plays and obviously didn't wrap up and offensively we just never did create any explosive plays, that's the bottom line."
Bauer completed 19 of 31 pass attempts for 161 yards. Davis finished with six catches for 65 yards – both career highs – while Lukes finished with 159 all-purpose yards (58 rushing, 42 receiving, and 49 in returns).
Lukes bulled in from a yard out with 4:33 left to give the Chippewas life and cut their deficit to 24-17.
They then forced a Ball State punt and took over at their own 8-yard line with 2:11 to play. They got as far as their own 49 where they failed to convert on fourth down with 19 seconds left.
"I hate to say it because of where we're at in the season," McElwain said, "our identity is we just hang in there and play with whatever the heck's across the line of scrimmage instead of with a little bit of an attitude to go out and get it done.
"I told our guys, I believe in them still and I love them. Got to get it out of each other and we've got to stay together."
Defensive Leaders
Junior linebacker Justin Whiteside led CMU's defense with eight tackles, while cornerback Da'Raun McKinney and safety Trey Jones made six each.
The Chippewas played without leading tackler, linebacker Kyle Moretti, who was injured a week earlier in CMU's 17-10 win over Akron.
Turnover Free
Neither team committed a turnover. The Chippewas committed six in their previous two games, a 37-13 loss at Buffalo and their win over Akron.
It was the first time the Chippewas have played a game in which neither team committed a turnover since their 34-30 win at South Alabama on Sept. 23.
The Series
Ball State leads the series with CMU, 28-27-1. The Cardinals, who defeated CMU, 17-16, in Mount Pleasant last season, won their second consecutive game over the Chippewas for the first time since 2014.
Next
The Chippewas entertain Northern Illinois on Oct. 31 on Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. The kickoff time will be either 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.
NIU is 4-4, 3-1 and has won three consecutive games. The Huskies topped Eastern Michigan, 20-13, at home on Saturday.