Ball State stepped up enormous when it expected to and on Friday night the Cardinals defeated No. 23 Buffalo to win their first Mid-American Conference championship game.
Drew Plitt tossed three touchdown passes and was 20-for-32 with 263 yards and one interception in the game. He likewise had one rushing touchdown in the 38-28 triumph.
Ball State scored 28 points in the subsequent quarter capped off by a Christian Albright 34-yard bobble recuperation for a touchdown with 48 second remaining in the first half.
Ball State’s defense constrained two turnovers with Antonio Phillips intercepting a pass from Buffalo quarterback Kyle Vantrease.
It’s their first conference title win since 1996.
Vantrease was 29-for-42 with 365 passing yards and one touchdown. His solitary touchdown pass went to Trevor Wilson.
Notwithstanding the Ball State defense holding strong for the game, Buffalo’s Wilson and Antonio Nunn each had 100-plus yards receiving. Nunn had 13 catches for 182 yards and Wilson had six gets for 118 yards.
Bison was truly missing running back Jarret Patterson, who formed into outstanding amongst other running backs in the country throughout the last few weeks.
Patterson had a touchdown yet left the game because of an injury in the second from last quarter. He returned yet just managed 45 yards on 17 carries. Kevin Marks Jr. led the path with 93 yards on nine carries.
Ball State kind of seeks revenge on Buffalo from their 2008 matchup. The Bulls extinguished the Cardinals, 42-24, in that game. Ball State was positioned No. 12 around then.
