Miami Beats Ball State 27-21 for Fourth Straight Win

Tuesday, November 5

Muncie, Ind.

8 p.m.

Miami University

5-4 , 4-1

Ball State

3-6 , 2-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Miami (OH)

Ball St.

Miami Beats Ball State 27-21 for Fourth Straight Win

11/5/2024 11:24:00 PM | Football

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MUNCIE, Ind.– The Miami University football team posted its fourth straight win Tuesday, defeating Ball State 27-21. Brett Gabbert threw for 219 yards and three touchdowns for the RedHawks (5-4, 4-1 MAC), while Keyon Mozee added 105 rush yards on a career-high 22 carries. Justin Bowick led the Cardinals (3-6, 2-3 MAC) with 171 receiving yards.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Ball State took a 7-0 first-quarter lead, intercepting a pass by Miami punter Alec Bevelhimer on a broken play and returning it 46 yards. The RedHawks answered back to even the score on their next drive, as Gabbert found Reggie Virgil for a 41-yard completion and followed three plays later with a 34-yard scoring strike to Virgil to make it 7-7 at the 5:48 mark of the period.
After BSU went ahead 10-7 on a 27-yard field goal early in the second quarter, Miami promptly responded to take its first lead of the contest. A 25-yard run by Mozee moved the RedHawks into Ball State territory, and Gabbert finished the drive with a third-down completion to Kevin Davis from 12 yards out to put the Red and White on top 14-10.
The Cardinals pulled within 14-13 on a 21-yard field goal, but Miami stretched its lead before halftime with a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Javon Tracy made three catches on the drive to account for 56 receiving yards, including a wide-open 10-yard grab in the end zone with 33 seconds remaining in the half for a 21-13 margin.
Ball State scored the only points of the third quarter, tying the score at 21-all on a 55-yard completion down the left sideline and a two-point conversion. Miami re-took the lead with 11:13 left in the game, moving the ball 52 yards in 12 plays before a 28-yard field goal by Dom Dzioban.
The RedHawks tacked on another field goal with 1:48 to play. Miami took advantage of good field position at the Ball State 45 and moved the ball into the red zone, with Dzioban converting from 39 yards out for a 27-21 lead.
Miami's defense closed out the game with a key stop, as Matt Salopek's first sack of the year forced a 4th-and-18 situation. An incompletion on the next play allowed the RedHawks to kneel out the clock and defeat Ball State for the eighth time in nine meetings.

NOTES

Gabbert now has 75 career touchdown passes, moving past Zac Dysert (73) for second place in program history.
Salopek made nine tackles and moved past Tim Colleran (464) for seventh place on Miami's career tackles list; Salopek now has 472 career tackles.
Corban Hondru and Raion Strader each collected interceptions in the first half.
Corey Suttle matched his career high with two sacks.
Salopek, Savio Frazier and Adam Trick also produced at least 1.5 tackles for loss apiece.
Virgil made a career-high five catches for 101 yards, producing his second career 100-yard game.
Mozee rushed for at least 100 yards for the fifth time in the last six games.