| BALLST |
14 |
3 |
3 |
10 |
30 |
| ARMY |
7 |
3 |
3 |
9 |
22 |
Date of game: 10/27/2012
|
Recap: Army vs. Ball State
West Point, NY (Sports Network) - Keith Wenning threw two touchdown passes to help lift the Ball State Cardinals to a 30-22 win over the Army Black Knights at Michie Stadium.
Jahwan Edwards carried 30 times for 148 yards and a TD, his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season, to help the Cardinals (6-3) become bowl eligible for the second straight season.
The Black Knights (1-7) were eliminated from bowl contention while also suffering their eighth straight loss to an opponent from the Mid-American Conference. Trent Steelman (101 yards) and Hayden Tippett (100 yards, TD) both reached the century mark rushing in the setback.
Ball State opened the game with a nine-play, 75-yard drive, capped by Wenning's six-yard touchdown pass to Jamill Smith.
The Cardinals pushed their lead to 14-0 on Edwards' two-yard TD run with just under six minutes to play in the first quarter.
Army answered with a nine-play, 76-yard drive, as Tippett scored on a seven- yard run to make it a 14-7 game.
The teams traded field goals in the second quarter, with Ball State's Steven Schott hitting a 49-yarder and Army kicker Dan Grochowski connecting from 24. The kickers accounted for the only points of the third quarter, as well, with Grochowski nailing a 45-yarder and Schott hitting from 29 yards to cap a 16- play drive that lasted nearly seven minutes.
Ball State pushed its lead to 27-13 at the 13:38 mark of the fourth quarter, as Wenning found KeVonn Mabon for a 13-yard scoring strike.
Army answered with a seven-play, 73-yard drive, which Malcolm Brown punctuated with a 15-yard TD scamper to make it a 27-20 game with 10:53 to play in regulation.
Schott tacked on a 37-yard field goal to extend the Cardinals' lead to 10 with 4:52 remaining, and Army's fate was sealed when Grochowski missed a 43-yard attempt on the ensuing possession. The Cardinals took a safety on the final play of the game.
Army struggled to stop the run, as Ball State tallied 224 rushing yards and a team average of 4.3 yards per carry. Don't expect the Cardinals to let off the gas pedal now that they are bowl eligible, considering last year they were one of just two eligible FBS teams not to be extended an invitation to a bowl game.
Game Notes
