Recap: Ball State vs. Ohio U

Muncie, IN (Sports Network) - The Ball State Cardinals gained a season-high 357 rushing yards on their way to a 52-27 rout of the Ohio University Bobcats in a late season Mid-American Conference bout at Scheumann Stadium.

Jahwan Edwards paced the rushing attack once again for Ball State (8-3, 5-2 MAC) with 169 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Edwards extended his streak of games with at least 100 rushing yards to five in the process. Horactio Banks got into the mix by rushing 14 times for 135 yards and a score.

Keith Wenning was efficient under center before leaving in the second quarter, completing 16-of-20 attempts for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Zane Fakes had a big time performance with seven receptions for 58 yards and two touchdowns as the Cardinals won for the fifth game in a row. Senior Kelly Page filled in for Wenning after he was sidelined to produce three total touchdowns in his final home game.

Tyler Tettleton guided Ohio (8-3, 4-3) by going 22-of-30 for 236 yards. Beau Blankenship surpassed the century mark for the seventh time this season by turning 21 carries into 161 yards and three scores. Josh Kristoff and Alphonso Lewis recorded 10 tackles each as the Bobcats lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Ohio struck first as Matt Weller drilled a 47-yard field goal with just under seven minutes left in the opening period. Ball State responded with a 10-play, 75-yard drive which was punctuated by a 13-yard touchdown pass to KeVonn Mabon from Wenning. Mabon's second touchdown reception of the season gave BSU a 7-3 lead after 15 minutes of action.

The second quarter was a back-and-forth battle. The Bobcats jumped back on top early in the second frame as Blankenship plunged across the goal line from a yard out. The Cardinals responded as Wenning completed a 42-yard touchdown pass to Willie Snead to give BSU a 14-10 advantage.

On the Bobcats' next drive, Tettleton completed a 68-yard pass to Daz' Patterson to move the ball inside of the opponent's five-yard line. The big play put Blankenship in position to rush into the end zone for the second time in the contest, which gave Ohio a 17-14 advantage.

The Cardinals managed to jump back on top with 2:17 left before the intermission as Page punctuated an 11-play, 80-yard drive with a seven yard touchdown run. Page's efforts put BSU ahead, 21-17, as the game progressed into halftime.

Blankenship pushed the Bobcats back in front early in the second half by breaking away for a 58-yard touchdown run. Edwards broke off a 68-yard run on BSU's next drive to set up a three-yard scoring pass from Page to Fakes. Ball State's kicker Steven Schott added a 38-yard field goal with just under two minutes left before the final period to extend the Cardinals' advantage to 31-24.

Weller made a 34-yard field goal with 12:15 left to play, but Ohio was unable to score the rest of the way.

The Cardinals ended the game on a 21-0 run. Banks and Edwards added a rushing touchdown each and Fakes reeled in his second touchdown reception to hand Ohio a 25-point loss, which is the largest margin of defeat the Bobcats have endured this year.

Ball State gained 588 yards of total offense and 29 first downs. Despite the loss, the Bobcats were productive with 484 yards and 20 first downs.