Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Ball State
Chippewas Can't Hold On Against Ball State
11/3/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 3, 2001
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Central Michigan took a three-point lead with 12:34 left in the game but couldn't hold on as Mid-American Conference West Division-leading Ball State pulled out a 38-34 win on Saturday.
"What beat us were penalties and big plays," CMU coach Mike DeBord said. "Those things tear you down and we were so close.
"Ball State adjusted well to screens and draws and it created pressure on our passing game."
BSU (4-4, 3-0 MAC West, 3-1 MAC) scored the winning touchdown on a 78-yard pass from Talmadge Hill to Sean Schembra with 7:28 remaining in the contest.
"You have to give to Bill (Lynch, BSU coach)," DeBord said. In crunch time, it's tough to call that long throw."
The Chippewas (2-6, 0-3 MAC West, 1-5 MAC) were without starting quarterback Derrick Vickers who was injured in the Nothern Illinois contest a week ago. Derek Gorney got his first career start in place of Vickers. Gorney set a school record with 50 pass attempts. He completed 22 of them for 279 yards and two TDs. The junior was intercepted once.
Gorney guided the offense to a season-high 533 yards.
BSU held a 17-14 lead at the half. The Cardinals got on the board first with a two-yard TD run by Marcus Merriweather.
Central countered with a six-yard pass TD pass from Gorney to Dave Kurzen that capped off a four-play, 16-yard drive that tied the score. It was the first touchdown of freshman tight end's career.
The second quarter got off to a bad start for CMU. The Chippewas were driving in BSU territory when a trick reverse-pass resulted in an interception and a 70-yard return for a TD by Jesse Avant.
The Cardinals tacked on a field goal on their next possession to take a 17-7 lead. CMU would inch closer with a pair of field goals before the half. Paul Savich drilled a 30-yarder with 6:03 left and then added a career-high 52-yard boot to end the half and pull the Chippewas within four points.
Ball State scored first again in the second half on a 37-yard strike from Hill to Corey Parchman.
Central would take the lead following back-to-back TDs. Willie Hill caught a 45-yard pass that was tipped by a BSU defender but hit Hill in stride and he found the end zone. CMU's two-point conversion attempt failed.
Terrence Jackson then found the end zone from three yards out and Rob Turner caught a two-point conversion attempt to give the Chippewas a 27-24 lead.
The two teams exchanged touchdowns early in the fourth quarter. Ball State regained the lead with a four-yard run by Merriweather but Central responded just over a minute later with Jackson scoring his second touchdown from 16 yards out.
In the end the Chippewa defense couldn't stop BSU as the Cardinals scored on the 78-yard bomb that would end the scoring.
"We're young," DeBord said. "But, we have a group that's giving great effort. We just have too many bad plays in our game right now. Turning around a program is a process."
Jackson rushed for over 100 yards for his fifth straight game. He carried a career-high 32 times for a career-high 199 yards and two scores.
Hill caught six passes for 86 yards and one TD and Kenan Lawhorne added six grabs for 61 yards. Lawhorne also rushed nine times for 54 yards. Turner had four catches for 35 yards.
Central Michigan's 533 yards of offense edged out Ball State's 492. But, CMU was penalized eight times for 68 yards.
Merriweather rushed for 143 yards and two TDs in the winning effort. BSU's Hill completed 13-of-27 passes for 303 yards and two scores.
Schembra had two catches for 116 yards and one TD.
The Chippewas have now lost four straight games. Central Michigan returns home next weekend (Nov. 10) to close out the home schedule with a game against rival Eastern Michigan at 1 p.m.
