Central Michigan University
3-2 , 3-2
Ball State
4-1 , 4-1
Chippewas Drop Home Finale To Ball State
12/5/2020 6:46:00 PM | Football
Loss ends CMU's MAC West title hopes
The Central Michigan football team saw its hopes of repeating as the Mid-American Conference West Division champion squandered on Saturday in falling to Ball State, 45-20, at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
The loss dropped CMU to 3-2 overall and in the MAC and it eliminated the Chippewas from title contention. CMU closes the regular season on Saturday, Dec. 12 at Toledo.
"They took us behind the shed and whooped us pretty good," second-year CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "No doubt about it in every phase of the game. Credit to them. There were some opportunities to make a couple plays; ultimately we didn't make them."
Quarterback Drew Plitt threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns as the Cardinals outgained CMU in total yardage, 519-342.
CMU never found its rhythm offensively behind junior quarterback Ty Brock, who was making his first start as a Chippewa in place of injured Daniel Richardson. He threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns but was sacked four times and intercepted twice.
The Chippewa run game was largely ineffective outside of a Brock 82-yard touchdown run that brought CMU to within 24-14 early in the third quarter and gave the Chippewas a shot of momentum.
"There just wasn't much consistency," McElwain said. "There wasn't much rhythm, and they did a good job of taking us out of the rhythm. They didn't do anything that we hadn't seen or prepared for. I think at the end of the day they executed better than we did."
Any mojo the Chippewas gained from Brock's TD run was zapped later in the third when CMU's Kalil Pimpleton fumbled a punt and Ball State recovered at the CMU 28-yard line. Three plays later, Will Jones scored on a 9-yard run to increase Ball State's lead to 31-14.
The Cardinals then poured it on as Plitt tossed two third-quarter TD passes to Jalen McGaughy to make it 45-14 early in the fourth quarter.
The Chippewas needed a win and a Western Michigan loss to remain in the hunt for the West crown. The Broncos fell on Saturday at home to previously winless Eastern Michigan, 53-42, and are tied with Ball State (both are 4-1) atop the division.
Team Stats
BSU 3, CMU 0
BSU - KNIGHT, Jack 35 yd field goal 7 plays, 36 yards, TOP 1:38
BSU 10, CMU 0
BSU - TYLER, Yo'Heinz 20 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (KNIGHT, Jack kick) 13 plays, 95 yards, TOP 5:10
BSU 10, CMU 7
CMU - PIMPLETON, K. 38 yd pass from BROCK, Ty (MEEDER, M. kick) 7 plays, 63 yards, TOP 2:49
BSU 17, CMU 7
BSU - PLITT, Drew 12 yd run (KNIGHT, Jack kick), 10 plays, 48 yards, TOP 3:46
BSU 24, CMU 7
BSU - KOCH, Dylan 5 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (KNIGHT, Jack kick) 8 plays, 54 yards, TOP 2:39
BSU 24, CMU 14
CMU - BROCK, Ty 82 yd run (MEEDER, M. kick), 3 plays, 81 yards, TOP 1:13
BSU 31, CMU 14
BSU - JONES, Will 9 yd run (KNIGHT, Jack kick), 3 plays, 28 yards, TOP 0:46
BSU 38, CMU 14
BSU - MCGAUGHY, Jalen 39 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (KNIGHT, Jack kick) 7 plays, 69 yards, TOP 2:43
BSU 45, CMU 14
BSU - MCGAUGHY, Jalen 34 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (KNIGHT, Jack kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:16
BSU 45, CMU 20
CMU - BUCZKOWSKI, H. 7 yd pass from BROCK, Ty (BROCK, Ty rushfailed) 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:44
