Football Falls On Homecoming To Ball State, 17-16

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Some positives, certainly. But not enough to offset the negative and any way you cut it, a loss is a loss.

The Central Michigan football team saw key opportunities go by the wayside and Ball State took advantage on Saturday in handing the Chippewas a 17-16 Mid-American Conference loss before 22,305 on homecoming on Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

The Chippewas slipped to 1-5, 0-2 MAC. Ball State is 3-3, 2-1. CMU goes to Akron on Saturday, Oct. 15.

"They won the ball game, so nothing against them, but it's a game we should win," CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "We gave ourselves some opportunities and then gave them the game."

CMU led, 16-14, after quarterback Daniel Richardson connected with Carlos Carriere on a 17-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter. The Chippewas missed the extra-point kick, and that came back to haunt them when Ball State kicked a field goal early in the fourth quarter to go up, 17-16.

The Chippewas twice threatened after that but came up empty both times. They drove to the Ball State 31-yard line midway through the fourth quarter, but a fourth-down sack forced a punt. They then took possession at Ball State's 46 with 1:23 remaining but failed to gain a first down.

CMU rushed for 130 yards, a decent total and its season high against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent. But the Chippewa passing game couldn't match that output as they finished with a season-low 210 yards through the air.

There were several drops and the Chippewas produced few big plays. Richardson completed 19 of his 40 pass attempts.

"Right now, the passing game's horrible," McElwain said. "It's very disappointing and yet part of it is still trusting the people out there playing. Sometimes you're going to have a drop. That's the way it is. It doesn't mean that you don't go through and do what you're supposed to do. It's very disappointing; very disappointing."

Lew Nichols led CMU's run game with 97 yards and a touchdown which gave CMU a 10-0 first-quarter lead. Ball State cut it to 10-7 by halftime on a 2-yard TD pass from John Paddock to Brady Hunt.

The Cardinals went ahead, 14-10, when Sidney Houston scooped up a Chippewa fumble and raced 4 yards for a TD midway through the third quarter.

CMU answered with a seven-play, 62-yard drive with Richardson hitting Carriere for a TD, putting the Chippewas up 16-14. Moments later, Ben VonGunten kicked the go-ahead field goal, a 22-yarder, with 12:14 remaining.

It was a frustrating end to a game that the Chippewas had every right to believe they should have won.

"I told them afterwards in the locker room, you just never know why you're tested like this," McElwain said. "You never know. I think part of it is discovering who you are, discovering what kind of competitor you are, discovering what kind of teammate you are, discovering what kind of friend you are. Sometimes things don't go your way.

"It starts with continued work and trust, belief, and belief in the guys around you are going to make a play for you. That's what it's all about."

At 1-5, the Chippewas don't have the luxury of licking their wounds or feeling sorry for themselves. They will face an Akron team next week that is also 1-5, 0-2.

"Can't dwell on it," said sophomore linebacker Kyle Moretti, who led the Chippewa defense with eight tackles. "We have 100 percent trust in coach Mac and the coaching staff and we know what it takes to get on course.

"I know as a team we're going to take the right steps and we aren't ever going to give up. Obviously, it's frustrating but we all believe in the coaching staff and our players. We're going to get this back on track."

Moretti spearheaded a strong defensive effort as CMU held the Cardinals to 250 yards in total offense. Ball State came into the game leading the MAC with 445.4 yards per game and the Chippewas held Paddock to a season-low 122 passing yards.

"Each week we've gotten better (defensively)," Moretti said. "It's just going to take more experience, more reps. Today we took a big step. Obviously, it wasn't good enough. We've just got to put our head down and just work and get after it the next game.

"We have a great culture here; we have the right people in this locker room there's no question about. I know each one of us, we're hungry to win. No one wants to lose and everyone in the locker room is going to buy into it and we're going to do everything it takes to win. We fell short today and there's no quit in this team. Chalk it up as an L, get back to it tomorrow … got to keep going, trust in each other, and believe."

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Team Stats

Daniel Richardson

Players Mentioned

Carlos Carriere

Kyle Moretti

Daniel Richardson

Players Mentioned

Carlos Carriere

Kyle Moretti

Daniel Richardson