close
close
  • Mon. Oct 28th, 2024
    • '
    Lessons learned from the wild victory over Northern Illinois
    News

    Lessons learned from the wild victory over Northern Illinois

    author
    3 minutes, 15 seconds Read

    MUNCIE – Ball State football won a homecoming thriller over Northern Illinois 25-23 in the bronze medal match on Saturday at Scheumann Stadium.

    Ball State (3-5, 2-2 Mid-American Conference) earned its third straight win over NIU (4-4, 1-3 MAC) and fifth in the last six meetings. The Cardinals scored on their first drive and only trailed when an NIU field goal gave the Huskies a 23-22 lead with 15 seconds left.

    After a squib kick, Ball State had 13 seconds and two timeouts to pull off a miracle. Quarterback Kadin Semonza found Malcolm Gillie downfield for a 34-yard gain, and the Cardinals quickly took advantage of a timeout. After another short catch and a timeout, Jackson Courville hit a career-high 52-yard field goal to retake the lead with just two seconds left. NIU's last-second lateral play failed and Ball State was able to secure a wild victory.

    More: Ball State Football vs. NIU: Score, live updates for Bronze Stalk battle

    More: 'We're getting better every week': Ball State's defense gains confidence against Vanderbilt

    Here are some key takeaways from Ball State football's home win over Northern Illinois:

    Ball State flips the script in the first half

    Entering the game, Northern Illinois had a top-15 FBS rushing defense that allowed just 101.6 rushing yards per game and 3.16 yards per carry. The Huskies also had the best third-down defense in the country, allowing conversions on just 19.5% of third downs.

    Despite the unfavorable matchup, Ball State had success on the ground and on third downs in the first half. The Cardinals needed just one half to surpass NIU's average rushing yards allowed, gaining 114 yards in the first 30 minutes. Instead of relying heavily on Braedon Sloan, Ball State hired Vaughn Pemberton as a power back. Receiver Cam Pickett had the longest rush of the first half with a reverse throw that gained 34 yards.

    On third downs, Ball State went 5-9 in the first half. NIU had not allowed more than five third-down conversions in any game this season, and four of the Cardinals' five conversions came on their two first-half touchdown drives.

    Tanner Koziol scores twice

    Ball State tight end Tanner Koziol continued his monster season on Saturday with a two-touchdown performance. On the Cardinals' first drive, Koziol grabbed a one-handed back-shoulder fade for a 3-yard touchdown.

    Late in the second quarter, Ball State faced a third-and-goal from the 6-yard line and went right back to Koziol with a similar fade. Koziol went over the defender and scored his second touchdown of the day to give the Cardinals a 19-7 lead.

    Koziol finished the game with eight catches for 69 yards and two touchdowns. It was his first multi-touchdown game since 2022, which also came at home against NIU.

    Jackson Courville's career day

    Sophomore kicker Jackson Courville had a day to remember.

    Courville went 4 of 5 on field goals and the only missed shot was blocked by NIU. In the second quarter, he hit a 24-yarder and a 47-yarder on consecutive drives. He converted a career-long 50-yard attempt in the fourth to give Ball State an 8-point lead late in the game.

    NIU managed to score a touchdown but failed on a two-point attempt, making it 22-20 in Ball State's favor. After forcing a punt, the Huskies' next drive ended in an interception. Ball State attempted another field goal from Courville to extend the lead to five, but NIU made the block. After NIU took its first lead with a 47-yard field goal on the ensuing drive, Ball State needed two plays to get back within range of Courville. And he delivered the winning goal with a career-long shot from 52 yards.

    What's next for Ball State football?

    Ball State's next game is midweek MACtion, with the Cardinals taking on Miami (Ohio) in the Red Bird Rivalry on Tuesday, November 5 at Scheumann Stadium.

    Contact Cade Hampton by email at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10.

    Similar Posts

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *