Ball State football got its midweek MACtion slate started with a brutal road loss.
Ball State (3-6, 2-3 MAC) suffered a 31-30 overtime defeat on the road at UMass (5-4, 2-3 MAC), putting their season on the ropes as far as qualifying for a bowl game. The Cardinals ended a two-game winning streak and are now 1-12 on the road under head coach Mike Uremovich. The Minutemen, meanwhile, snapped a four-game losing streak and earned their first home win over an FBS opponent in 20 games.
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Ball State executed a two-minute drill to tie the game late in regulation and force overtime at 24-24. The Cardinals got the ball first and scored quickly, but kicker Brody Boehm sent the extra point wide left. UMass scored even quicker, and kicker Derek Morris converted on his extra point to give the Minutemen the victory.
More: Ball State football coach Mike Uremovich blasts 24-team CFP, US Congress
With six losses on the year, Ball State cannot afford another loss over its final three games in order to reach the six wins required for bowl eligibility. The Cardinals have not made a bowl game since 2021 and have not won one since 2020.
Here are three takeaways from Ball State football’s road loss to UMass on MACtion.
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Ball State has been one of the most penalized teams in the MAC this season with 64 total flags on the year entering MACtion, but the Cardinals appeared to have cleaned things up in that department during their recent two-game winning streak with six penalties against Bowling Green and seven against Sacramento State.
The yellow flags reappeared on Wednesday night, as the Cardinals were flagged 10 times for 95 yards. The most damning rash of penalties came on UMass’ first touchdown drive, in which the Minutemen drove 80 yards for a touchdown and got 45 of those yards via penalties against the Ball State defense.
The offense didn’t fare much better with the flags, as the Cardinals consistently found themselves behind the sticks facing third-and-long scenarios. Ball State averaged 9.3 yards to go on third downs, on which they went 6-for-14.
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UMass entered this matchup with the best turnover margin in the MAC at +7, but it was Ball State who won the turnover battle with two key forced fumbles. Linebacker Mikeah Webster was involved in each one, as he recovered a ball that was stripped by defensive back Gabe Aramboles in the second quarter, then punched out a ball that was recovered by defensive end Ben Marsh in the third quarter. The Cardinals were unable to capitalize on the first turnover, but scored a touchdown two plays after the second one.
However, the Cardinals’ defense still proved susceptible to giving up explosive plays through the air, which UMass quarterback Pop Watson took advantage of on the Minutemen’s scoring drives. He threw a 64-yard touchdown just before halftime, then made throws of 46 and 41 yards on back-to-back plays to set up a 1-yard rushing touchdown for himself in the third quarter.
Second-year running back Jalen Bonds had the finest game of his young Ball State career, being employed as a workhorse back with 17 carries for 132 yards and two touchdowns, plus a team-high five receptions for 19 receiving yards. Bonds missed time earlier this season with some injuries but was very effective against the Minutemen, averaging an impressive 7.8 yards per carry and finishing with the first 100-yard rushing game of his career.
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Fourth-year running back TJ Horton was curiously quiet in this one. Ball State’s rushing leader and the MAC’s rushing touchdowns leader entering the game, Horton only saw four carries for 11 yards and two receptions for 17 yards. He did have a nice kick return that the offense was unable to capitalize on, but his overall lack of touches was odd considering his production this year and no injury designation coming into this game.
Contact Cade Hampton via email at cbhampton@usatodayco.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Ball State football falls to UMass in MACtion overtime heartbreaker
