Oct. 22, 2005
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
ATHENS, Ohio - A career-high 264 yards on the ground for Kalvin McRae and a propensity for the big play lifted Ohio to a 38-21 victory over Ball State Saturday in front of 17,959 Homecoming Weekend fans at Peden Stadium.
McRae (Decatur, Ga.) carried 29 times, recorded the third-best single-game rushing output in school history and became just the second ball-carrier in Ohio history to rush for 200 or more yards twice in a season. McRae rushed for a 41-yard score, Scott Mayle (Philippi, W. Va.) returned a kickoff for a touchdown and Justin Fitzgerald (Richmond, Va.) took an end-around 80 yards through the right side for six in the Ohio win.
Ohio (3-4, 2-2 Mid-American Conference) led 3-0 early, turned up the volume to the tune of 28 points in the second quarter and kept the pressure on in the second half to preserve an unblemished mark at home in 2005.
In the first, after a Brian Jackson punt pinned the Bobcats down to their own two-yard line, it took a steady dose of McRae to bail the Ohio offense out. McRae ran five times on the drive for 68 yards - including a 39-yard scamper around the left side that pushed Ohio into Ball State (1-6, 1-3 MAC) territory. Facing 4th-and-five, Matt Miller (Westerville, Ohio) converted a career-long 39-yard field goal kick and put the Bobcats ahead early 3-0.
Following the ensuing kickoff, the Bobcat defense pushed the Cardinals deep inside their red zone, forcing a punt from the Ball State two. Dion Byrum (Matthews, N.C.) returned the punt to the Ball State 47 and six plays later, Ohio punched it in for a 10-0 lead. McRae used an 11-yard rush to put Ohio less than a yard from the goal line and one play later it was Austen Everson who punched it in on a quarterback sneak.
After Ohio's offense put 10 on the board, the game quickly turned into a special teams show. On the Bobcat kickoff, Dante Love caught the ball at his own four and marched through the middle of the kick coverage and down the right sideline for a 94-yard score, pulling Ball State to within three in the second quarter.
Not to be outdone, the Ohio special teams unit wasted little time in providing an answer. Mayle took a Cardinal kickoff and sprinted down the right sideline untouched into the end zone for his first career kick return touchdown. Ohio led 17-7 but even that lead wouldn't stand for long.
Ohio forced another Ball State punt - a touchback - and took over at its own 20. The ensuing drive took just one play, an end-around to Fitzgerald that went 80 yards and resulted in a Bobcat score. Fitzgerald took a handoff from newly placed quarterback Brandon Jones (Marietta, Ga.) and took it around the right end, turning the corner and never looking back, pushing the Ohio lead to 24-7.
The Bobcat defense again forced a Cardinal punt and the Ohio offense again took advantage. The Bobcats went right back to McRae, giving him the ball four times, culminating in a drive-ending 41-yard touchdown run. McRae took the carry up the middle, then made a sharp cut to the right sideline for the score. With that, Ohio led 31-7.
The Bobcats' 28 second-quarter points were the most since scoring 28 in the third quarter against Central Michigan Oct. 21, 2000.
On the following drive, Ball State's offense took its turn to light up the scoreboard. A seven-play, 80-yard drive was topped off by a Joey Lynch pass to Brad Salyer from five yards out for the score. With the point-after, Ohio's lead was cut to 31-14.
The Bobcats were forced to punt on their next possession but the Ohio defense got the ball right back. With Lynch rolling to his right on the first play of the drive, Ohio's Eric Kenkel (Cincinnati, Ohio) caught the passer from behind, made the sack and got his hand on the football, knocking it loose for Matt Muncy (Miamisburg) to recover at the Ball State 32.
This time Ohio wasn't able to capitalize on the turnover. The Bobcats attempted to fake a field goal from the 18-yard line but holder/quarterback Austen Everson's pass attempt fell incomplete in the end zone.
The Cardinals weren't able to do any damage before the half and Ohio kept a 31-14 edge into intermission.
At the break, McRae carried 18 times for 187 yards and one score while Lynch was 10-for-10 for 101 yards and a touchdown.
The Bobcats accounted for 304 yards of total offense in the first frame and the Ohio defense picked up two of its three forced fumbles.
Ohio's 31 first-half points marked the highest-scoring half for a Bobcat team since scoring 41 in the first half against Eastern Michigan Oct. 12, 2002.
Out of the break, Ohio drew first blood. The Bobcat defense forced a punt on the half's first drive and the Bobcat offense methodically marched 85 yards for another score. It took 15 plays and nearly eight minutes but Everson used an option keeper from four yards out to put an exclamation point on the first possession of the second frame, upping the Bobcat lead to 38-14.
Ball State opened the scoring in the fourth quarter with an 11-play, 81-yard drive that culminated in a Charles Wynn touchdown carry, carving the deficit to 17. The Cardinals would get no closer.
For the game, Ohio managed 464 yards of total offense - including 414 on the ground. Defensively, Byrum forced a fumble to complement two solo tackles while Muncy made 10 stops and two sacks to go along with a pair of fumble recoveries. Tyler Russ (Stetsonville, Wis.) recorded nine tackles and Jameson Hartke (Centerville, Ohio) was credited with seven solo stops.
For the Cardinals, Lynch went 23-of-34 for 241 yards and one score through the air. Charles Wynn rushed 14 times for 54 yards and a touchdown. Louis Johnson caught seven balls for 132 yards. On the other side of football, Brad Seiss recorded 10 tackles. Amara Koroma was credited with Ball State's lone sack.
The Bobcats return to the road next weekend for an East Division duel with Buffalo. The Bobcats and Bulls are set to tangle at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at UB Stadium.
