In what was their penultimate home game of the regular season, the Bulls (6-4, 4-2 MAC) past the Ball State Cardinals (3-7, 2-4 MAC) in a 51-48 overtime win this past Tuesday night. Late-game heroics helped snatch the lead and secure the win for Buffalo. The Bulls are now bowl-eligible.
It was a game down memory lane for Head Coach Pete Lembo, as he faced off against his old team in a weeknight thriller. Lembo was head coach for the Cardinals from 2011-2015, he would finish his tenure there with an overall record of 33-29 as well as a conference record of 23-17.
The Bulls rushing attack got off to a hot start in the first drive of the game, culminating in a three-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback C.J. Ogbonna. Ball State took little time to respond, answering back with a 23-yard touchdown catch. Quarterback Kadin Semonza connected with wideout Ty Robinson to tie the game at 7-7 in the first quarter.
The Cardinals would take a 14-7 lead in the opening play of the second quarter with a two-yard pass and catch for a touchdown.
Buffalo responded by driving down the field and converting with a 27-yard field goal from redshirt sophomore kicker Upton Bellenfant. Bellenfant cut the deficit to four with just over 12 minutes remaining in the first half.
The Cardinals continued to score at will and took a commanding 21-10 lead with eight minutes left in the first half. The touchdown came on a one-yard touchdown run from running back Vaughn Pemberton.
Junior running back Al-Jay Henderson got Buffalo back within striking distance with a six-yard touchdown run. The Bulls second touchdown of the night cut the deficit to 21-17.
Ball State’s passing attack gave the Buffalo defense trouble throughout the night, Semonza connected with Justin Bowick on a 22-yd touchdown catch to extend the lead to 28-17.
The Bulls’ standout graduate linebacker Shaun Dolac helped bring Buffalo closer with a crucial interception to close out the first half of football. Dolac’s 42-yard return on the pick set up the offense for a two-yard touchdown catch by redshirt sophomore wide receiver Victor Snow.
After a strong defensive stand to start the third quarter, Henderson would score once again to give Buffalo the lead at 31-27, notching his second touchdown of the night after a four-yard run.
Ball State responded soon after with a 65-yard touchdown catch. Semonza threw a short screen pass to wideout Cam Pickett who broke a tackle just past the line of scrimmage and took it all the way to take the lead back at 35-31.
The Cardinals would pick off Ogbonna near the end of the third quarter. This set up the Cardinals to open the fourth quarter with another touchdown by Pickett. Pickett ran for nine yards for his second touchdown of the night as well to extend the lead to 42-31.
After another field goal from Ball State, Ogbonna would use his legs and take it in himself for a 26-yard touchdown run to bring the score 45-37 late in the fourth. Graduate wideout JJ Jenkins continued the late-game heroics with a clutch 33-yard touchdown catch with less than two minutes left to tie the game up at 45.
Buffalo would get the better of Ball State in overtime scoring a touchdown to answer the team's field goal to win the game 51-47. Redshirt freshman running back Lamar Sperling caught the 14-yarder to close the game for the Bulls.
The Bulls next face Eastern Michigan (1-0, 0-0 ACC) at Ypsilanti next Wednesday, November 20th. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m.
The sports desk can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com
