Ball State Loses Overtime Heartbreaker to UMass Minutemen

Ball State dropped a gut-wrenching overtime contest to UMass on Wednesday night, falling 21-20 in a game that came down to a single missed extra point.

The Cardinals (3-6, 2-3 MAC) had fought back from a fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime.

With just over two minutes remaining in regulation, UMass kicked a field goal to take a 17-14 lead.

Ball State responded with a 75-yard drive that ended with quarterback Keldric Luster scrambling in for a 2-yard touchdown run.

The score sent the game to overtime tied at 17.

Ball State struck first in the extra period.

Jalen Bonds punched in his second rushing touchdown of the night, putting the Cardinals up by six.

But the extra point attempt sailed wide.

That miss gave UMass an opening.

The Minutemen (5-4, 2-3 MAC) needed only one possession to answer.

A 13-yard touchdown run and a successful extra point sealed the 21-20 win for UMass.

Ball State took its final lead of regulation in the third quarter.

Bonds broke through the UMass defense for a 42-yard rushing touchdown.

It was his second scoring run of more than 40 yards this season.

Bonds finished with 132 yards on 17 carries.

It was the first 100-yard rushing game of his collegiate career.

The Cardinals opened the scoring in the first quarter.

Jamarion McDougle hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Luster.

The drive covered 80 yards in six plays.

Luster finished the night with 182 passing yards.

He completed 17 passes and threw one touchdown.

Ball State surpassed 350 yards of total offense for the fifth straight game.

It was the first time the program had done that since 2020.

The first half was marked by penalties.

Ball State committed eight penalties before halftime.

The Cardinals were flagged on three consecutive UMass plays in the second quarter.

Those penalties gave the Minutemen 30 yards and helped them tie the game at 7.

Late in the first half, Brody Boehm connected on a 22-yard field goal.

That gave Ball State a 10-7 lead.

But UMass needed just 14 seconds to respond.

The Minutemen moved 64 yards down the field and took a 14-10 lead heading into halftime.

Defensively, Ball State forced two fumbles.

Gabe Aramboles and Mikeah Webster each recovered one.

Stu Smith led the Cardinals with nine tackles.

Cincear Lewis and Webster each added seven.

The loss drops Ball State to 3-6 on the season.

The Cardinals are 2-3 in MAC play.

UMass improved to 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference.

Ball State will return to action on Nov. 11.