Live updates, highlights against WMU

(This story will be updated as the game progresses.)

Ball State football looks to get back on track at home after three straight road games resulted in three straight losses.

The Cardinals (1-3, 0-1 MAC) host the Western Michigan Broncos (1-3, 0-0 MAC) at Scheumann Stadium. Both teams are looking for their first conference win, as Ball State lost its MAC opener at Central Michigan 37-34 and Western Michigan has yet to play a MAC game.

Ball State lost comfortably at James Madison last weekend and will look to bounce back in its first home game since Sept. 7.

More: Ball State Football vs. Western Michigan: Score Prediction, Scouting Report for MAC Game

Follow here for live updates as Ball State takes on Western Michigan:

Western Michigan mounted a long drive into Ball State territory, taking a 14-play lead with 7:51 left on the clock. The Cardinals' defense held strong, forcing the Broncos to settle for a 39-yard field goal from Luka Zurak.

After getting the ball deep into Western Michigan territory, the Cardinals took the ball all the way to the goal line. Ball State brought nose tackle Drew Hughes into the game at fullback, but faked a run and sent Semonza on a bootleg as Hughes slid to the corner. Semonza found Hughes for a touchdown, giving the Cardinals their first lead of the game.

On Western Michigan's first play of the next drive, Jaden Nixon fumbled the ball to Ball State's Jordan Coleman to put the Cardinals at the Broncos' 28-yard line.

Ball State responded with a 2:15 drive and capped it off with a perfectly executed halfback pass play. Semonza found Sloan on a reverse pass, and Sloan threw the ball downfield to a wide-open Christian Abney for the touchdown. It was Abney's first career touchdown and Sloan's first career pass attempt.

Western Michigan got the ball early in the second half. After marching it to midfield, Hayden Wolff found Malique Dieudonne behind the Ball State defense for a 43-yard touchdown to retake the lead.

Ball State and Western Michigan are tied 21-21 at halftime.

After a 4th-and-1 at midfield, Braedon Sloan was blocked in the backfield by the Broncos' defensive front. With 49 seconds left, Western Michigan took over at the 50-yard line.

After Western Michigan marched downfield for 1st-and-goal, the Ball State defense came into its own, pushing the Broncos to third-and-4 at the goal line.

Ball State marched downfield with a long, methodical attack that lasted 9:10 minutes after halftime in 15 plays. Wide receiver Cam Pickett finished the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep.

Ball State trails Western Michigan 21-14 after the first 15 minutes. The 35 combined points in the first quarter are the most in a Ball State game since at least 2000.

The Broncos only needed two plays to retake the lead. Jaden Nixon ran 57 yards for his second touchdown run of the day.

After a Western Michigan punt pinned the Cardinals at their own four-yard line, Ball State faced a 3rd-and-8 from their own six yards. Braedon Sloan made a short catch 72 yards deep into Broncos territory and Kadin Semonza finished the drive with a jump ball to Ty Robinson for a 21-yard touchdown. After 10 minutes the score is tied at 14:14.

Losing 14-0, Ball State's special teams stepped up significantly. Malcolm Gillie returned a kickoff 97 yards, marking the Cardinals' first kick return touchdown of the season.

On Ball State's next offensive play, the Cardinals tried a read option with Kiael Kelly, who passed it to Western Michigan linebacker Jake Wahlberg. The Broncos got the ball at the 10-yard line and needed two plays to score another touchdown when QB Hayden Wolff scored on a wide-open Blake Bosma.

After a Ball State punt, Western Michigan drove downfield and scored its first touchdown of the game with 8:39 left in the first quarter. Running back Jaden Nixon finished the drive with a 21-yard touchdown run.

Ball State received the ball to start the game. Kickoff was at 2:02 p.m. ET.

Live updates, highlights against WMU

ByVanessa

Ball State Football vs. Western Michigan result

By Vanessa

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