NCAAF

Buffalo Bulls at Ball State Cardinals

· NCAA - Football
4-8, 2-4 Away
Final
3 - 20
6-6, 3-3 Home

Ball State bowl eligible after 20-3 victory over Buffalo

End Zone! Drew Plitt scores 1-yard Rushing touchdown vs. Buffalo

It's just the third time in program history that the Cardinals (6-6, 4-4 Mid-American Conference) have qualified for a bowl game in back-to-back seasons. Ball State and Buffalo met for the MAC championship last season — a game the Cardinals won 38-28.

Ball State set the tone early when Malcolm Lee picked off Matt Myers on the Bulls' first series, giving the Cardinals the ball on Buffalo's 42-yard line. Eleven plays later Plitt scored on a 1-yard run for a 7-0 lead. Buffalo's next possession also ended in disaster when Hassan Littles blocked a punt by Jackson Baltar and Brandon Berger recovered, giving Ball State a first-and-goal at the 6. Plitt connected with Jayshon Jackson for a 7-yard score on third down and the Cardinals never looked back.

Plitt completed 19 of 31 passes for 176 yards. Jackson finished with nine catches for 103 yards.

Myers was 18-of-39 passing for 188 yards with four interceptions for Buffalo (4-8, 2-6). He led the Bulls with 78 yards on 16 rushes.

Buffalo outgained the Cardinals 336 yards to 230, but couldn't overcome four turnovers.

----

How To Watch

How can I watch Buffalo Bulls vs. Ball State Cardinals?
  • TV Channel: Bulls at Cardinals 2021 College Football, week 13, is broadcasted on ESPN+.
  • Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

Scoring Summary

BALL TD 1st Period 4:44 Drew Plitt 1 Yd Run (Jake Chanove Kick)
BALL TD 1st Period 2:22 Jayshon Jackson 7 Yd pass from Drew Plitt (Jake Chanove Kick)
BUFF FG 2nd Period 11:43 Alex McNulty 38 Yd Field Goal
BALL FG 2nd Period 0:36 Jacob Lewis 35 Yd Field Goal
BALL FG 3rd Period 4:12 Jacob Lewis 48 Yd Field Goal

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2084.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originBUFF https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2050.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originBALL
22 1st Downs 13
9-18 3rd down efficiency 6-17
1-1 4th down efficiency 2-2
336 Total Yards 230
188 Passing 176
18/39 Comp/Att 19/31
4.8 Yards per pass 5.7
148 Rushing 54
40 Rushing Attempts 34
3.7 Yards per rush 1.6
4-30 Penalties 6-45
4 Turnovers 0
0 Fumbles lost 0
4 Interceptions thrown 0
29:40 Possession 30:20

Game Information

Scheumann Stadium

Location: Muncie, IN
Attendance: 6,112 · Capacity:
Full Standings

College Football News

Where is 'College GameDay'? 2025 schedule, locations, recaps

Where is 'College GameDay'? 2025 schedule, locations, recaps

It's time for a new season of "College GameDay" on ESPN! Check out the event hub page for weekly site details, recaps and other information.

Bruins routed as QB Nico Iamaleava struggles in UCLA debut

Bruins routed as QB Nico Iamaleava struggles in UCLA debut

Nico Iamaleava threw for 136 yards with a touchdown and an interception and led UCLA with 47 rushing yards in a lopsided, season-opening loss to Utah.

Cooper Hackett second 5-star to join Texas Tech's 2027 class

Cooper Hackett second 5-star to join Texas Tech's 2027 class

Cooper Hackett, a five-star offensive tackle ranked No. 19 in the ESPN Junior 300, has committed to Texas Tech.

Sam Acho: 'LSU's defense is finally back'

Sam Acho: 'LSU's defense is finally back'

Sam Acho joins "SportsCenter" to discuss LSU's impressive defensive play in its Week 1 win over Clemson.

What is Lee Corso's 'College GameDay' record? Picks by year

What is Lee Corso's 'College GameDay' record? Picks by year

Lee Corso capped off a legendary run on "College GameDay" in August 2025. What was his all-time record on the show? Check out the stats by year now.