Ball State Cardinals vs Iowa Hawkeyes Match Player Stats On Sep 06, 2014

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 6, 2014


Iowa 17, Ball State 13: Jake Rudock threw two late touchdown passes as the host Hawkeyes rallied in the final minutes to stun the Cardinals.

The Hawkeyes (2-0) overcame not only a 10-point deficit with under three minutes to play but also won despite three missed field goals by two different kickers. Iowa's defense came up huge, not allowing an offensive touchdown by Ball State (1-1), and Rudock stepped up big down the stretch by hitting Derrick Willies with 2:52 left and Jake Duzey with one minute to go, each score coming from 12 yards out.

Rudock finished 33-of-52 for 322 yards while Ball State's Ozzie Mann was 15-of-30 for 129 yards and a late fumble that sealed the loss. Jahwan Edwards rushed for a game-high 81 yards for the Cardinals, but little else went right offensively for the visitors, as they managed only 219 total yards.

Ball State scored less than two minutes into the game when Iowa botched an end-around and Blake Dueitt scooped up the loose ball and rumbled 35 yards to the end zone. The Hawkeyes answered with a quick drive that resulted in Marshall Koehn's 26-yard field goal, and the score remained 7-3 at half.

Scott Secor booted two third-quarter field goals for the Cardinals, who led 13-3 with under three minutes left before Rudock's two touchdown passes, sandwiched around a three-and-out by Ball State. The Hawkeyes were fortunate to escape after Koehn missed from 35 and 37 yards in the first half while Mick Ellis later missed from 29 yards out.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Iowa narrowly avoided losing to a Mid-American Conference team at home for the third straight year. ... Rudock also led the Hawkeyes with 36 yards rushing on seven carries. ... Hawkeyes WR Kevonte Martin-Manley registered game highs of eight catches for 70 yards.