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The Indiana Daily Student

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Instant Recap: IU defeats Ball State to improve to 3-0 this season

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FINAL: IU defeats Ball State 38-10. 

The game wasn't in much doubt from the early part of the second quarter on for the Hoosiers. IU scored 31 straight points from the midway mark of the first quarter to the late portion of the 3rd quarter to solidify the win.

Peyton Ramsey and Michael Penix Jr. both saw time at quarterback and both led the Hoosiers on touchdown-scoring drives.

Stevie Scott finished the game with 18 carries, 114 yards and two touchdowns, while J-Shun Harris electrified the crowd with an 86-yard punt return touchdown to kick-start the Hoosiers.

IU is now 3-0 ahead of next week's game against Michigan State.

Ball State is 1-2 and will play Western Kentucky next weekend in Muncie, Indiana.

INTERCEPTION (0:00 - 4th quarter) - Isaac James gets an interception for IU to end the game.

QUARTERBACK CHANGE (9:06 - 4th quarter) Mike Fiacable is the new quarterback for IU. Fiacable has played three times before in his IU career, all during the 2017 season.

TOUCHDOWN: (10:11 - 4th quarter) Stevie Scott barrels into the end zone with an 11-yard touchdown run. Scott now has 114 yards and two touchdowns today, but this run was his most impressive as he carried two Ball State defenders into the end zone.

IU leads 38-10.

END 3rd Quarter: IU leads Ball State 31-10. Michael Penix Jr. replaced Peyton Ramsey at quarterback following IU's first drive of the half, and Penix's opening drive culminated in a rushing touchdown by Ronnie Walker Jr.

The touchdown was the first carry of Walker's college career.

Ball State added a touchdown to close the period.

TOUCHDOWN (2:08 - 3rd quarter) Ball State scores for the first time since the first quarter via a 27-yard run from James Gilbert.

Hagee adds the extra point to make it a 31-10 game. 

TOUCHDOWN (8:52 - 3rd quarter) With the first carry of his college career, Ronnie Walker Jr. scores on an 18-yard touchdown run.

Walker exploded through the middle of the Ball State defense and then spun out of a tackle to reach the end zone.

IU leads Ball State 31-3 and this game should be an easy win for the Hoosiers from this point out.

TARGETING (11:46 - 3rd quarter) Jeremiah Jackson has been ejected from the game for Ball State after he is judged by officials to have committed a targeting penalty. The penalty was called after video review and the play was a hit to IU wide receiver Whop Philyor. 

QUARTERBACK CHANGE (12:34 - 3rd quarter) Michael Penix Jr. enters the game for Peyton Ramsey. This is the second game of Michael Penix's college career.

IU still leads Ball State 24-3.

HALFTIME: IU leads Ball State 24-3. After going down 3-0 to begin the game, the Hoosiers have scored 24 consecutive points to lead by three possessions at the break.

Peyton Ramsey is 20 for 25 passing for 173 yards, while Stevie Scott has a rushing touchdown and 45 yards gained on nine carries.

J-Shun Harris provided the electric moment of the half with an 86-yard punt return touchdown.

TOUCHDOWN (0:22 - 2nd quarter) IU closes the first half in style with a touchdown. The Hoosiers used an 18-yard rush from Stevie Scott and six straight completions from Peyton Ramsey to move inside the Ball State five-yard line. 

Then, Ramsey ran in the final five yards himself for the score on second and goal. Justus adds the extra point.

IU has scored 24 straight points and leads Ball State 24-3.

FUMBLE (8:03 - 2nd quarter) IU was looking to add to its lead following the blocked punt, but Stevie Scott fumbles the ball away for the first time in his college career.

Scott received a short pass from Peyton Ramsey before spinning away from one defender and fighting for extra yards, but in the process the ball popped into the hands of Ball State's Jeremiah Jackson.

Cardinal ball at their own 18.

BLOCKED PUNT (10:36 - 2nd quarter) After being forced to punt for the second-straight drive, Ball State's punt from Nathan Snyder is blocked by IU's Peyton Hendershot. Initially, Snyder dropped the snap, before trying to get his kick away, but Hendershot closed down on Snyder and got a hand on the football.

IU gets the ball at the Ball State 43.

TOUCHDOWN (12:26 - 2nd quarter) J-Shun Harris springs to life with an 86-yard punt return touchdown for the Hoosiers to increase the IU lead. It's Harris' third career touchdown and the first significant scoring play for the IU special teams unit this season.

IU leads Ball State 17-3.



TOUCHDOWN (14:55 - 2nd quarter) Stevie Scott scores his second career touchdown on a one-yard run up the middle of the field. Logan Justus adds the extra point and the Hoosiers lead for the first time today. The scoring drive was a 12-play, 69-yard drive.

IU leads Ball State 10-3.

End of 1st quarter - Ball State and IU are tied 3-3. The Hoosiers have a third and goal opportunity from the Ball State one-yard line when play resumes. Quarterback Peyton Ramsey has been effective when scrambling out of the pocket, and the IU defense has recovered well after giving up another long drive to start the game.

MISSED FIELD GOAL (4:55 - 1st quarter) Ball State attempts a 48-yard field goal from Morgan Hagee, but the kick was low and also a bit off target. So, the Cardinals come up empty handed on their second drive of the game. IU will take over at its own 31.

The game is tied 3-3.

FIELD GOAL (7:47 - 1st quarter) The Hoosiers respond with a 21-yard field goal of their own on IU's first offensive possession of the game. IU made it all the way to the Ball State three-yard line thanks to efficient passing from Peyton Ramsey and a long run by Whop Philyor, but the drive stalled short of the end zone.

Logan Justus converted the field goal for his second career successful kick.

The game is tied 3-3.

FIELD GOAL (11:01 - 1st quarter) A 31-yard field goal from Morgan Hagee is good and Ball State has taken an early 3-0 lead. The Cardinals mixed in a good balance of passes and runs on their opening drive, with quarterback Riley Neal and running back James Gilbert both finding holes in the IU defense.

Ball State leads 3-0.



* IU will look to continue its strong rushing performance from last week against Virginia, when true freshman Stevie Scott rushed for 204 yards against the Cavaliers. Meanwhile, Ball State pushed No. 8 Notre Dame to the wire in South Bend, Indiana, losing by only eight points to the Fighting Irish.

* Welcome to today's live updates page for IU (2-0, 0-0 in the Big Ten), against Ball State (1-1, 0-0 in the MAC) at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.

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