BY DONNIE HARMON | Ball State Sports Link
It was the best performance of the year for Drew Plitt, as Ball State’s redshirt senior quarterback led the Cardinals to a 27-24 win on the road against the Toledo Rockets.
Ball State extended its winning streak to three games, improved to 3-1 overall and ran its record to 3-0 against MAC West Division teams to remain in control of its own destiny for a West Division championship with two games left to play.
With Caleb Huntley (the MAC’s second leading current career rusher) out for the game, much of the pressure on offense shifted to the passing game. Plitt was ready to answer the call.
It was evident from the start what type of game it was going to be for Plitt. On the first drive of the game Plitt was perfect, going 4-for-4 through the air and capping off the 75-yard drive with a two-yard score on the ground.
The perfection would not stop there for the senior signal caller, as he finished the 1st quarter 9-for-9 for 107 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Yo’Heinz Tyler.
Plitt consistently led the Cardinals down the field in the first half, as he spearheaded two drives in the second quarter that set up relatively short field goals, one which was made and the other missed.
While Plitt made one mistake, an interception on a broken screen pass that he hung in the air a bit too long in the second quarter, he was able to put that behind him and play great the rest of the game. He finished the first half 18-for-23 for 200 yards and a score through both the air and ground.
After a Bryce Cosby interception in the third qurater, Plitt was able to take advantage of the mistake by the Rockets. On the first play of the drive he threw a beautiful pass down the sideline to Justin Hall for 34 yards, one of many connections between the two, as Hall finished with 9 receptions for 127 yards.
On the following play he tossed a 50/50 ball to Yo’Heinz Tyler for his second touchdown of the game.
While it was a quiet offensive fourth quarter, trying to hold on to what was a 27-9 lead at one point, Plitt was still able to finish with an impressive stat line: 26-for-35 for 304 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for a score in the eventual 27-24 win.
It was his second 300-yard passing game of the season and the seventh of his career. Plitt has now accounted for 48 total TDs in his career (39 passing, nine rushing).
Plitt and the Ball State passing attack will look to keep their momentum going Saturday as the Cardinals travel to play Central Michigan.
