For the first time since 2023, Ball State football is on a winning streak.
Ball State (3-5, 2-2 MAC) picked up a 34-17 homecoming win over Sacramento State Saturday, Oct. 24 in a game that drew lots of viral attention thanks to the internet's fun nickname for the game.
Following last week's overtime win at Bowling Green, the Cardinals have now won back-to-back games for the first time since November of 2023 when they beat Northern Illinois and Kent State in consecutive weeks.
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Ball State is now 6-2 at home under head coach Mike Uremovich and will take a two-game winning streak into their idle week. The Cardinals' next three games will be played on national television as the midweek MACtion portion of the schedule begins.
Here's three takeaways from Ball State football's win over Sacramento State.
Keldric Luster looks very comfortable
The reigning Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Week had another strong outing against Sacramento State. Luster went 14-of-27 passing for 234 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, and he added 68 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
The first interception came on Ball State's second offensive drive, but Luster was once again able to put the mistake behind him and put together a solid performance the rest of the way. The second interception was not his fault, as he delivered an accurate ball that bounced off the hands of his intended receiver into the hands of a Hornets defensive back.
Luster's two touchdown passes marked the two longest throws of his career. Ball State's first touchdown came on a 65-yard connection to Isaiah Thacker, and the second came on a 55-yard toss to Jamarion McDougle. Those plays also represented the longest career receptions for Thacker and McDougle.
Ball State defense is still leaky
The Cardinals' defense had another solid outing as they held Sac State to 233 total yards. The run defense was particularly strong, limiting the Hornets to just 46 rushing yards on 24 attempts for an average of 1.9 yards per rush. Ball State also came up with two sacks, including a massive strip-sack by linebacker Kaleb Stewart leading to a fumble recovered by defensive end Ben Marsh, which set up the Cardinals with a short touchdown drive just before halftime.
However, Ball State's defense still showed signs of vulnerability, particularly through the air. The Hornets took a lead in the second quarter on a 65-yard touchdown pass where wide receiver Jace Wilson got wide open behind the defense. Later in the game, Sac State put together a long touchdown drive with several passes to open receivers and further aided by a Ball State pass interference penalty on third down.
The Cardinals' defense has clearly improved over the last two weeks, but there is still plenty of work to do on that side of the ball.
Ball State employing a versatile run game
Ball State's offense was very effective on the ground against Sac State, finishing with 174 total rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. The Cardinals employed a dynamic, three-headed rushing attack with Jalen Bonds getting the bulk of the carries, TJ Horton rotating in as the secondary back and Luster getting a fair share of designed runs.
Bonds did not play against Toledo or Northwestern while nursing an injury but returned in limited fashion last week at Bowling Green. He played a much bigger role against the Hornets and finished with 17 carries for 77 yards, averaging a solid 4.5 yards per carry. Horton has also been dealing with injuries this season, but he hasn't let that stop him from leading the MAC in rushing touchdowns. He finished with 32 yards on eight carries and added two more scores, increasing his season total to nine.
What's next for Ball State football?
After eight straight Saturdays in action, Ball State will now have its first idle week. The Cardinals' next game will be a MACtion contest at UMass (4-4, 1-3 MAC) on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Contact Cade Hampton via email at cbhampton@usatodayco.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Ball State football tops Sac State for homecoming victory | Instant takeaways