Western Michigan - Ball State Game Notes
Pre-game:
• Game time temperature 28 degrees, partly cloudy, 9 mph wind WNW.
• 45th all-time meeting between Western Michigan and Ball State.
• WMU leads the series 25-19. WMU has won the last four meetings and six of the last eight games.
• If WMU wins out (beating Ball State and NIU) and NIU loses its final two games (Miami and WMU), the Broncos win the MAC West and advance to the MAC Championship game in Detroit.
• 10 graduating seniors will be honored as the Cardinals celebrate Senior Day.
• Entering this game, Junior RB LeVante Bellamy leads the MAC in rushing yards this season with 907, needing 93 to reach 1,000 yards in a season for the first time in his career.
• Freshman QB Kaleb Eleby starts for the second time in his career. Eleby replaces junior QB Jon Wassink who suffered a season-ending injury against Toledo on October 25th, 2018.
• Redshirt senior RB Jamauri Bogan needs one TD to tie and two to pass WMU Hall of Famer Jerome Persell (39), to move into second all-time in WMU history.
• Head coach Tim Lester’s oldest son, Quinn Isaacson, is a sophomore on the Ball State men’s volleyball team.
• Lester and Ball State head coach Mike Neu were both members of the Arena Football League’s Carolina Cobras in 2001. Lester was the quarterback and Neu was the offensive coordinator.
• Neu and WMU assistant coach Terry Malone were both on the 2014 New Orleans coaching staff.
• Ball State strength and conditioning coach Ben Armer is a WMU alumni and was an All-MAC punter at WMU.
• Team captains: Senior RB Leo Ekwoge, Senior C John Keenoy
• Ball State wins the coin toss and will receive. WMU will defend the NW end zone.
First Quarter:
• 39th career TD for redshirt senior RB Jamauri Bogan. Ties WMU Hall of Famer Jerome Persell for 2nd most rushing TDs in WMU history.
• Score: WMU 7, Ball State 7
Second Quarter:
• Redshirt senior DB Juwan Dowels records his first interception as a Bronco and third in his career (two at Syracuse).
• Jamauri Bogan’s 40th career rushing TD moves him to second all-time for career rushing TDs.
• Score: Ball State 21, WMU 17
Third Quarter:
• Junior RB LeVante Bellamy records 1,000 yards in a single season with an 8-yard carry for a first down.
• Score: Ball State 28, WMU 20
Fourth Quarter:
• LeVante Bellamy runs 2 yards for a touchdown. His first of the game and sixth on the season.
• Freshman QB Kaleb Eleby throws a 2-point conversion to junior TE Giovanni Ricci.
• LeVante Bellamy breaks his career-high rushing yards in a single game record (previously 149).
• Junior TE Giovanni Ricci hauls in a 9-yard pass for his first touchdown of the game and third of the season.
• LeVante Bellamy rushes for 200 yards for first time in career. The last time a Bronco rushed for more than 200 yards was Jarvion Franklin (228) on November 1st, 2017 against Central Michigan.
• Score: WMU 35, Ball State 35
Overtime:
• WMU wins the coin toss and elects to defend.
• There has not been an overtime game at Scheumann Stadium since October 13th, 2012 against WMU.
• QB Kaleb Eleby rushes for a 1-yard touchdown. A failed 2-point conversion ends the game.
• Score: Ball State 42, WMU 41
Post-Game:
• The second time WMU has gone over 300 yards rushing this season. The first was against Central Michigan (305) on October 20th, 2018.
• WMU produced 548 yards total offense; 187 passing yards and 361 rushing yards.
• Second time this season WMU has had two 100-yard rushers; LeVante Bellamy (213) and Jamauri Bogan (105). The first time was on September 22nd, 2018 against Georgia State; Jamauri Bogan (126) and LeVante Bellamy (121).
• Redshirt senior RB Jamauri Bogan rushes for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
• Junior RB LeVante Bellamy rushes for a career-high 213 rushing yards in a single game shattering his previous high of 149 yards.
• The Broncos are now 6-5 overall and 4-3 in the MAC
• Ball State improves to 4-7 overall and 3-4 in the MAC
• Broncos return to play their final game at Waldo Stadium against Northern Illinois University next Tuesday, November 20th. 7 PM ET kickoff, ESPNU.
