Football team cruises to victory in Muncie

MUNCIE, Ind. — Another week and another game-breaking play for CMU senior quarterback Dan LeFevour.

With less than one minute remaining in the first half, LeFevour and junior wide receiver Antonio Brown sealed the Ball State Cardinals’ fate in CMU’s 35-3 win Wednesday night at Scheumann Stadium.

Down 14-3 and still in striking distance, Ball State put CMU in a third-and-11 situation from its 18-yard line. LeFevour evaded pressure and scrambled right. Still looking downfield and nearing the sideline, he found Brown streaking across the middle of the field toward the sideline.

Eighty-two yards and a Cody Wilson block later, Ball State was facing an insurmountable deficit.

“(Brown’s) a game-changer, and I think that play changed the game,” LeFevour said.

Brown said he was appreciative of Wilson’s block after the game.

“It was an amazing block because (in my) peripheral vision, I saw the safety, so I thought I was going to take a shot,” he said. “But then, I just heard this loud, car-crash noise and I knew Cody was in the area.”

Brown was targeted early and often by his quarterback. He finished with 11 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown.

LeFevour completed 25-of-28 passes (89 percent) — including 11-of-11 passing in the second half — for 344 yards and four touchdowns. He added 59 rushing yards on 14 attempts and one touchdown.

“Usually when your quarterback has that type of success, it means all the positions are doing their jobs,” said coach Butch Jones.

In the process, he passed Byron Leftwich for first all-time in passing yards in Mid-American Conference history. LeFevour now has 12,000 career passing yards.

“You can take away all those personal records, but what he’s meant to our football family and our football program, and what he’s been able to do, I think that speaks volumes,” Jones said.

CMU outgained the Cardinals 512 yards to 231 yards. Ball State had just 105 passing yards.

The Chippewas had a 14-0 lead until Ball State kicked a 20-yard field goal in the second quarter. CMU capped off the game with three consecutive touchdowns between the second and third quarter.

Waiting game

The team can clinch the MAC West title this weekend with an Ohio win against Northern Illinois.

If Northern Illinois wins, however, next Friday’s NIU-CMU game will essentially be a division championship game.

CMU hosts the Huskies at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.