MUNCIE, Indiana — Seih Bangura rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Ohio Bobcats to a 32-18 win over the Ball State Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Bangura had a 6-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and added a 7-yarder early in the fourth extend Ohio's lead to 26-11. He carried the ball 23 times that included a 41-yard run.
Kurtis Rourke completed 12 of 16 passes for 169 yards and threw a touchdown pass before exiting the game just before halftime with a lower body injury. His status is unknown for next week's season finale.
Ohio (8-3, 6-1 Mid-American Conference) had to turn to backup quarterback CJ Harris to finish out the game. Harris finished the game completing five of his eight pass attempts for 34 yards and rushed for 38 yards.
Ball State (5-6, 3-4 MAC) appeared to be poised to make a late comeback in the fourth quarter, when John Paddock threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Brady Hunt, capping off a long drive that pulled the Cardinals to 26-18 with 9:54 remaining.
However, the Bobcats defense forced a turnover on down and Alvin Floyd intercepted a pass from Paddock, on consecutive drives, to help seal the win in the final minutes for Ohio.
Paddock finished the game 29-of-48 passing for 273 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for Ball State . Running back Carson Steele had 14 carries for 96 yards to lead the Cardinal rushing attack.
Ohio faces the Bowling Green Falcons next Tuesday night with the MAC East Division title on the line.
Ohio 0 17 2 13 = 32
Ball St 3 0 8 7 = 18
First Quarter
BALL—Ben VonGunten 21 field goal, 6:44. Second Quarter
OHIO—Sieh Bangura 6 run (Nathanial Vakos kick), 13:14. OHIO—Sam Wiglusz 13 pass from Kurtis Rourke (Nathanial Vakos kick), 8:13. OHIO—Nathanial Vakos 21 field goal, 3:34. Third Quarter
OHIO—Safety, 8:46. BALL—Tanner Koziol 10 pass from John Paddock (John Paddock pass to Brady Hunt), 1:13. Fourth Quarter
OHIO—Sieh Bangura 7 run (Nathanial Vakos kick), 13:52.
BALL—Brady Hunt 7 pass from John Paddock (Ben VonGunten kick), 9:54.
OHIO—Nathanial Vakos 37 field goal, 2:44.
OHIO—Nathanial Vakos 23 field goal, 1:00.
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