Semonza, Cooper power Ball State past Indiana State 45-7

Updated Sep. 16, 2023 5:25 p.m. ET

Associated Press

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Freshman Kadin Semonza threw two touchdown passes, Marquez Cooper ran for 177 yards and a score and Ball State pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat FCS-member Indiana State 45-7 on Saturday.

Semonza completed 17 of 22 passes for 137 yards for the Cardinals (1-2). Cooper did his damage on 22 carries. Rico Barfield scored with his only catch, adding 48 yards on five rushes.

Semonza passed to Barfield for a 16-yard touchdown early in the second quarter and Jackson Courville kicked a 23-yard field goal with 94 seconds left to give Ball State a 10-0 lead at halftime.

Barfield stretched the Cardinals' lead to 17-0 midway through the third quarter with a 24-yard touchdown run. Dakota Caton hauled in a 49-yard scoring strike from freshman Elijah Owens two plays later to get the Sycamores (0-3) on the scoreboard.

Ball State wrapped it up with three touchdowns over a span of 3:52 in the final quarter. Cooper started things with an 11-yard scoring run with 13:12 left to play. Semonza had an 8-yard touchdown toss to Tanner Koziol two plays after a Sycamore turnover. The third score came when Loren Strickland sacked Owens, forcing a fumble that Keionte Newson recovered in the end zone.

Charlie Spegal capped the scoring on a 1-yard run with 3:03 remaining.

Owens completed 9 of 21 passes for 157 yards with one interception.

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