Block party, Miami (Ohio) seals MAC championship berth beating Ball State on last-minute block

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Kobe Hilton blocked Ball State’s go-ahead field goal try with 1:04 remaining and Miami (Ohio) held off Ball State for a 17-15 win on Saturday and clinched a berth in the Mid-American Conference championship game next week.

Miami takes on Toledo on Saturday, Dec. 2 in Detroit. Miami (10-2, 7-1 Mid-American Conference) reached the 10-win mark for the first time since going 10-4 in 2010.

The Cardinals (4-8, 3-5) started the scoring when Kiael Kelly threw a 9-yard score to Vaughn Pemberton to end a six-play, 92-yard drive. Miami’s Caiden Woullard blocked the extra-point try to keep it 6-0 with 8:24 left in the first quarter.

The RedHawks responded when Aveon Smith threw a 10-yard scoring pass to Cade McDonald a little more than four minutes later. The scoring drive was set up when Raion Strader returned an interception near midfield to the Ball State 13-yard line.

Miami made it 14-6 on its next drive when Rashad Amos crashed in from the 1 following Kenny Tracy’s 28-yard run to the 1. Smith completed all four pass attempts for 68 yards on the drive.

Jackson Courville kicked field goals of 45 and 29 yards, respectively, to get Ball State within 14-12 at halftime. Both teams traded field goals in the second half.

Miami’s Smith threw for a season-high 170 yards and a touchdown and was intercepted twice.

For Ball State, Kelly threw for a touchdown and two picks and ran for 136 yards on 20 carries. Marquez Cooper added 136 yards on the ground with 31 carries.

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