The 2024 Ball State Cardinals football team represented Ball State University as a member of the Mid-American Conference during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cardinals played home games at Scheumann Stadium, located in Muncie, Indiana.
After starting , ensuring a fourth straight losing season, ninth-year head coach Mike Neu was fired on November 16, 2024. Offensive line coach Colin Johnson was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
Preseason Preseason poll On July 19 the MAC announced the preseason coaches poll. Ball State was picked to finish ninth in the conference. The Cardinals received zero votes to win the MAC Championship.
Schedule Unusually, Ball State did not play a game on "Week 1" of the season; they were the only idle FBS team on the traditional start of the season. Army, their original Week 1 opponent, dropped out after joining the American Athletic Conference. Ball State replaced Army with an October 19 game against Vanderbilt.
Game summaries Missouri State (FCS)
Statistics MOSTBALL First downs 18 25 Total yards 320 435 Rushing yards 62 173 Passing yards 258 262 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19–32–1 28–38–1 Time of possession 21:30 38:30 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri State Passing Jacob Clark 19/32, 258 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jacardia Wright 15 carries, 46 yards, TD Receiving Jmariyae Robinson 7 receptions, 102 yards, TDBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 28/38, 262 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Braedon Sloan 21 carries, 103 yards, TD Receiving Cam Pickett 7 receptions, 69 yards
at No. 10 Miami (FL)
Statistics BALL MIA First downs 9 31 Total yards 115 750 Rushing yards 6 243 Passing yards 109 507 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–32–1 30–40–0 Time of possession 27:01 32:59 Team Category Player StatisticsBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 16/26, 111 yards, INT Rushing Braedon Sloan 5 carries, 13 yards Receiving Braedon Sloan 4 receptions, 41 yardsMiami (FL) Passing Cam Ward 19/28, 346 yards, 5 TD Rushing Ajay Allen 7 carries, 104 yards, TD Receiving Jacolby George 6 receptions, 109 yards, TD
at Central Michigan
Statistics BALLCMU First downs 27 19 Plays–yards 77–431 54–527 Rushing yards 37–146 33–335 Passing yards 285 192 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 30–40–0 15–21–0 Time of possession 36:40 23:20 Team Category Player StatisticsBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 30/40, 285 yards, 3 TD Rushing Braedon Sloan 19 carries, 94 yards, TD Receiving Tanner Koziol 9 receptions, 112 yards, TDCentral Michigan Passing Joe Labas 14/20, 185 yards, TD Rushing B.J. Harris 8 carries, 151 yards Receiving Chris Parker 5 receptions, 79 yards, 2 TD
at James Madison
Statistics BALL JMU First downs 19 29 Total yards 250 522 Rushing yards 77 236 Passing yards 173 286 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 28–38–3 21–29–0 Time of possession 33:41 26:19 Team Category Player StatisticsBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 22/35, 168 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Braedon Sloan 14 carries, 72 yards Receiving Tanner Koziol 9 receptions, 78 yards, TDJames Madison Passing Alonza Barnett III 20/28, 280 yards, 5 TD Rushing Wayne Knight 6 carries, 63 yards Receiving Taylor Thompson 5 receptions, 91 yards, TD
Western Michigan
Statistics WMUBALL First downs 23 23 Total yards 397 461 Rushing yards 197 68 Passing yards 264 329 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 32:30 27:30 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Michigan Passing Hayden Wolff 26/29, 264 yards, 3 TD Rushing Jaden Nixon 14 carries, 124 yards, 3 TD Receiving Anthony Sambucci 9 receptions, 74 yards, TDBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 21/34, 307 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Braedon Sloan 18 carries, 65 yards Receiving Tanner Koziol 9 receptions, 102 yards
at Kent State
Statistics BALL KENT First downs 24 20 Total yards 406 461 Rushing yards 191 67 Passing yards 215 394 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–34–0 17–36–1 Time of possession 33:11 26:49 Team Category Player StatisticsBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 21/34, 215 yards, TD Rushing Braedon Sloan 22 carries, 76 yards, 2 TD Receiving Malcolm Gillie 2 receptions, 61 yardsKent State Passing Tommy Ulatowski 17/36, 394 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Ky Thomas 17 carries, 67 yards, TD Receiving Chrishon McCray 8 receptions, 213 yards, 3 TD
at Vanderbilt
Statistics BALL VAN First downs 16 21 Total yards 268 420 Rushing yards 78 145 Passing yards 190 275 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–29–0 17–31–0 Time of possession 25:25 34:35 Team Category Player StatisticsBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 21/29, 190 yards, TD Rushing Vaughn Pemberton 5 carries, 32 yards Receiving Tanner Koziol 9 receptions, 68 yards, TDVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 17/31, 275 yards, TD Rushing Diego Pavia 13 carries, 82 yards, TD Receiving Eli Stowers 8 receptions, 130 yards, TD
Northern Illinois (Bronze Stalk Trophy)
Statistics NIUBALL First downs 22 21 Total yards 374 392 Rushing yards 142 170 Passing yards 232 222 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 25:08 34:52 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Illinois Passing Ethan Hampton 18/33, 168 yards, TD, INT Rushing Antario Brown 11 carries, 62 yards, 2 TD Receiving Cam Thompson 8 receptions, 128 yards, TDBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 20/33, 211 yards, 2 TD Rushing Vaughn Pemberton 14 carries, 69 yards Receiving Tanner Koziol 9 receptions, 78 yards, 2 TD
Miami (OH)
Statistics M-OHBALL First downs 19 19 Total yards 333 331 Rushing yards 114 51 Passing yards 219 280 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 32:52 27:08 Team Category Player StatisticsMiami (OH) Passing Brett Gabbert 16/32, 219 yards, 3 TD Rushing Keyon Mozee 22 carries, 105 yards Receiving Reggie Virgil 5 receptions, 101 yards, TDBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 23/36, 280 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Vaughn Pemberton 5 carries, 21 yards Receiving Justin Bowick 8 receptions, 171 yards, TD
at Buffalo
Statistics BALLUB First downs 24 26 Plays–yards 74–520 78–470 Rushing yards 37–193 41–206 Passing yards 327 264 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–37–1 19–37–2 Time of possession 33:13 26:26 Team Category Player StatisticsBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 25/37, 327 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Kadin Semonza 4 carries, 53 yards Receiving Justin Bowick 7 receptions, 148 yards, 2 TD Buffalo Passing C.J. Ogbonna 19/37, 264 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Al-Jay Henderson 27 carries, 126 yards, 2 TD Receiving JJ Jenkins 8 receptions, 131 yards, TD
Bowling Green
Statistics BGSUBALL First downs 17 15 Total yards 362 254 Rushing yards 103 43 Passing yards 259 211 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 34:57 25:03 Team Category Player StatisticsBowling Green Passing Connor Bazelak 18/29, 255 yards, 2 TD Rushing Terion Stewart 10 carries, 32 yards Receiving Harold Fannin Jr. 9 receptions, 125 yards, TDBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 19/37, 211 yards, 2 TD Rushing Vaughn Pemberton 5 carries, 29 yards Receiving Vaughn Pemberton 3 receptions, 70 yards, TD
at Ohio
Statistics BALLOHIO First downs 21 22 Plays–yards 73–375 56–475 Rushing yards 26–42 41–270 Passing yards 333 205 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 29–47–0 9–15–1 Time of possession 29:16 30:44 Team Category Player StatisticsBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 29/47, 333 yards, 3 TD Rushing Braedon Sloan 10 carries, 31 yards Receiving Cam Pickett 9 receptions, 119 yardsOhio Passing Parker Navarro 7/11, 169 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT Rushing Parker Navarro 11 carries, 110 yards, 2 TD Receiving Coleman Owen 5 receptions, 142 yards, 2 TD
References