MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) -Nate Davis passed for 280 yards and three touchdowns as Ball State beat Northeastern 48-14 in the season opener for both teams Thursday night.
MiQuale Lewis had 11 carries for 95 yards and one touchdown as the Cardinals racked up 190 yards rushing. Ball State had 487 yards total offense.
Davis' two other TD strikes were a 49-yarder to Dante Love and an 8-yard pass to Darius Hill in the first half. He finished 21-of-24 with no interceptions.
The Huskies (0-1) were down 28-0 with 50 seconds left in the first half when Greg Abelli scored on a 20-yard run. The Cardinals quickly responded with a 25-yard field goal by Ian McGarvey to make it 31-7 at the half.
Ball State (1-0) lengthened its lead after the break to 48-7 with a 27-yard pass from Davis to Daniel Ifft, a Cory Sykes 6-yard run and another McGarvey field goal - this one 46 yards. Northeastern backup quarterback John Sperrazza, who went 6-of-7 for 82 yards, hit Conor Gilmartin-Donohue for a 10-yard score with 38 seconds left in the game.
Starter Anthony Orio was 14-of-30 for 149 yards.
