by There’s nothing like a home opener, even if that opener comes one week later than it did for every other team in college football, as Ball State was sidelined week one due to scheduling that saw the program’s first week deemed a bye week.
While Missouri State headed to Missoula, Montana, to battle the Grizzlies on Aug. 31, the Ball State Cardinals kept their heads down in Muncie, Indiana, and awaited their chance to make a statement the following week. Their matchup with Missouri State, the Cardinals’ only home non-conference game, would be an essential win ahead of a non-conference schedule that only gets tougher from here.
With over ten thousand fans inside Scheumann Stadium, the Cardinals showcased something that the fans had been waiting to see. After a slow offensive first half, redshirt freshman Kadin Semonza and the Ball State offense detonated for 35 second half points to lead the team to a 42-34 victory over the Missouri State Bears.
The contest proved to be a tale of two halves, with bright spots on both sides of the ball becoming apparent throughout the Cardinals’ first game of their 2024-25 campaign.
In the first half, Ball State’s defense proved suffocating for the Bears, allowing only two first downs and offering consistent pressure to Missouri State’s starting quarterback, Jacob Clark.
Head coach Mike Neu said he was thoroughly impressed with his new-look defense in the first half, which only returned a handful of starters from last season.
“It was awesome in the first half,” Neu said. “I hadn’t quite seen a first half like that, to be honest with you.”
Semonza, speaking with Ball State’s leading tackler from last season, senior Keionte Newson, says that Newson kept assuring him that the defense had his back during the offense’s slow start in the first half.
“It (the defense) is what kept us in the game, and if they didn’t do what they did in the first half, then who knows what the outcome of this game would’ve been?” Semonza said. “Keionte kept telling me, ‘We got your back,’ and I kept reminding him that we’re going to get yours. I promise you.”
The redshirt freshman made sure to deliver on his promise in the second half, delivering a total of three passing touchdowns to keep the game out of reach for the Bears, who began to expose the Cardinals’ defense in the second half.
“It was unfortunate that we didn’t start the game like that,” Semonza added. “We’ll get that fixed, but it was good to see our guys show up at the end of the game when it really mattered.”
Neu demonstrated notable confidence in his new starting quarterback throughout the game, despite Semonza throwing a pick six midway through the first quarter. He allowed his offense to go for it on fourth down three times despite turning the ball over on downs in the redshirt freshman’s first two attempts. The confidence, however, paid dividends as Semonza finished with a completion percentage of 71.8% to go along with 262 yards and four touchdowns.
Another big story for the Cardinals was senior running back Braedon Sloan, a transfer from Eastern Kentucky who made his Muncie debut against Missouri State. Sloan finished with two touchdowns and 103 yards of total offense.
“A little while ago we all filled out goal sheets, and my main goal was just to take advantage of the opportunities that came to me,” Sloan said. “Whether it was with one carry or fifty carries, I just wanted to take advantage of the opportunities that I have.”
Sloan and Semonza both credited Ball State’s veteran offensive line, who all played as advertised throughout the contest, with their comfort level within the offense.
“Those guys make it easy,” Semonza added. “They’re pretty much the reason we won that game. When we needed some smashmouth football at the end of the game, those guys took care of business. I make sure those guys know that I’m very appreciative of them.”
After a win that Neu says he hopes sets the tone for the season moving forward, Ball State will prepare for a tougher challenge next week when the Cardinals face off with the #19 Miami Hurricanes on Sept. 14.
