There’s chaos, and then there’s MACtion. The bright Tuesday night lights illuminated UB Stadium’s cold air, setting the stage for an exciting clash between the Ball State Cardinals and Buffalo Bulls — a rematch of the 2008 and 2020 MAC Championship Games. What followed was a wild, 60-minute-plus contest filled with more twists than a Choose Your Own Adventure book. The game featured 99 points, 990 yards of offense, four turnovers, four lead changes, and multiple comebacks from double-digit deficits, culminating in one of the most thrilling midweek finishes of the 2024 MACtion season.
The game’s outcome came down to a single play in overtime. Buffalo quarterback CJ Ogbonna fired a pass to running back Lamar Sperling, who was tightly covered by Ball State’s top tackler, Keionte Newson, in the corner of the end zone. After a fierce battle for the ball, the initial touchdown call stood, and Buffalo claimed a dramatic 51-48 victory, clinching bowl eligibility in the process.
Ogbonna delivered key performances throughout the game, particularly in the second and fourth quarters. With Buffalo trailing 28-17 just before halftime, the Bulls’ defense came up big as linebacker Shaun Dolac intercepted a pass and set up a 2-yard line opportunity. Despite an initial setback, Buffalo kept its offense on the field, and Ogbonna threw a touchdown to Victor Snow, cutting the deficit to just one score at the half. In the fourth quarter, Ogbonna’s resilience was again on display after throwing two interceptions to Ball State’s DD Snyder. Despite this, he led the Bulls on two consecutive touchdown drives to erase a 45-31 deficit in the final minutes. On a critical 4th-and-10 from the 26-yard line, Ogbonna scrambled for a 26-yard touchdown run, though Buffalo missed the extra point, leaving the score at 45-37. The defense then stepped up with Marquis Cooper breaking up a key third-down pass, giving Ogbonna a final chance. The quarterback responded by connecting with JJ Jenkins for a 33-yard touchdown, followed by a successful 2-point conversion on a shovel pass to tight end Jake Orlando, tying the game at 45.
In overtime, Buffalo’s defense forced Ball State to settle for a 36-yard field goal, leaving one last opportunity for Ogbonna to shine. He capped the night with 264 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, 55 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns.
Buffalo’s offense had several standout performances in the shootout, with Jenkins and Snow combining for 205 receiving yards and a touchdown each. Running back Al-Jay Henderson added 126 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The linebacking duo of Dolac (17 tackles) and Red Murdock (19 tackles) anchored the defense.
However, despite the thrilling efforts from Buffalo, Ball State’s offense often had the upper hand. Quarterback Kadin Semonza set a career high with 327 passing yards and four touchdowns. Semonza developed a strong connection with standout receiver Justin Bowick, who recorded 148 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Tanner Koziol also played a pivotal role with 95 yards on 11 catches, and wide receiver Cam Pickett added a 65-yard touchdown reception and a key end-around touchdown to give Ball State a 42-31 lead.
For Ball State (3-7, 2-4 MAC), this loss marks another season without bowl eligibility, as the team has now been eliminated from postseason contention for the third consecutive year. With six of their MAC games decided by six points or fewer, the Cardinals face a tough stretch to finish the season against Bowling Green and Ohio.
Meanwhile, Buffalo (6-4, 4-2 MAC) doubled its win total from 2023 in head coach Maurice Lembo’s first season. With the win, the Bulls secured bowl eligibility for the fifth time in the last seven years and improved to 2-0 in overtime games this season. Having avenged their 2020 MAC Championship Game loss to Ball State, Buffalo now looks to close out the season with victories over Eastern Michigan and Kent State to remain in the hunt for a MAC title, though they’ll need help from other teams to control their own destiny.
