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Ball State aim for 8-0 start

Oct 25, 2008 - 10:39 AM Eastern Michigan (2-6) at (22) Ball St (7-0), 12:00 pm EDT

MUNCIE, Indiana (Ticker) -- Ball State looks to open its season with an eighth consecutive victory for the third time in school history Saturday when it hosts Eastern Michigan in a Mid-American Conference meeting.

The Cardinals (7-0, 3-0 MAC West) are off to their best start since 1965, when they went 9-0-1. Ball State also finished the 1949 season with an 8-0 record.

Nate Davis passed for 155 yards and two touchdowns two weeks ago to lead the Cardinals to a 24-7 victory over Western Kentucky.

Ball State's offense had its lowest scoring output of the season, but the defense came within 58 seconds of posting its second consecutive shutout.

It wasn't all bad for the offense, though, as MiQuale Lewis had his sixth straight 100-yard performance. He rushed for 112 yards and a score on 18 carries.

Lewis has 914 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns this season, providing a nice balance with the efficient aerial attack led by Davis. The junior quarterback has passed for 1,817 yards and 13 scores with four interceptions this season.

Davis is doing an excellent job considering the absence of star wide receiver Dante Love, who suffered a career-ending spinal injury last month in a victory over Indiana.

Love still leads the Cardinals with 28 receptions and 460 yards. But Davis has found new favorite target in freshman Briggs Orsbon, who has 19 catches for 212 yards over his last three games.

The Eagles (2-6, 1-3) are trying to avoid a third straight loss. Andy Schmitt tossed three touchdowns and Terrence Blevins added two rushing scores last Saturday, but Eastern Michigan suffered a 42-35 loss to Akron.

In the last meeting between these MAC rivals, Davis threw three touchdowns - two to Love - to pace Ball State to a 38-16 victory last year.