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Ball State caps perfect regular season with romp

Nov 26, 2008 - 5:40 AM MUNCIE, Indiana (Ticker) -- The best college football team in the state of Indiana completed its golden regular season on Tuesday.

Fifteenth-ranked Ball State stomped Western Michigan, 45-22, to capture the MAC West and run its record to 12-0.

Quarterback Nate Davis led the way for the Cardinals, throwing for 273 yards and a touchdown. MiQuale Lewis added 120 yards on the ground, going over 100 yards for the 10th time this season.

"Obviously, it's good to win," Ball State head coach Brady Hoke says. "I am really happy for this group of kids and this senior class to come together and accomplish what they set out to get but we're not finished yet."

The Cardinals (12-0, 8-0) next face Buffalo in the MAC championship on December 5.

The Cardinals grabbed a 14-0 lead on a TD run by Lewis of 10 yards and a 40-yard pass from Davis to Louis Johnson.

Western Michigan (9-3, 6-2) rallied to tie the game on Drew Burdi's 36-yard strike to Julien Schneider and Tim Hiller's 9-yard toss to Juan Nunez.

Ball State erupted for 24 straight points, taking any doubt out of the decision. Davis and Lewis each had touchdown runs and Trey Lewis intercepted a pass from Hiller and returned it 34 yards for a score.

"We needed to play our best game and we didn't," Western Michigan Coach Bill Cubit said. "We made way too many mistakes."

After Western Michigan broke the streak, Ball State marched down the field, driving 81 yards in 11 plays before Lewis scored his third touchdown of the game and 20th of the season, a Ball State record, to make it 45-22.

"Everybody's dream is to go undefeated," Davis said.