State Football Postgame Notes Ball State 30, Western Michigan 27 Dec. 12, 2020 | Scheumann Stadium (Muncie, Ind.)

Team • Ball State claimed its first MAC West Division championship and first trip to the MAC Championship Game since 2008.

• The Cardinals (5-1) went undefeated against the West Division this season and extended their winning streak to five games, the longest for the program since 2013.

• The BSU-WMU game came to the final minute for the third straight year. Five of Ball State’s six games this season have been decided by a score.

Offense • Senior WR Justin Hall broke the school record for career receptions, reaching 252 for his career and passing former record holder Kevonn Mabon (244 from 2012-16). The nation’s active leader in career receptions, Hall extended his FBS-leading receptions streak to 42 straight games (every game of his career). He recorded a career-high 175 receiving yards today.

• Justin Hall recorded his third career two- game and his first with both of them via receptions. He previously had two games with both a rushing and receiving score. Today’s were Hall’s first since scoring twice in the season opener at Miami. He now has 17 career touchdowns (12 receiving, five rushing).

• Redshirt senior Drew Plitt threw three touchdowns to bring his season total to 13 and his career total to 46, matching former teammate Riley Neal for third on the Cardinals’ all-time list. Plitt surpassed 6,000 career passing yards, moving into fifth on that all-time list at BSU.

• Junior WR Yo’Heinz Tyler caught a for the fifth consecutive game. He has eight touchdown receptions in the past seven games dating back to last season.

• Redshirt sophomore RB Tye Evans, making his third straight start in place of an injured Caleb Huntly, scored his first career touchdown in the first quarter.

Defense • Redshirt senior ILB Jaylin Thomas registered a career-high 16 tackles. Thomas is the MAC’s active leader with 277 career tackles.

• Redshirt junior ILB Brandon Martin, who entered the day ninth in the nation at 11.6 tackles per game, had 14 tackles, including a team-high two for loss.

• The BSU defense added two more takeaways to bring its total to eight over the past three games.

• Grad DL Chris Agyemang recorded his first career on a third-quarter pass deflected by senior OLB Christian Albright.

• Redshirt junior ILB Jimmy Daw had his second career recovery on WMU’s second drive.

Special Teams • Redshirt freshman K Jack Knight connected on the game-winning 22-yard in the final minute. He has made at least one field goal in every game this season.

• Senior P Nathan Snyder boomed a season-long 61-yard , one yard shy of his career long.