G.O.A.T. The Story of Fabio Pirlo (NCAA 14)

[Tide In Texas]

[Tide In Texas]

Cardinals Fade in Second Half

Happy Valley, PA --- The Ball State Cardinals were downed by a strong Penn State squad in Fabio Pirlo's head coaching debut. The Cardinals played a great first half, going in to halftime tied at 17, but the depth of the Nittany Lions took its toll in the second half. A defensive touchdown immediately following Cain's fourth touchdown run of the afternoon put the nail in the coffin.

Despite the loss, Pirlo remained optimistic. "A lot of teams like us come in to a place like Beaver Stadium and roll over halfway through the first quarter. We were competitive for about 2 and a half quarters today with a team we 'aren't supposed' to hang with. I think it says a lot about our team and the mindset we've developed. We think we can play with anyone. Now our focus shifts to Ohio next week," Pirlo said after the game.

The Cardinals will host the Ohio Bobcats in Pirlo's home debut next Saturday.

[Tide In Texas]

[Tide In Texas]

Cardinals Edge Bobcats in Defensive Battle

Muncie, IN --- Fabio Pirlo gained his first win as a head coach on Saturday with a 21-14 win over Ohio, moving Ball state to 1-0 in conference play in the process. The Cardinals jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead and then struggled to create much offensively after that. Ohio scored just before halftime to draw within 7.

The teams traded punts to start the second half, and with 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter Ohio found the endzone again to tie up the game. Ball State's first drive of the fourth quarter ended up with a touchdown that decided the contest.

"I'm really proud of how our defense played today. After giving up 48 in the opener we challenged this group to perform better, and they answered the bell," Pirlo said after the game. The Bobcats were held to just 246 yards of offense on the afternoon, which lives up to the high standards Pirlo's 3-4 defense has created.

Ball State will host Eastern Michigan next Saturday, and will look to move to 2-0 in MAC play.

[Tide In Texas]

Cardinals Edge Bobcats in Defensive Battle

Muncie, IN --- Fabio Pirlo gained his first win as a head coach on Saturday with a 21-14 win over Ohio, moving Ball state to 1-0 in conference play in the process. The Cardinals jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead and then struggled to create much offensively after that. Ohio scored just before halftime to draw within 7.

The teams traded punts to start the second half, and with 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter Ohio found the endzone again to tie up the game. Ball State's first drive of the fourth quarter ended up with a touchdown that decided the contest.

"I'm really proud of how our defense played today. After giving up 48 in the opener we challenged this group to perform better, and they answered the bell," Pirlo said after the game. The Bobcats were held to just 246 yards of offense on the afternoon, which lives up to the high standards Pirlo's 3-4 defense has created.

Ball State will host Eastern Michigan next Saturday, and will look to move to 2-0 in MAC play.

[Tide In Texas]

[Tide In Texas]

Cardinals Win Again!

Muncie, IN --- The Ball State Cardinals moved to 2-1 on the season and 2-0 in MAC play after their 31-17 win over Eastern Michigan on Saturday. The Cardinals' defense played well again, allowing just 189 yards through the air and forcing 2 turnovers. Aside from the 61 yard touchdown in the 4th quarter, the Cardinals also did a great job limiting the big play. With just under 2 minutes to play the Ball State defense sniffed out a halfback pass on 4th down to end Eastern Michigan's hopes on the afternoon.

Senior quarterback Drew Plitt had an outstanding afternoon, playing a nearly perfect game. His 4 touchdowns and 255 yards proved to be the catalyst the Cardinals needed to win. "Plitt was incredibly today. Any day your quarterback plays that well you're going to have a shot to win," coach Fabio Pirlo said after the game.

Ball State will host Toledo next weekend in an important conference matchup. In addition, the Cardinals will host a few important recruits at the game. A 3-0 start in conference would certainly have the Cardinals headed toward a MAC title.

[toysoldier_00]

gotta keep racking up wins in the MAC, that's the key