The Sports Xchange
Sep 2, 2016

Ball State's James Gilbert scored two touchdowns, and the Cardinals turned to the ground game in the second half of a 31-21 win over host Georgia State on Friday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Gilbert scored on two short plunges, and Teddy Williamson and Darian Green added touchdown runs in the fourth quarter to help Ball State finish off the Panthers and give first-year coach Mike Neu a victory in his Cardinals debut.

Ball State rushed for 325 yards, 267 coming in the dominating second half.

Georgia State took an early lead on Jerome Smith's 48-yard interception return for a touchdown. Smith, who had two interceptions in the game, undercut an out route on Ball State's first series and returned the pick 48 yards for a touchdown.

Conner Manning, a graduate transfer from Utah, started at quarterback for Georgia State and hooked up with wide receiver Penny Hart on a 14-yard touchdown pass that put the Panthers ahead 14-7 early in the second quarter.

Three quarterbacks Emiere Scaife, Aaron Winchester and Manning played for Georgia State. Winchester, a freshman, led the Panthers in rushing with 59 yards and scored on a 13-yard run with 2:24 to play.

Manning completed 21 of 32 passes for 163 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Ball State used a 14-play, 44-yard drive, capped by a Gilbert 1-yard touchdown run to tie the score right before halftime.

Ball State quarterback Riley Neal completed 15 of 29 passes for 130 yards and set up Williamson's touchdown run with a 44-yard scamper