Pitt passes for 6 TDs, Ball State routs Fordham 57-29

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Drew Pitt passed for 439 yards and a school-record-tying six touchdowns and Ball State won its 10th straight home opener with a 57-29 victory over Fordham on Saturday.

Pitt’s passing yardage is the fourth highest in team history and the 57 points is the Cardinals’ fourth highest total all-time. The Cardinals scored a team-record 66 points in a 1977 win over Cal Poly Pomona. Pitt’s six TD passes matched the mark set by Keith Wenning in 2013 in a win over Miami (Ohio).

Fordham (0-2) jumped out to a 7-0 first-quarter lead on Zach Davis’ 2-yard run. Pitt answered for Ball State (1-1), connecting with Justin Hall on a 50-yard scoring strike to knot the score at 7. The Rams reclaimed the lead when Tim DeMorat hooked up with Jack Lynch for a 5-yard score, but Walter Fletcher’s 10-yard TD run with 57 seconds left in the first quarter tied the game at 14-all.

Pitt, who completed 32 of 40 passes in the game, tossed two TD passes in the second quarter — a 3-yarder to Cody Rudy and a 40-yard scoring strike to Antwan Davis — for a 28-14 halftime lead.

Ball State used a safety, Pitt’s 3-yard TD toss to Riley Miller and a 16-yard TD run by Caleb Huntley to forge a 43-14 lead. Pitt and Miller teamed up for a 28-yard scoring strike in the third quarter and Pitt capped his performance with a 4-yard scoring strike to Antwan Davis early in the fourth quarter. Miller finished with six catches for 116 yards and Davis snagged five passes for 86 yards.

DeMorat, the reigning Patriot Football League offensive player of the week, completed 20 of 35 passes for 221 yards with one TD and two interceptions. Zach Davis carried 19 times for 85 yards for the Rams, while Trey Sneed had two short TD runs.