#23 UNH Edged 34-29 by FBS School Ball State

Saturday, September 13

Muncie, Ind.

2 PM

University of New Hampshire

2-1 , 0-0

Ball State

1-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

New Hampshire

Ball St.

Photo by: Bobby Ellis

9/13/2025 7:05:00 PM | Football

Box Score

MUNCIE, Ind. – The University of New Hampshire football team, ranked 23^rd in this week's FCS poll, scored a touchdown via the ground, air and blocked punt, but was edged 34-29 by FBS school Ball State University at Scheumann Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

UNH got the ball back at its 10-yard line with 1:39 remaining and advanced the ball to the UNH 41 with 29 seconds on the clock. Sophomore quarterback Matt Vezza (Elmhurst, Ill.) was brought down inbounds for a short gain to set up fourth down and one final play. Vezza took the snap, rolled to his right and the pass was broken up at the BSU 40 to end the game.

Vezza completed 25 of 44 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed 16 times for a team-high 78 yards and a TD. Grad student Chase Wilson (Lake Charles, La.) had seven catches for 84 yards and a TD. Senior wide receiver Caleb Burke (Johnstown, Pa.) caught seven passes for 89 yards.

Freshman linebacker Trevor Barry (Elma, N.Y.) finished with a team-high eight tackles and grad student defensive tackle Justice Akinmoladun (Grandview, Mo.) made three tackles, one of which was a five-yard loss for a safety. Senior captain Duncan Moreland (Beverly, Mass.) recorded an interception.

On special teams, D.J. Johnson (Wilbraham, Mas.) blocked a punt and Brendan Tighe (Lowell, Mass.) scored a TD on a 27-yard return, Logan Perez (Sewell, N.J.) forced a fumble on a punt return recovered by Raleigh Collins III (Philadelphia, Pa.) inside the red zone, and Nick Reed (Harrison, N.Y.) made a 52-yard field goal.

For Ball State, Kiael Kelly threw for 105 yards and two TDs and ran for 101 yards and another touchdown. Qua Ashley had 154 rushing yards, including TD runs of 43 and 72 yards.

UNH moves to 2-1 and Ball State is 1-2.

UP NEXT

UNH returns to action Sept. 20 (1 p.m.) at Dartmouth College.
The Wildcats' next home game is Sept. 27 against UAlbany for its Throwback Game and Military Appreciation.
CLICK HERE to buy tickets online or e-mail unh.tickets@unh.edu or call (603) 862-4000.

FIRST QUARTER

UNH's defense forced a 3-and-out on the first possession of the game. Johnson blocked the punt, Tighe corralled the loose ball at the BSU 27 and raced into the end zone for the touchdown. The PAT kick by Reed gave the 'Cats a 7-0 lead at 13:53.
Ball State answered with a 40-yard TD run by Kelly to tie the score, 7-7, at 10:49.
On its first drive of the game, UNH marched 75 yards in 10 plays and regained the lead, 14-7, when Vezza completed at 5:22.

The Cardinals once again responded with a long TD run of 43 yards by Ashley at 4:29 to level the score at 14.

SECOND QUARTER

Moreland extended his right arm to pull in an interception at the BSU 48.
UNH was forced to punt, but Perez stood up the punt returner, stripped the ball and Collins III recovered the fumble to set up 1^st-and-goal and the BSU 7.
Reed's 25-yard field goal attempt caromed off the right upright to keep the score tied, 14-14.
Two plays later, Ashley scored on a 72-yard run to give Ball State its first lead of the game, 21-14, at 7:12.
UNH responded with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with a two-yard QB keeper by Vezza around the right tackle in which he dove head-first for the goal line. Reed's PAT kick tied the score, 21-21, at 1:47.
The Cardinals quickly advanced the ball down the field and Kelly found Kameron Anthony for a 10-yard TD pass with 20 seconds on the clock to give the home team a 28-21 lead.

Perez returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards and a BSU personal foul set up 1^st-and-10 at the BSU 49. Vezza's 15-yard run advanced the ball to the 34 yard-line. On the last play of the half, Reed's 52-yard attempt had enough distance but sailed just wide of the right post.

THIRD QUARTER

On its first possession of the third quarter, Ball State extended its lead to 34-21 on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Kelly to Ashley at 9:56.

Reed capped a 13-play, 59-yard drive that took 6:04 off the clock with a career-long 52-yard field goal to lift the Wildcats within 34-24 at 3:46.

FOURTH QUARTER

On a UNH drive that started at 11:56, Vezza extended the drive on 3^rd-and-5 on a keeper up the middle for 30 yards to the BSU 40. Following a nine-yard gain, Vezza was sacked on consecutive plays to end New Hampshire's drive with 8:11 to play.
With the home team facing 3^rd-and-11 from the BSU 34, Kelly tucked the ball and ran for a 12-yard gain to extend the drive with 2:30 to play.
Three plays later, Jordan Mcallister (South Orange, N.J.) and Jackson Stone (Lebanon, N.H.) kept containment on the right edge and brought Kelly down behind the line of scrimmage to force the Cardinals to punt.
UNH started the last drive of the game 1^st-and-10 from the UNH 10 with 1:39 to go. Three plays later, Vezza's seven-yard scramble extended the drive to 1^st-and-10 at the UNH 23 with 1:11 on the clock.
Vezza's nine-yard run and eight-yard completion to Myles Thomason (Montclair, N.J.) made it 1^st-and-10 at the UNH 40 with 43 seconds left.
Facing 3^rd-and-9 with 29 seconds to play, Vezza was tackled in the field of play for a two-yard gain to keep the clock running. UNH snapped the ball with seven seconds remaining and Vezza's throw to the BSU 40 was broken up by a BSU defender to end the game.

UNH outscored Ball State 5-0 in the fourth quarter with a 111-32 edge in total yards of offense.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Tighe recorded his first career fumble recovery and touchdown.
Moreland recorded his first INT of the season and second career.
Reed entered the game with a career long of 50 yards Sept. 6 vs. Holy Cross.
Vezza established career highs in passing yards, completions and attempts, as well as rushes and rushing yards with a career long of 30 yards.
The last time the Wildcats returned a blocked punt for a touchdown was Sept. 30, 3023, when Charles Briscoe III recovered the ball in the end zone.

The previous time UNH recorded a safety was Sept. 21, 2024 against Bryant University, when the Bulldogs snapped the ball through the end zone.

Wildcats for Life returns Sept. 29–Oct. 10
UNH Athletics' annual fall fundraiser is just around the corner, supporting student-athletes across all programs. This year, your impact will go even further thanks to a $35,000 match! Stay tuned for how you can get involved and help fuel the success of our Wildcats.