MUNCIE, Ind. – Chris Robison threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns, three of them to John Mitchell, as Florida Atlantic picked up its first win, posting a 41-31 win over Ball State in a nonconference battle Saturday afternoon.
Florida Atlantic opened the season with tough losses to two nationally ranked teams (45-21 to No. 5 Ohio State and 48-14 to No. 18 Central Florida)
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Robison put FAU on top midway through the first quarter, hitting John Raine from 4-yards out, but the Owls fumbled in their own backfield on their next possession and Jordan Williams scooped up the loose ball and ran 60 yards for the tying touchdown with 1:16. A holding call on the kickoff put the Owls at their own 12 to start their next series and on the first play from scrimmage Robison hit Willie Wright for a short gain, but Wright fumbled and Williams recovered his second fumble in two plays. Drew Pitt threw 14 yards to Yoheinz Tyler with :04 left in the first quarter to put the Cardinals (1-2) up, 14-7.
Robison hit Mitchell with two second-quarter touchdowns from 33- and 2-yards out to take a 21-17 lead at intermission and Larry McCammon III added a 1-yard run for a score before Robison and Mitchell hooked up for a third time, this one from 24-yards out to make it a 34-17 advantage.
James Charles pushed the FAU lead to 41-24 with a 4-yard run early in the fourth quarter.
Robison finished 33 of 41 passing and Mitchell made eight catches for 124 yards. McCammon carried 25 times for 99 yards.
Ball State's Pitts was 26 of 38 for 303 yards and three touchdowns with one interception.