Ball State (5-1) will attempt to slow down Jaret Patterson and No. 24 Buffalo for the MAC championship on Friday in its first title game appearances since 2008.

Jack Knight kicked a 22-yard field goal with 29 seconds left, to cap a 17-point, fourth-quarter run that gave Ball State the lead.

Then Western Michigan (4-2) tried to pull off a miracle from deep in its own territory. The Broncos pitched the ball around at the clock struck 0:00 and for a moment it looked as if Ball State jumped on a fumble.

The Cardinals rushed the field to celebrate, but it wasn't over yet. The play continued through dozens of players milling around and Western Michigan's Skyy Moore broke away for a touchdown.

Flags had flown and the play was called back because one of the at least seven laterals were ruled to be forward.

Drew Plitt threw for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter for Ball State. He connected with Yo'Heinz Tyler from 13-yards out and Justin Hall scored from 55 yards on the first play of the Cardinals' next possession.

Ball State went on a 10-play, 41-yard drive to take 2:17 off the clock and set up Knight's go-ahead kick.

Western Michigan led 20-13 at halftime and went up by 14 early in the third quarter on La'Darius Jefferson's 1-yard run.

Plitt finished 22 for 33 for 249 yards and three touchdowns. Hall had 10 catches for 175 yards and two scores.

Jefferson carried it 25 times for 159 yards and a score for WMU.

No. 24 Buffalo 56, Akron 7

Patterson scored two touchdowns before halftime, bringing his season totals to 1,025 yards and 18 rushing TDs for the Bulls (5-0). He is the 12th player in FBS history to surpass 1,000 yards in as many games.

''We knew we had to dominate from the first play to the last whistle,'' Patterson said.

Kevin Marks Jr. led the Bulls with a career-high 182 yards and two touchdowns. Marks went over 100 yards and scored twice in the first half as Buffalo (5-0) built a 35-0 lead against Akron (1-5).

''It really shows what type of team we are,'' Patterson said. ''How we handle success, not playing down to our opponent.''

Buffalo coach Lance Leipold challenged his team after an idle week during which the Bulls entered the national rankings for the first time and were declared MAC East division champions.

''If you want to be a team that wins a championship, if you want to be a ranked team, you have to go out and play like it,'' Leipold said. ''You can't wait for the so-called next bigger game.''

The Bulls scored on defense for the fourth time this season when Tyrone Hill blocked a field goal and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.

Buffalo finished with 428 yards rushing. Backup quarterback Matt Myers scored on a 4-yard keeper in the third quarter and walk-on running back Tajay Ahmed added a 44-yard touchdown run late.

Buffalo's passing attack found the end zone for the first time in three games when Kyle Vantrease connected with Trevor Wilson for a 52-yard touchdown early in the third quarter. The Bulls ran for 21 straight touchdowns prior to that.

Jonzell Norrils scored on an 11-yard run in the fourth quarter for Akron. Buffalo had shutout Akron for nine straight quarters going back to 2018.

Eastern Michigan 41, Northern Illinois 33

Eastern Michigan led 34-17 with 5:48 left in the third quarter.

Northern Illinois pulled within 41-26 after recording a safety with 3:29 left and on the Huskies next possession, Ross Bowers connected with Cole Tucker from 14-yards out for a one-possession game with 2:17 remaining. Eastern Michigan was forced to punt, but NIU couldn't get past midfield as time expired.

Hutchinson was 21-of-29 passing for 242 yards and he added 26 yards rushing for Eastern Michigan (2-4, 2-4 Mid-American Conference).
Bowers threw for 221 yards and three touchdowns for NIU (0-6, 0-6).

With a 20-10 lead at the intermission, the Eagles added to it when Mark Lee Jr. returned a forced fumble 61 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Kempton Shine forced the fumble on Dennis Robinson after he caught a short pass from Bowers.

Bradley was 18-for-33 passing for 265 yards and three touchdowns. He was also intercepted three times. Bryant Koback rushed for 123 yards and cracked Toledo's top 10 in career rushing yards, finishing with 2,569 and passing Steve Morgan (1981-84).

Newton, Koback and Isaiah Winstead each caught a touchdown pass.

Toledo (4-2, 4-2 Mid-American) led 17-10 at halftime only to see Central Michigan roar past for a 23-17 lead in the third quarter. The Chippewas scored on their first three drives after halftime, Marshall Meeder kicked field goals of 53, a career long, and 47 yards. Lew Nichols III added a 68-yard touchdown run, finishing with 101 yards rushing.

The comeback win lifted Toledo into a tie for second in the MAC West with Western Michigan. Central Michigan (3-3. 3-3) finished in third.