MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- — Drew Plitt threw for 366 yards and accounted for five touchdowns and Ball State overwhelmed Central Michigan 45-20 on Saturday.

The win moved the Cardinals (4-1, 4-1 Mid-American Conference) into a first-place tie in the MAC's West Division with Western Michigan and ended the Chippewas' (3-2, 3-2) hopes of defending last year's division title.

Plitt threw a 20-yard score to Yo’Heinz Tyler near the end of the first quarter to give Ball State a 10-0 lead. Central Michigan countered when Ty Brock threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Kalil Pimpleton seven seconds into the second quarter.

After each team punted twice, Ball State took control of the game when Plitt ran it in from 12 yards out. The Cardinals' defense forced a three-and-out, and their offense followed with a 54-yard scoring drive that ended when Plitt found Dylan Koch from five yards out with 13 seconds before halftime for a 24-7 lead.

Ball State amassed 519 yards of offense and went 12 for 20 on third-down conversions.

Brock threw for 188 yards and a pair of scores but was intercepted twice.

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