WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Cortez Smith caught two touchdown passes, including a 76-yarder on a deflection, to help Purdue beat Ball State 24-13 on Saturday.
Smith caught five passes for a career-high 117 yards.
Robert Marve passed for 111 yards and two touchdowns, but he hurt his left leg and missed much of the second half. Rob Henry stepped in to pass for 89 yards and rush for 65 in Marve’s place for the Boilermakers (2-1).
Keith Wenning completed just 11 of 21 passes for 89 yards and threw two interceptions for Ball State (1-2). Eric Williams ran for 62 yards.
It was Purdue’s first game without top receiver Keith Smith, who is out for the season after suffering a knee injury the previous game against Western Illinois.
Ball State was coming off a loss to Liberty, a member of the Football Championship Subdivision.
