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MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Tre Harbison ran for two scores, Marcus Childers threw for a touchdown and Northern Illinois held off Ball State 24-16 on Saturday.
NIU had a 21-6 lead late in the third quarter, but the Cardinals closed to 21-16 on James Gilbert's 3-yard TD run that was set up by Ray Wilborn's interception. NIU answered with Andrew Gantz's 27-yard field goal for a two-possession game with 5:26 to play.
Ball State drove to NIU's 35, but was stopped on downs when Riley Neal's pass to Justin Hall was broken up by Trayshon Foster in the end zone.
Childers was 18 of 29 for 143 yards passing with a 13-yard TD pass to D.J. Brown for the Huskies (3-3, 2-2 Mid-American Conference).
Harbison scored on a 1-yard run for a 14-0 second-quarter lead and his second 1-yarder in the third quarter made it 21-6. Marcus Jones gained 130 yards on 12 carries.
Neal was 28 of 45 for 219 yards passing for the Cardinals (2-4, 2-2).
