Sept 8, 2001

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By STEVE BAILEY
AP Sports Writer

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Shane Boyd threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns inhis first career start as Kentucky beat Ball State 28-20 Saturday.

The victory snapped Kentucky’s nine-game losing streak, and also was newhead coach Guy Morriss’ first win.

Boyd, a redshirt freshman, completed 15 of 22 passes, including 13- and16-yard TD strikes, for the Wildcats (1-1). Chad Scott carried the ball 10times for 119 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown run to break the game openearly in the third quarter.

Talmadge Hill completed 19 of 35 passes for 170 yards, including 3- and7-yard touchdowns, and ran the ball 15 times for 76 yards to lead Ball State(0-2).

Marcus Merriweather rushed 21 times for 121 yards before leaving with aninjury midway through the third quarter, and Thomas Pucke added 30- and 46-yardfield goals for the Cardinals.

Boyd misfired on his first three passes, but drove the Wildcats 70 yards ontheir next possession before fumbling the exchange from center at the BallState 11.

The Cardinals then embarked on an 88-yard, 19-play drive to take the lead onPucke’s 30-yard field goal with 50 seconds to play in the first quarter.

Artose Pinner’s 1-yard blast over right tackle on the ensuing drive gave theWildcats a 7-3 lead with 11:32 to play in the half.

Ball State rebounded with an 80-yard drive of its own. Hill hit Tim Streitwith a 7-yard TD pass to put the Cardinals back up 10-7 with 4:38 to play.

Boyd responded with his first career touchdown pass – a 16-yarder across themiddle to Abney – to put the Wildcats on top 14-10 at halftime.

Scott’s 67-yard run over right tackle gave Kentucky a 21-10 lead with nineminutes to play in the third quarter.

Pucke’s second field goal, a 46-yarder, cut the margin to eight before Boydhit Smith across the middle with a 13-yard TD pass on the first play of thefourth quarter to put the game away.