COL FB: Ball State 45, No. Illinois 14

MUNCIE, Ind., Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Nate Davis threw for four touchdowns and ran for a fifth Wednesday in carrying 18th-ranked and unbeaten Ball State past Northern Illinois 45-14.

The Cardinals remained one of six unbeaten teams in major college football.

Darius Hill caught two of the scoring throws from Davis, who completed 18-of-22 passes for 300 yards.

Hill's 6-yard touchdown catch midway through the second quarter gave Ball State a 14-0 lead. Davis then hit Daniel Ifft with a 25-yarder shortly before halftime, found Louis Johnson from 22 yards out in the third period and hit Hill again for 20 yards early in the fourth.

The Ball State quarterback also ran a yard for a score that made it 28-7 during the third quarter.

The Cardinals improved to 9-0 and ran their record in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference to 5-0. That ties Ball State for the lead in the division with Central Michigan, which will play host to the Cardinals Nov. 19.

Northern Illinois fell to 5-4 and 4-2.

Ball State is joined among the unbeaten ranks by Alabama, Penn State, Texas Tech, Boise State and Utah.

Utah will host Texas Christian on Thursday in a battle of ranked teams.