Final Score: Ball State 35, Navy 23

Muncie, IN (Sports Network) - Dante Love scored three touchdowns -- one rushing and two receiving -- to give Ball State a 35-23 victory over the Navy Midshipmen on Friday night.

Love finished the game with 165 yards receiving and 37 yards on the ground to lead the Cardinals (2-0). Nate Davis completed 21-of-28 pass attempts for 326 yards and four touchdowns, and MiQuale Lewis added 114 yards rushing in the victory.

Shun White rushed for 128 yards for Navy (1-1) while quarterback Jarod Bryant ran for 94 yards and two touchdowns in the Midshipmen's option-style offense. He only attempted 11 passes in the game, completing six for 67 yards while throwing one interception. Eric Kettani added 92 yards on the ground in the loss.

Ball State went on top 28-23 midway through the third quarter as Love scored his third touchdown of the night, an eight-yard reception from Davis.

Late in the third quarter, Navy elected to go for it on fourth down inside Ball State's five-yard line, but a stellar defensive stand gave the ball back to the Cardinals. They would capitalize, driving the ball all the way down the field, ending with a 35-yard touchdown reception by Darius Hill for a 35-23 lead with 12:46 left in the game.

The Cardinals got on the board quickly in the first. On the second play from scrimmage, Davis threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Love for a 7-0 lead.

The Midshipmen pulled within 7-3 on Matt Harmon's 49-yard field goal with 9:17 left to go in the opening stanza.

The Cardinals went up 14-3 less than four minutes later as Love scored another touchdown on a six-yard scamper. Harmon closed out the first quarter scoring with a 29-yard field goal to make it 14-6.

Another Navy field goal, this time from 28 yards out, made it 14-9 with just under nine minutes left in the first half.

Briggs Orsbon caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Davis to give the Cardinals a 21-9 lead with 3:54 remaining in the second quarter.

Bryant finally got Navy in the end zone with 1:11 left in the half, scoring on a 14-yard rush to make it 21-16 at halftime. He scored another touchdown, a one-yard score, on the opening drive of the second half to put the Midshipmen ahead for the first time, 23-21.

09/06 00:03:43 ET