KALAMAZOO, Mich.- Western Michigan ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown and put up 27 points in the first quarter en route to a dominating 51-7 victory over visiting Eastern Michigan Saturday at Waldo Stadium.
It was the Broncos’ fifth-straight win and improved the team’s overall record to 7-3, the most wins for the program since 2011. WMU is currently tied for first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division with a 5-1 MAC record.
It was the Broncos’ fifth-straight win and improved the team’s overall record to 7-3, the most wins for the program since 2011. WMU is currently tied for first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division with a 5-1 MAC record.
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Redshirt freshman Darius Phillips set the tone for the game, taking the opening kickoff 93 yards to the end zone. It was the first returned kickoff for Western Michigan since 2010, when Dervon Wallace did it against Akron. From there, Bronco quarterback Zach Terrell picked Eastern Michigan apart, throwing three touchdowns and completing 7 of 7 pass attempts for 231 yards in the first quarter.
Terrell ended his day halfway through the third quarter with four touchdown passes and one more on the ground. He racked up 357 yards through the air and completed 17 of 19 passes with no interceptions. The Broncos finished with 497 yards of total offense.
Sophomore wide receiver Corey Davis caught four passes for 134 yards to become the seventh different player in Bronco history to reach 1,000 yards receiving in a season, posting the 11th such season in school history. Western Michigan becomes just the second program in the country in 2014 to have a 1,000-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher (freshman running back Jarvion Franklin).
Davis scored WMU’s second touchdown of the game, burning man coverage for a 54-yard catch and run in the first quarter. Daniel Braverman followed with his first of two TD’s in the game, taking a sweep pass around the end for an 11-yard touchdown.
Junior cornerback Ronald Zamort picked off EMU quarterback Reginald Bell for his third interception of the year to set up WMU’s next drive. Terrell found Franklin on the screen and Franklin hit the jets through a hole, racing 54 yards for his first career receiving touchdown and the Broncos’ fourth TD of the first quarter.
Western Michigan added three more touchdown drives in the second quarter to hold a 48-0 lead at halftime. Terrell scored on a 1-yard keeper and senior running back Dareyon Chance punched in a 1-yard run. Braverman danced his way into the end zone on a 13-yard reception for his second TD of the game with 43 seconds remaining in the half to make it 48-0 at the break.
Andrew Haldeman booted a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter as the Broncos increased their margin to 51-0, and WMU turned to its reserves in the second half to close out the victory. Eastern Michigan managed to avoid getting shut out with a 76-yard touchdown strike from Bell to Bronson Hill in the third quarter.
The WMU defense registered six sacks, giving the team 27 for the year. Freshman Robert Spillane registered two solo sacks and tied Andre Turner for a team-best seven tackles. Freshman Deontae Brown recorded an interception for the second-straight game, picking off a pass late in the fourth quarter.
Eastern Michigan, which had three turnovers, was led by Bell, who completed 14 of 22 for 283 yards with one TD and two interceptions. Tyreese Russell had four receptions for 98 yards. Eastern totaled 92 yards rushing.
The Broncos close out the regular season with two remaining games. WMU travels to rival Central Michigan next Saturday, Nov. 22 for a 1 p.m. kickoff in Mount Pleasant. Western Michigan returns to Waldo Stadium to host Northern Illinois on Friday, Nov. 28. That contest will be either a 11 a.m. or noon kickoff, depending on television.
Eastern Michigan hits the road again next Saturday, traveling to Ball State (2 p.m. ET).
(Courtesy of WMU Athletics)
Terrell ended his day halfway through the third quarter with four touchdown passes and one more on the ground. He racked up 357 yards through the air and completed 17 of 19 passes with no interceptions. The Broncos finished with 497 yards of total offense.
Sophomore wide receiver Corey Davis caught four passes for 134 yards to become the seventh different player in Bronco history to reach 1,000 yards receiving in a season, posting the 11th such season in school history. Western Michigan becomes just the second program in the country in 2014 to have a 1,000-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher (freshman running back Jarvion Franklin).
Davis scored WMU’s second touchdown of the game, burning man coverage for a 54-yard catch and run in the first quarter. Daniel Braverman followed with his first of two TD’s in the game, taking a sweep pass around the end for an 11-yard touchdown.
Junior cornerback Ronald Zamort picked off EMU quarterback Reginald Bell for his third interception of the year to set up WMU’s next drive. Terrell found Franklin on the screen and Franklin hit the jets through a hole, racing 54 yards for his first career receiving touchdown and the Broncos’ fourth TD of the first quarter.
Western Michigan added three more touchdown drives in the second quarter to hold a 48-0 lead at halftime. Terrell scored on a 1-yard keeper and senior running back Dareyon Chance punched in a 1-yard run. Braverman danced his way into the end zone on a 13-yard reception for his second TD of the game with 43 seconds remaining in the half to make it 48-0 at the break.
Andrew Haldeman booted a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter as the Broncos increased their margin to 51-0, and WMU turned to its reserves in the second half to close out the victory. Eastern Michigan managed to avoid getting shut out with a 76-yard touchdown strike from Bell to Bronson Hill in the third quarter.
The WMU defense registered six sacks, giving the team 27 for the year. Freshman Robert Spillane registered two solo sacks and tied Andre Turner for a team-best seven tackles. Freshman Deontae Brown recorded an interception for the second-straight game, picking off a pass late in the fourth quarter.
Eastern Michigan, which had three turnovers, was led by Bell, who completed 14 of 22 for 283 yards with one TD and two interceptions. Tyreese Russell had four receptions for 98 yards. Eastern totaled 92 yards rushing.
The Broncos close out the regular season with two remaining games. WMU travels to rival Central Michigan next Saturday, Nov. 22 for a 1 p.m. kickoff in Mount Pleasant. Western Michigan returns to Waldo Stadium to host Northern Illinois on Friday, Nov. 28. That contest will be either a 11 a.m. or noon kickoff, depending on television.
Eastern Michigan hits the road again next Saturday, traveling to Ball State (2 p.m. ET).
(Courtesy of WMU Athletics)
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