Senior running back Jamauri Bogan scored the game-winning touchdown with a 1-yard run with 1:36 remaining in the fourth quarter. It was his second rushing touchdown of the game, capping off a 14-play, 85-yard drive that ate up 5:56 on the clock. Redshirt freshman Harrison Taylor intercepted a pass by Marcus Childers on the next drive to seal the victory, allowing WMU to run out the clock.
Junior wide receiver D'Wayne Eskridge had a game-high 123 yards receiving on six catches, while freshman receiver Jayden Reed had 85 yards on six receptions. Junior tight end Giovanni Ricci had three catches for 35 yards, with all three coming on third down conversions.
Senior linebacker Drake Spears led the WMU defense with eight tackles and an interception. Sophomore defensive tackle Ralph Holley had six tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks.
The Bronco defense, led by Lou Esposito in his first game as the team's defensive coordinator, limited NIU to just 262 yards of total offense, Western's best performance in a MAC game this season. As a team, WMU had four sacks, 10 tackles for loss and forced two turnovers.
WMU received the ball to open the game and marched right down the field thanks to Eleby and Reed. The two connected on the opening play of the drive for 15 yards. LeVante Bellamy moved the chains before a big 39-yard pass from Eleby to Reed on third and four to take the ball down to the NIU five. Two plays later Bogan rushed it in for his 41st career touchdown and 14th on the season, putting the Broncos up 7-0.
On the ensuing drive, seniors Eric Assoua and Ken Finley combined for a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery to give the Broncos the ball at the Northern Illinois 19-yard line. After a sack by Ralph Holley, the Huskies faced a third and 14 from their 32. Assoua beat his man around the corner and stripped Marcus Childers of the ball for the sack and forced fumble. Finley dove onto the ball for the turnover, but WMU missed the 38-yard field goal after taking possession.
The Huskies responded with Childers connecting with Spencer Tears for a 58-yard touchdown pass on a third and 11 from the NIU 42, tying the game at 7-7.
After a Bronco punt, Northern Illinois drove down the field but stalled on the WMU 28. The Huskies opted to go for it on fourth and three but Childers' pass to Max Thrower was low and incomplete.
Western Michigan responded with a 10-play, 51-yard drive that resulted in a career-long 45-yard field goal from Gavin Peddie to give the Broncos a 10-7 lead with 10:16 left in the second quarter.
Northern Illinois was forced to punt after a three-and-out, giving Western Michigan the ball at the WMU 48. The Broncos drove down to the NIU 24 before Peddie connected again, this time from 42 yards to push WMU's lead to 13-7 with 4:52 left in the second quarter.
After taking a 13-7 lead into halftime, the Huskies opened the third quarter with a 16-play 82-yard drive to take a 14-13 lead. NIU ran the ball 12 times, including a three-yard touchdown by Childers from one yard out. Northern Illinois also converted four third downs on the drive.
After Western Michigan got a key stop, forcing the Huskies to punt from the WMU 48, the Broncos took over at their 13. Eleby immediately went to the air. He connected on two straight passes with Eskridge, first for 15 yards and then for 39 to move the ball down to the NIU 33. Facing a third and nine, he zipped a pass to Ricci over the middle to the 20. WMU pushed its way to the two-yard line before Eleby ran it in to give the Broncos a 19-14 lead. Western Michigan converted the two-point chance on a pass from Eleby to Reed to push the lead to 21-14.
Spears picked off a pass from Childers at the NIU 24-yard line on the ensuing Huskie drive for the Huskies. The interception was the first of his career.
Bellamy, however, was stripped on a running play and Sutton Smith returned it 85 yards for the touchdown to tie the game up at 21-21 after the extra point.
On the Broncos' game-winning drive, Northern Illinois' Josh Corcoran was ejected on a targeting call. WMU also converted a 4th-and-1 and Ricci caught an 11-yard pass on 3rd-and-5. Bogan marched the Broncos into the end zone, carrying the ball four consecutive times to gain the final 19 yards and finding pay dirt.
It was the second time in the last three years Western Michigan has defeated Northern Illinois. NIU finishes the regular season with a 7-5 overall, 6-2 MAC record.
(Courtesy of WMU Athletics)