• Blog
  • About Us
  • Links
  MAC Reporter Online

​Fumble recovery helps Broncos edge Northwestern

9/3/2016

 
EVANSTON, Ill.- Western Michigan knocked off Big Ten opponent Northwestern, 22-21, Saturday on the road for the Broncos' first season-opening win since 2004. It was the Broncos' first win over a Big Ten opponent since 2008.

After falling behind 7-0 in the first quarter, Western Michigan . . . 

. . .  went blow-for-blow with the Wildcats, and held on in the fourth quarter after pulling ahead for good with 5:38 remaining.

The Broncos began to find their stride in the second quarter. Backed up on its own 2-yard line, WMU held the ball for over 10 minutes, going 68 yards in 19 plays. The highlight of the drive was on 3rd-and-17 when quarterback Zach Terrell used his legs, scrambling to pick up the first down inside Northwestern territory.
 
WMU walked away with its first points when freshman kicker Butch Hampton converted his first career field goal, a 47-yard attempt. Hampton booted in another 27-yard field goal before the break to put WMU down 7-6 at the half.

Western Michigan continued to gain steam in the second half as the Broncos took their first lead on the first drive of the third quarter. Senior wide receiver Corey Davis had a 20-yard catch and run into Northwestern territory, setting up freshman D'Wayne Eskridge's first career touchdown. The state champion in Indiana for the 100m sprint last year, Eskridge turned the corner on a 13-yard screen pass to the end zone.

Northwestern answered with a 46-yard touchdown run from Justin Jackson and WMU's Hampton hit his third field goal to close out the third quarter with Western Michigan leading, 16-14. The Wildcats went back on top at the start of the fourth quarter, 21-16, putting together a 63-yard drive, capped by one-yard TD by Jackson,

Western Michigan rose to the challenge on its next possession, taking over six-and-a-half minutes off the clock with the game-winning 75-yard drive. Junior tight end Donnie Ernsberger, who only made two catches all of the 2015 season, hauled in a key 19-yard reception. Facing fourth and goal later in the drive, Bogan punched the ball in from the one-yard line to put WMU in front, 22-21, with 5:38 to go. A two-point conversion by the Broncos fell incomplete.

Northwestern threatened on its final drive before WMU senior linebacker Robert Spillane forced a fumble near the goal line late with less than three minutes remaining. The Broncos' Davontae Ginwright recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchback, helping WMU secure the win.
 
"If we didn't take care of the ball there was no way we were going to win that football game. That's really what it came down to, was who turned the ball over first. Both teams are very disciplined and both teams are very well coached,” WMU head coach P.J. Fleck said.

On WMU's final possession of the game, redshirt senior Carrington Thompson came up with a huge third-down grab to help the Broncos melt away the clock. Bogan picked up another first down on the ground and Western Michigan took a knee to close out the victory.



Comments are closed.
    Picture

    MAC Football 

    UPCOMING GAMES
    All times Eastern

    ​

    MAC FOOTBALL STANDINGS
    -- Final - 2022 -- 
    MAC EAST
    OHIO 7-1
    BUFFALO 5-3
    BOWLING GREEN 5-3

    MIAMI 4-4
    KENT STATE 4-4
    AKRON 1-7

    MAC WEST
    TOLEDO 5-3

    EASTERN MICHIGAN 5-3
    WESTERN MICHIGAN 4-4
    ​BALL STATE 3-5
    CENTRAL MICHIGAN 3-5

    NORTHERN ILLINOIS 2-6

    MAC Basketball 
    MAC BASKETBALL STANDINGS
    (Through 3-3-23)

    Team - MAC -- Overall
    Toledo 16-2 (25-6)
    Kent State 15-3 (25-6)
    Akron 13-5 (21-10)
    Ball State 11-7 (20-11)
    Ohio 10-8 (18-13)
    Buffalo 9-9 (15-16)
    Northern Illinois 9-9 (13-18)
    Miami 6-12 (12-19)
    Bowling Green 5-13 (11-20)
    Central Michigan 5-13 (10-21)
    Eastern Michigan 5-13 (8-23)
    Western Michigan 4-14 (8-23)

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Basketball
    Football
    Other

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

Proudly powered by Weebly