KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Western Michigan University football team scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat arch rival Central Michigan University 38-28 and win both the Victory Cannon Trophy and the Michigan MAC Trophy Tuesday night at Waldo Stadium.
The Broncos (4-6, 3-3 MAC) posted 484 yards, its most in conference play so far this season, in the victory. Transfer quarterback Hayden Wolff had his best game in the Brown & Gold, completing 25-of-36 passes for 333 yards and three touchdowns.
Redshirt freshman running back Jalen Buckley eclipsed 100 yards for the fourth time in his career, with 117 on 23 carries and two touchdowns. Kenneth Womack had 12 catches for a game-high 135 yards, while Leroy Thomas had four receptions for 70 yards and one touchdown.
Nate Norris led WMU with nine tackles, while Corey Walker had five tackles with two tackles for loss and one sack. Keni-H Lovely had six tackle and a pivotal forced fumble in the fourth quarter.
WMU had a 21-7 lead coming into the second half, but Central Michigan scored three touchdowns in the final 5:53 of the quarter to take a 28-21 lead. CMU opened the fourth quarter driving into WMU territory but a 46-yard field goal attempt by Tristan Mattson clanged off the left upright, giving the Broncos the ball at their 31-yard line. After a short run by Buckley, Wolff hit Womack with three straight passes to move the ball to the WMU 48. Buckley then took the next carry off the left edge and ran 52-yards for the touchdown to tie the game at 28-28.
Chippewa running back Marion Lukes had been having a strong night with 130 yards on the ground. On the opening play of the next drive he ran for 17 yards but Lovely punched the ball out on the CMU 40 and Aaron Wofford pounced on it to recover it for the Broncos at the 41. Two plays later Wolff passed it to Thomas on an out-route to the left. Thomas cut back inside and then outside to the sideline and took it 41 yards to the house to give Western Michigan a 35-28 lead with 7:51 left to play in the game.
Western Michigan forced a three-and-out and got the ball back on the WMU 32 with 6:37 left to play. The Broncos chewed up some clock, getting the ball down to the CMU nine before Palmer Domschke nailed a 27-yard field goal to push the lead to 38-28.
Chippewa quarterback Jase Bauer got picked off by Bilahl Kone two plays later to seal the victory. The interception was Kone’s first as a Bronco and first of his career.
Wolff picked apart the CMU secondary in the first half, throwing for 202 of his total yards and two of his touchdowns. WMU took an early 7-0 lead on its first drive of the game when Wolff connected with tight end Austin Hence for a 23-yard touchdown pass to cap off a nine-play, 80-yard drive.
The lead was pushed to 14-0 after Buckley had a one-yard touchdown run to finish a seven-play, 52-yard drive.
Wolff added another touchdown with just over two minutes left in the second quarter, finding Anthony Sambucci in the back of the endzone from 22 yards out to take a 21-7 lead into the half.
Western Michigan continues conference next Tuesday at Northern Illinois.
(courtesy WMU Athletics)
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