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Bowling Green, Ohio - Two interceptions, two blocked kicks and a 53-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown were the kinds of plays Western Michigan used to build a 31-6 first half lead and eventual 45-14 win over the Mid-American Conference East Division leading Bowling Green Falcons at Doyt L. Perry Stadium on Saturday.
The Falcons and Omar Jacobs took their second drive of the game 80 yards on eight plays and put the first six points on the board on a B.J. Lane one-yard dive into the end zone. Nate Fry's ensuing point-after attempt was blocked by Cory Flom. It was the third extra point attempt blocked by the Bronco defense this season. The other two were returned 92 and 90 yards, respectively, for two-point scores. This started the woes for Bowling Green.
All-everything quarterback Jacobs was again moving the ball down the field when Matt Ludeman and Ameer Ismail converged on the signal caller for a 13-yard sack and fumble. Ismail, who was one of the Broncos to return a blocked PAT for a score, scooped up the loose ball and scampered 53 yards to the house. Ismail finished with nine stops and two sacks for a combined loss of 20 yards. Nate Meyer made true on the extra point and WMU led 7-6 at the 3:59 mark of the first quarter. Jacobs left the field, spraining his non-throwing shoulder and was replaced by redshirt freshman Anthony Turner. Jacobs did not return.
BGSU's defense had held Western's offense in check to that point but the Broncos stepped it up on their next drive. The Brown & Gold began the drive on their own eight-yard line after Fry's 37-yard punt. It was at that point that Tim Hiller, the Broncos' freshman quarterback, began to heat up. Hiller opened the drive with a 10-yard completion to Greg Jennings, who extended his consecutive games with a catch streak to 30. Trovon Riley, finishing the game with 120 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries for his third 100-yard rushing game of the season, rambled for four yards before Hiller connected with Jennings again for five yards. The Orrville, Ohio native carried the ball twice for a combined nine yards and then let Riley show off his skills, busting open on a run of 17 yards to Bowling Green's 30-yard line. Hiller ran the ball again for a gain of six to get the ball to the Falcons' 16-yard line. He found Jennings in the back of the end zone for the senior's 35th career touchdown and a 14-6 second quarter lead. The 92-yard drive was the longest in terms of yards this season for the Broncos. The next scoring drive would not take nearly as long.
Cornelius Robinson's first career interception came off the tip of Dustin Duclo and came at an opportune time. BGSU was driving and had taken the ball to Western's 24 and was threatening to cut into the Bronco lead. Robinson came up with the pick at the 11 to give his team the ball back. Hiller and Jennings needed just one play to drive the 89 yards in 12 seconds to give WMU a 21-6 lead at the 8:28 mark of the second quarter. Jennings finished the half with seven catches for 156 yards and the game with eight catches for 162 yards. His throw-and-catch partner Hiller had 212 yards and two scoring strikes in the first half and 258 yards and three touchdowns on 16-of-25 passing for the game.
