Box Score

ATHENS, Ohio ? Western Michigan was not able to get its offense going and gave Ohio the ball in short-yardage situations, falling to the Bobcats, 27-20, at Peden Stadium on Saturday afternoon.  The loss is WMU's first of the Mid-American Conference season and snaps the Broncos' three-game winning streak.

In a first half where Western Michigan out-gained Ohio 125 yards to 77 and held an 18:13 to 11:47 edge in time of possession, it would surprise Bronco fans to see their team down, 14-0.

WMU, a team that leads the nation in turnover margin, turned the ball over twice in the first half.  The first mistake came on a muffed kick off by Brandon West.  The second was a Ryan Cubit interception that bounced off intended receiver Joe Chapple and was snapped up by The Bobcats' Tyler Russ and returned 26 yards to WMU's 34-yard line.

The Bobcats' first score did not come off a turnover but on special teams.  Ohio's dangerous punt returner, Chris Garrett, showed why he is dangerous with an 88-yard return with 9:13 remaining in the opening frame.  The return for the score was a school record.

OU's second score was a two-yard Kalvin McRae plunge over the goal line but the Bobcats had a short field due to the muffed kick-off that gave Ohio the ball on the Broncos' 17-yard line.  McRae rushed for 120 yards on 19 carries and the Bobcats became the first team to net over 100 yards rushing on WMU this season, compiling 257 yards on the ground.

Ohio played with a shorter field during much of the first half, starting drives on WMU's 17, 35 and 38.  Conversely, Western Michigan was pinned in its own end of the field for most of the half.  The Broncos' best starting position was its own 36-yard line and the Brown & Gold made it into Bobcat territory only twice during the first two quarters.

Western Michigan's best scoring chance in the first half came when the Broncos drove to Ohio's five-yard line but came up short when a third-and-14 pass from Cubit to Mark Bonds came up two yards short.  Nate Meyer missed his 23-yard field goal attempt to the right, keeping WMU scoreless.

Ohio had a chance to add to its lead when Cubit was intercepted in the first half but its drive stalled and on fourth-and-one, the Bobcats elected to attempt a 19-yard field goal.  Nick Varcadipane put an end to that with his first blocked kick of the season.

E.J. Biggers provided a spark to end the first half.  After Jim Laney punted the ball seven yards, giving Ohio a starting position of WMU's 38, Austen Everson went for it all.  Biggers beat the intended receiver to the spot and hauled in his second career interception.

Ohio was able to extend its lead to 17-0 when Matt Lasher made good on a 25-yard field goal on the Bobcats' first possession of the third quarter, capping a seven-play, 47-yard drive.

With WMU's offense not able to sustain a drive, the Bronco defense came through again when C.J. Wilson picked off an Everson pass on the WMU 34-yard line and ran down the left sideline untouched for a 66-yard touchdown, getting Western Michigan on the board, 17-7.  The return was Wilson's second of the season and first career score.  It also marked the third game Western Michigan intercepted a pass and returned it for the score this season.

The Bronco defense continued to give the offense an opportunity in the second half.  Justin Braska recovered the first fumble of his career when Everson fumbled away the ball but WMU could not convert and had to punt with 21 second remaining in the third quarter.

Ohio added another field goal in the fourth quarter, a 38-yard kick from Lasher, which was a career-long.

WMU sustained its longest and most-effective drive when it needed to, down by 13 and needing a score, the Broncos put together a 13-play drive that spanned 65 yards and ate up nearly five minutes off the game clock.  The scoring play was a one-yard play-action pass from Cubit to Branden Ledbetter from one yard out.  Ledbetter, who finished with just two catches for 58 yards, has three scores on the year, leading the team.  The touchdown not only pulled WMU to within one score, 20-14, but it also allowed its defense a chance to regroup. Cubit finished with 243 yards yards through the air on 24-of-40 passing.  Chapple hauled in five grabs for 55 yards and the score.

Trailing, 20-14, WMU had a chance to drive the ball into the end zone late in the fourth for a tying score.  The Broncos were unsuccessful on fourth-and-11 when Cubit and Chapple could not connect in the end zone.

With time remaining, Western Michigan needed a stop but Everson would not oblige, rambling 72 yards on the option keeper, setting up McRae's second score of the day to give Ohio a 27-14 lead.

Western Michigan mounted one more stand, driving 80 yards in four plays and 37 seconds, highlighted by a Ledbetter catch and run for 57 yards that got the ball down to Ohio's 17-yard line.  Cubit hit Chapple for the score.  After Meyer missed the extra point, the Broncos trailed, 27-20.  The on-side kick was recovered by Ohio, sending the Bobcats to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the MAC.  The loss drops WMU to 3-2 and 1-1 in the conference as well.

Western Michigan must regroup and get ready to host Northern Illinois and the explosive Garrett Wolfe on Oct. 14.  The contest is slated as the MAC Game of the Week and will be televised on FSN Ohio, Comcast Local, CSN Chicago and Time Warner-13 (Buffalo).  The MAC West showdown is also Homecoming in Kalamazoo.  Kick off is scheduled for 2 p.m.