Box Score
Game Notes
KALAMAZOO -- Nate Meyer kicked a 21-yard field goal with 1:16 remaining to give the Western Michigan football team a 27-24 victory over Miami in front of 12,822 at Waldo Stadium on Senior Day.
With the score tied, 24-all, it appeared the RedHawks (1-9, 1-5 MAC) were moving in for the go-ahead score facing a second and seven at the Broncos' (7-2, 5-1 MAC) 12-yard line. Miami running back Andre Bratton fumbled on the play and Western Michigan defensive end Zach Davidson recovered at the 13-yard line for the Broncos.
The Western Michigan offense then went on an 18-play, 84-yard drive over 6:34 to put Meyer in position for his game-winning heroics. Running back Mark Bonds rushed 11 times on the drive for 49 of his career-high 142 yards.
The RedHawks had one final opportunity, taking over at their own 23-yard line with 1:16 remaining. Linebacker Ameer Ismail picked up his 15th sack of the season on the drive to tie WMU star Jason Babin's school record set during both the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Despite that, MU had one last chance, but Mike Kokal's 26th and final attempt was batted down in the endzone by C.J. Wilson.
The Broncos got on the board first when they went 60 yards on nine plays on their second drive of the game. Quarterback Ryan Cubit found tight end Branden Ledbetter for 22 yards on first and ten at the Miami 25-yard line to set up a first-and-goal play at the three. Cubit went back to the well and hit Ledbetter from three yards out on the next play to give WMU the lead.
The RedHawks would answer later in the first quarter when Kokal found wide receiver Dustin Woods from 47 yards out. Trevor Cook's extra point with 1:22 remaining in the quarter knotted the game at seven.
The Broncos took 5:02 off the clock in 13 plays on their next drive, but turned the ball over on downs at the Miami 31. It didn't take long for the Brown & Gold to get the ball back as free safety Louis Delmas forced MU wide receiver Ryne Robinson to fumble after a reception and then recovered the loose ball to give the Broncos good field position.
It took WMU just three plays to move 34 yards as Cubit found Jamarko Simmons for 11 yards and then freshman Brandon West picked up 11 yards and 12 yards on back-to-back carries to reach paydirt for the first time in his collegiate career and give the Broncos the 14-7 lead.
Miami came right back on the very next series and moved the ball methodically down the field to knot the game at 14. Austin Sykes cashed in from one-yard out to cap off a 12-play, 83-yard drive in 6:17.
Neither team scored the remainder of the first half, but Miami took its first lead of the game on the opening drive of the second half. Andre Bratton rattled off 50 yards, the longest rush this season for the RedHawks, on the first play from scrimmage to give Miami the ball at Western Michigan's 27-yard line. The Bronco defense remained stout and forced a Cook 38-yard field goal at 13:05 of the third quarter.
Western Michigan didn't wait long to answer by knotting the score on the next series with a 27-yard Meyer field goal. Bonds had carries of 20 and 19 yards on the series, but Miami was able to keep the MAC's second-leading rusher out of the endzone and force the tie.
The Bronco defense made yet another big play on the next series when C.J. Wilson picked up his second interception of the season and fifth of his career to give WMU the ball at Miami's 40-yard line.
It took only two plays for the Cubit-Ledbetter connection to cash in again and regain the lead, 24-17, for the Brown & Gold with 5:05 left in the third quarter. Cubit found Ledbetter for 38 yards on the first play from scrimmage and two yards on the second play for Ledbetter's second touchdown of the game and first multi-touchdown receiving game for any WMU player this season. Ledbetter finished the game with career highs in receptions (9), yards (101) and touchdowns (2).
MU went back to the big play at the beginning of the fourth quarter to tie the game for the fourth and final time with 13:58 remaining. Kokal found Robinson from 56 yards out to cap a two-play, 81-yard drive.
Cubit finished the game 23-for-35 for 205 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Herb Martin picked up five catches for 42 yards to lead the WMU wide receiver corps and West had another strong game with 79 yards and a touchdown on only 10 carries.
Robison led the RedHawks with 10 catches and a career-high 180 receiving yards.
With Saturday's win, the Broncos finish their home schedule undefeated, 5-0, for the ninth time since 1939 and the first time since the 2000 season. The 2006 season marks the seventh time the Broncos have gone 5-0 at Waldo Stadium. Head coach Bill Cubit is now 10-1 at Waldo, which is the best home winning percentage for any WMU head football coach.
The Broncos finish the season with three straight road games beginning next Friday night, Nov. 10, against archrival and Mid-American Conference West Division leaders Central Michigan (6-3, 6-0 MAC) at 7 p.m. in a game broadcast on Comcast Local. Details will be revealed later this week where the game can be seen on television in Kalamazoo.
