BOX SCORE
KALAMAZOO -- Sophomore running back Brandon West set Western Michigan school records for all-purpose yardage and kickoff return yardage, but Western Michigan couldn't overcome Indiana, 37-27, in front of 32,129 fans at Waldo Stadium on CommUniverCity Night.
In front of the ninth-largest crowd in Waldo Stadium history, West had 212 kickoff return yards, including a 98-yard return for a touchdown in the third quarter, and 346 total all-purpose yards. The previous record for all-purpose yards was 330 by Tony Knox vs. West Virginia in 1996 and Rashad McDade held the previous record for kickoff return yards set against Youngstown State in 1999.
Indiana got on the board on their opening drive as Austin Starr converted a 21-yard field goal with 10:53 remaining in the first quarter to cap an 11-play, 54-yard drive in 3:36. Marcus Thigpen had four carries for 30 of his team-high 81 yards to pace the Hoosiers on the drive.
WMU answered IU's opening tally with a 16-play, 80-yard drive that took 7:10 off the clock. The drive appeared to stall at the Indiana 38-yard after WMU could not convert a third-and-12. Sophomore quarterback Tim Hiller attempted the first punt of his college career on fourth down, but Indiana was offsides and on the ensuing play Hiller found wide receiver Jamarko Simmons for nine yards to convert the fourth down. Six plays later Hiller found freshman tight end Anthony Middleton wide open in the left flat and he took it in for his first career touchdown with 3:43 on the clock to give WMU the lead, 7-3, after Jones converted the point after. It was the first touchdown completion for Hiller in 665 days since he found Tony Scheffler for a four-yarder against Central Michigan on Nov. 12, 2005.
Indiana retook the lead, 10-7, on its next drive as Kellen Lewis found fullback Josiah Sears in the left flat on fourth-and-one and Sears took care of the rest, racing 24 yards to the endzone to complete a seven-play, 74-yard drive with :10 remaining in the quarter.
Western Michigan had a promising drive to potentially regain the lead at the beginning of the second quarter, but Mitchell Evans thwarted the Broncos' drive with an interception of Hiller in the endzone.
The Broncos stopped the Hoosiers at midfield and forced a punt and took over at their own 18-yard line. Hiller found West for a 32-yard gain on third-and-nine to advance WMU into IU territory. Two plays later, however, Greg Brown sacked Hiller and forced a fumble that defensive tackle Greg Middleton took 44 yards to push the IU lead to 10, 17-7. That started a stretch of three consecutive turnovers by the Brown & Gold that would change the complexion of the game.
After a 50-yard kickoff return by West, redshirt freshman Drew Burdi made his WMU debut at quarterback. On his third collegiate snap, Burdi was sacked by Chris Phillips and fumbled the ball away to IU's Will Patterson.
Indiana capitalized again as they drove 47 yards in seven plays to extend its lead to 17, 24-7, on a 10-yard touchdown from Lewis to James Hardy.
Thomas Peregrin lined up under center on the next drive for the Broncos. He completed an 11-yard pass to Herb Martin, but was then intercepted by Evans, his second of the game, on his next play. Indiana scored with three seconds remaining in the half on an 11-yard strike from Lewis to Hardy to cap an 11-play, 43-yard drive that extended the Indiana lead to 24, 31-7, at halftime.
WMU turned the ball over on its first possession of the second half as Peregrin fumbled after a one-yard rush, but WMU stopped Indiana three straight times from the one-yard line to force a turnover on downs.
The game remained scoreless until Starr kicked a 24-yard field goal for IU with 4:57 remaining in the quarter to push IU's run to 31 straight points and a 27-point lead, 34-7.
WMU had one of its biggest highlights of the night on the ensuing kickoff when West went 98 yards for a touchdown. The sixth-longest kickoff return in school history.pulled the Broncos to within 20, 34-14.
The Broncos closed the gap to 13 points, when Simmons caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Hiller with 14:55 to go that capped a 10-play, 89-yard drive that took only 2:47. Simmons finished with a career-high tying 14 receptions for 158 yards and one score.
Indiana scored its final points on the next possession as Starr converted a career-long 48-yard field goal to extend the Hoosiers' lead to 37-21.
The Broncos continued on the comeback trail as Hiller threw his third touchdown pass of the day, this time to tight end Branden Ledbetter on a diving 27-yard reception in the back of the endzone. The score with 8:48 remaining pulled WMU to within 10, 37-27, after a failed two-point conversion.
On the next possession for Indiana, WMU sophomore cornerback Andy Dorcely intercepted Lewis and advanced the ball to midfield with a five-yard return. Dorcely's interception marked the 28th straight game that WMU has forced a turnover.
The Broncos couldn't capitalize and were forced to punt after a three-and-out, but then forced the Hoosiers into a three-and-out to get the ball back with four minutes remaining.
WMU still couldn't move the ball and turned it over on downs after four plays, but WMU forced IU to turn the ball over on downs on the next possession to get the ball back one final time. Hiller drove WMU to the Indiana 13-yard line, but the Hoosiers held to escape Waldo Stadium with the victory.
The Broncos are back in action next weekend in Columbia, Mo., against the Missouri Tigers at 2 p.m. ET.
