Game Stats
Post-Game Notes
Post-Game Quotes
LINCOLN, Neb. - Western Michigan was added to a long list of Nebraska opponents to come up on the short end on the scoreboard in a season opener as the Broncos fell to the hometown Huskers, 47-24, in front of a sellout crowd of 84,485. Tim Hiller passed for over 300 yards and Branden Ledbetter registered the third 100-yard receiving game of his career but it was not enough. Hiller finished with 342 yards and a pair of TDs, while Ledbetter finished with 133 yards on nine catches, one off a career high.
Western Michigan opened the game on defense, deferring the possession until the second half. The Bronco defense forced a Nebraska punt just six plays into the opening drive but WMU could not capitalize, going three and out.
WMU tried to catch the Huskers off guard on its second drive but the pass attempt slipped out of Hiller's hand and the Broncos were forced to punt. Highlighting the second drive for the Brown & Gold was Jamarko Simmons' first reception of the game. It was the 157th of his career, tying him with Andre Wallace (1991-94) for fourth on the all-time receptions list. He moved into fourth place all alone with his second reception, for 14 yards and first down, in the second quarter.
Nebraska's offense got on track mid way through the first quarter as the hometown Huskers posted 14 points on a 14-yard Marlon Lucky touchdown run and a Peter Ganz scoring toss to tight end Mike McNeill.
The Huskers opened up a 17-point lead on an Alex Henery 44-yard field goal after a Brandon West fumble. It took the Broncos until the 11:07 mark of the second quarter to answer Nebraska when Hiller found Branden Ledbetter from three yards out for the touchdown.
Hiller highlighted the drive with a 16-yard completion to Anthony Williams. It was the converted tight end's first-career reception. The drive was also aided by a pair of 15-yard personal foul penalties on Nebraska. The first was a hit out of bounds on West and the second was a hit after the whistle. Hiller's connection with Ledbetter capped an 80-yard, 10-play drive and gave the senior tight end his 15th career touchdown reception, padding his record for TDs by a tight end.
Nebraska broke out to a 20-point lead with its second drive lasting under a minute when Ganz hit Nate Swift for a 61-yard score. Swift caught the ball and eluded a charging Andy Dorcely for the longest reception of his career. Henery added another 44-yard field goal at the 4:15 mark of the second quarter to give the Huskers a 27-7 advantage.
The Broncos mounted a drive on the ensuing possession, one that was set up by a 57-yard kick off return by true freshman Aaron Winchester. Later in the drive, facing a fourth-down-and-1, Hiller brought the offense up to the line quickly with a full back field. He tossed a pass over the defense to tight end Matt Stevens for a 24-yard game down to NU's 10-yard line. The drive stalled at the one-yard line, resulting in a 19-yard John Potter field goal, the first of the true freshman's career.
Another Ganz to Swift hook up resulted in the Huskers' fourth touchdown of the half and brought the first half to a close with NU out-gaining Western Michigan 280 to 102 and outscoring the Broncos, 34-10.
The ever important opening drive of the third quarter started off well for Western Michigan with Hiller connecting on three-straight passes sandwiched around a six-yard run by the junior signal caller. The drive ultimately stalled on the sixth play when on third-down-and-3, Hiller's pass to West was broken up by weak side linebacker Glenn Cody.
Nebraska capitalized with yet another Henery 44-yard field goal, capping an eight-play 38-yard drive to take a 37-10 lead. The made field goal also kept Henery perfect for his career, having made good on all eight attempts in 2007.
The Broncos scored on its second 80-yard drive of the game when West busted over the goal line for his first rushing touchdown of the season and the eighth of his career. Hiller opened the drive with a 50-yard completion to Ledbetter, who was running a seam route. The reception pushed the senior past Mobolaji Afariogun for third on the WMU career receptions by a tight end list. After a five-yard completion to Schneider Julien and another to West, Hiller found West again for a 16-yard gain down to the one-yard line.
The Broncos were not able to score on consecutive drives and Nebraska made them pay when Ganz threw his fourth touchdown of the game, hitting Marlon Lucky from 19 yards out for the score.
WMU answered with its third 80-yard scoring drive and it was again aided by a 50-yard completion for Hiller. This time Julien was on the receiving end. The play moved the Broncos down the field quickly and after Simmons had a touchdown knocked away Hiller came back two plays later to find Juan Nunez over the middle for the score. It was Nunez's second career scoring grab.
Louis Delmas, the Broncos' top tackler on Saturday night with 11 stops, picked off the ninth pass of his career and recorded a career long 33-yard interception return. Delmas registered his fifth career game with 10 or more tackles. During the drive Hiller hit Julien for a 13-yard completion to put him over 300 yards passing for the sixth time in his career.
WMU returned the favor on a third-down-and-12 play when Anthony West picked off Hiller, who threw the ball behind his intended target. Nebraska's generosity would not be outdone as Ganz was picked off by C.J. Wilson, the seventh of his career.
Ledbetter hauled in a 33-yard reception late in the fourth quarter to put him over the century mark for the third time in his career.
Western Michigan will open its Mid-American Conference schedule on Sept. 6 against Northern Illinois. WMU will celebrate CommUniverCity Night as well. Kick is set for 7 p.m. at Waldo Stadium.
