Game Stats
Post-Game Notes
Post-Game Quotes
DeKALB, Ill. - Western Michigan football was never able to get on track in a 38-3 loss at Northern Illinois on Saturday afternoon in front of a NIU homecoming crowd of 17,608 at Huskie Stadium.
The loss was the largest in terms of points since Nov. 23, 2005 when Northern Illinois defeated the Bronocs 42-7 in Greg Jennings' final collegiate game. Also significant in the loss is it marked only the third time in Tim Hiller's career he has been held without a touchdown pass. The first came on that date against NIU when he was injured on the second play from scrimmage. The second came in the 2007 opener at West Virginia. It snaps a streak of 20-straight games with a passing TD and keeps him at 84 for his career.
Northern Illinois built a 31-3 lead on the strength of its strength, running the ball. NIU, which led the Mid-American Conference with 188.0 yards per game heading into today's match up, ran for 153 yards in the first half alone, building its 18-point lead. NIU finished the game with 255 yards on the ground.
The Bronco offense was held in check for most of the day, thanks in part to an opportunistic Northern Illinois defense. Hiller threw three interceptions for only the second time in his career (Oct. 20, 2007 vs. Ball State) and lost a fumble. One interception, off a batted ball, was returned 79 yards for the pick-six by Jake Coffman.
When the WMU offense was moving the ball through the air, Jordan White was the target of choice for the second-straight game, hauling six catches for 81 yards with a long of 39 yards. Austin Pritchard extended his streak of consecutive games with 10 or more tackles to five-straight games with 10 against the Huskies. Despite the effort, it was Keith Dixson who led the team with 11 stops.
Western Michigan broke onto the scoreboard, capping an eight-play drive on a 40-yard John Potter field goal, the longest on the year thus far for the sophomore. Hiller opened the drive with a 14-yard completion to Brandon West in the middle of the field. The Broncos advanced down to the Huskies' 29-yard line before facing a third-and-10. Hiller found Chleb Ravenell on a screen but the completion netted only seven yards.
The Broncos' opening drive started with promise, converting on three-consecutive third downs but a third-and-7 pass intended for Ravenell in the corner of the end zone was incomplete. The Broncos went into the play book for a fake field goal when Robert Arnheim completed a two-yard pass to Potter turning the ball over on downs.
NIU opened the day's scoring with a nine-play, 74-yard drive capped by a 33-yard TD strike from Chandler Harnish to Nathan Palmer. The Huskies marched 69 yards in 12 plays to build an 11-point lead with less than eight minutes left in the first half. Chad Spann scored his seventh rushing TD of the season, punching it in from a yard out. NIU added one more score with 1:17 remaining in the half on a 20-yard Chad Spann run on fourth-and-1.
As the game went on, NIU's defense continued to helps its offense by keeping WMU away from its goal line. The Broncos' first three drives ended in NIU territory. They had one drive the entire second half end on the positive side of the 50-yard line, advancing to the Huskies' 12-yard line before the pick for the score. Of Western Michigan's 13 drives, only two lasted more than six plays. The first went 16 plays and ended in a turnover on downs and the second went eight, resulting in Potter's field goal.
Western Michigan needs to regroup as the team takes on Toledo at 7 p.m., on Oct. 10 in the Glass Bowl. The Broncos will be looking for their second-straight win in as many trips to the Rockets' home stadium.
