WMU at Kent State Post-Game Notes

PREGAME

• Western Michigan is looking for its 13th straight wins over KSU and seventh-straight over a MAC East opponent
• Tim Hiller is playing a collegiate game in his native area of Northeast Ohio for the first time in his career
• WMU is playing at Dix Stadium for the first time since Oct. 28, 2000
• WMU is 4-6 on games played on Halloween and last played a game on Oct. 31 in 1998 - a 48-23 win at Kent State
• WMU and Kent State last played one another on Oct. 29, 2005 - Tim Hiller's freshman season - with the Broncos winning 44-14 - Hiller went 19-for-29 for 246 yards and two passing TDs
• Hiller has 91 career passing TDs, ranking second all-time in the MAC and is the active conference leader - he has thrown at least one TD to 19 different receivers
• Brandon West enters the game 113 kick return yards, 533 all-purpose yards and 17 kick returns from breaking the NCAA Division I FBS record in each category
• Alex Jagels is today's game captain
• Western Michigan wins and defers opening coin toss - holds 3-1 record when winning and deferring the coin toss this season

FIRST QUARTER

• Ryan Byrne and Matt Pickens get first career starts
• Pickens sets new career high for tackles on first defensive series of game
• First career start for Trey Smith
• Hiller starts game 4-for-4 passing
• First career interception for Mitch Zajac (ricocheted off Kendrick Pressley of KSU)

SECOND QUARTER

• Tim Hiller's TD pass to Ansel Ponder was the first offensive TD Kent State had allowed since the Bowling Green game, spanning nine-straight quarters
• The TD pass was the 92nd of Hiller's career and gives him at least one passing TDs in 38 of 41 career games
• Byrne sets a new career high for tackles in a game with his third on the day
• KSU's Tyshon Goode sets a career high with 141 yards receiving in the first half
• Brandon West moved into third place on WMU's career rushing list, surpassing Shawn Faulkner (1980-83)
• There were no penalties during the first half and the half last one hour, nine minutes

THIRD QUARTER

• After no penalties during the first half, there were three during the first three minutes of the second half
• Vernon Stewart registered his second fumble of the season and forced the first fumble of his career on the same play
• Blake Hammond sets personal best for receptions and receiving yards in a game, and longest reception (10 yds)
• KSU's first punt of the game came with 11 seconds left in the third quarter - traveled 80 yards

FOURTH QUARTER

• Damond Smith records first interception of career, gives WMU three take aways
• Tim Hiller throws 93rd TD giving him 29 career games with at least two TD passes
• Robert Arnheim scores third receiving TD of his career, second of the season, and first since Indiana
• Justin Braska had 2.5 TFLs, 1.0 sack and batted a ball down
• First loss to KSU since Oct. 15, 1988