WMU vs. Ball State Game Stats
WMU vs. Ball State Post-Game Notes
WMU vs. Ball State Post-Game Quotes
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Tim Hiller set the school record for career passing yards, total offense and total offensive plays and the Bronco defense held Ball State to 226 yards of offense but it was an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown with 7:57 remaining in the fourth quarter that sealed a 22-17 win over Western Michigan football on Senior Night in front of 20,344 at Waldo Stadium in a nationally-televised game on ESPN2.
WMU's Aaron Winchester took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 26 yards to the WMU 39. On third-and-nine from the WMU 40, senior quarterback Hiller faced heavy pressure, but was able to spin and scramble to his right to find junior wide receiver Chleb Ravenell down the right sideline for a 33-yard reception to the BSU 27. Two plays later, the Broncos (5-7, 4-4 MAC) faced third-and-six from the BSU 23, but Hiller couldn't hook up with Ravenell to force fourth down. The Broncos went for it and Hiller faced more pressure, scrambled up the middle and forced a pass that was deflected by the Cardinals (2-10, 2-6 MAC) to give the ball back to BSU with 5:50 to go in the game.
The Cardinals' offense ran the ball nine straight times, including a pair of third-down conversions, to run 4:47 off the clock before punting the ball back to WMU at its 13-yard line with 1:03 remaining and no timeouts left for the Broncos.
After an incompletion on his first play, Hiller found Ravenell streaking down the left sideline for a career-long 34-yard completion to the WMU 47. He found Ravenell again on an out route for 13 yards to the Ball State 40 on the next play. After a trio of incompletions, the Broncos faced fourth-and-10 at the BSU 40 with 29.7 seconds on the scoreboard. Hiller looked toward sophomore wide receiver Robert Arnheim, but sophomore safety Sean Baker stepped in front of the pass for his second interception of the game and the fourth thrown by Hiller, the most in a game in his career.
Hiller completed 33-of-62 passes for 354 yards to move into first place in Western Michigan history with 11,329 passing yards. Hiller also set school records for career total offense (11,220 yards) and career total offensive plays (1,773). Jordan White caught a career-high 11 passes for 121 yards and one touchdown, while Ravenell tied his career high with seven catches for a career-high 106 yards. Senior Brandon West carried the ball 21 times for 102 yards and one score.
Defensively, seniors Austin Pritchard and Justin Braska (career high), junior Mario Armstrong and sophomore Mitch Zajac (career high) all had 10 tackles to lead the Broncos.
Overall, the Broncos had 463 yards of total offense in 89 plays, while holding Ball State to 226 yards of offense in 57 plays, but WMU turned the ball over five times and Ball State gave it up once.
Corey Sykes led Ball State with 70 yards rushing on nine carries, while MiQuale Lewis had 46 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries. WMU held Ball State quarterback Tanner Justice to 7-of-16 passing for 71 yards and one interception.
The Broncos opened the game with the football and drove to the Ball State 33 after Hiller completed his first four passes, but the drive stalled and WMU turned the ball over on downs after Ravenell dropped a fourth down pass.
The Cardinals took over and used a 34-yard reverse by Eric Williams to get into field goal range and took the early lead, 3-0, on Ian McGarvey's 31-yard field goal with 10:02 remaining in the opening quarter.
Hiller completed an 18-yard pass to White on the first play of the Broncos' second drive, but couldn't advance any further and punted the ball back to the Cardinals. Freshman Deauntay Legrier made a stop behind the line of scrimmage for the WMU defense and Ball State went three-and-out before punting the ball back to the Broncos' 14-yard line.
On the first play of the series. Hiller was pressured by blitzing linebacker Spain Cosby and threw an interception to cornerback Jason Pinkston at the WMU 32. The Bronco defense held Ball State to only four yards, but McGarvey converted from 45 yards out to put Ball State up, 6-0, with 4:03 to play.
The Broncos gained just five yards on their next drive and punted the ball back to the Cardinals again. They subsequently drove 59 yards in nine plays to score the game's first touchdown on a MiQuale Lewis three-yard scamper around right end, 13-0, with 14:36 remaining in the opening half.
After Ben Armer pinned Ball State inside its one-yard line on a 52-yard punt, the Broncos forced Ball State into a three-and-out after Pritchard stuffed the Cardinals run on third-and-short. White returned the punt deep into Ball State territory, but a penalty pushed the ball back to WMU's 36.
West started the ensuing drive with a 14-yard cutback run up the middle to midfield. Moments later, Hiller found White on a 15-yard crossing route over the middle to convert third-and-five. A seven-yard run by West to the 10-yard line resulted in another first down, but Ball State held and John Potter put the Broncos on the board, 13-3, with 4:33 to go in the half on a 29-yard field goal.
The Bronco defense quickly got the ball back to the offense by forcing a three-and-out and freshman linebacker Paul Hazel deflected the punt to give WMU possession at the Ball State 46.
The offense couldn't capitalize as Hiller was pressured on the first play by defensive end Brandon Crawford and fumbled with defensive tackle Drew Duffin making the recovery.
The Bronco defense got the ball back two plays later as safety Jamail Berry intercepted Tanner Justice's overthrown ball and returned it to the WMU 46.
Hiller found White for a 13-yard gain to the BSU 36 to convert third-and-five and then hooked up with White on an 18-yard corner route to the BSU 10 on fourth-and-two. Hiller connected with White again for nine yards to the one-inch line and West completed the drive with a one-yard plunge over left guard to pull WMU within three, 13-10, with 28.9 seconds left in the first half.
At halftime, Western Michigan had 209 total yards, including 165 rushing, while the Cardinals had 161 total yards with 95 coming via the rushing attack. The Broncos also held Ball State to 1-of-6 third down conversions. White had seven catches for 88 yards in the opening half for WMU.
Ball State got the ball to open the second half, but couldn't gain a first down as Justin Braska and Legrier stuffed them on third-and-short. The Broncos took over at their own 25 to start the second half on offense. Robert Arnheim got the Broncos into Ball State territory with a 25-yard over-the-shoulder catch down the left seam to the BSU 39. WMU couldn't capitalize as Hiller was intercepted on the next throw by linebacker Travis Freeman after Duffin deflected the ball at the line of scrimmage.
The Bronco defense held again as Cody Cielenski sacked Justice for a nine-yard loss and WMU got the ball back at its 21 after the punt. The Broncos got one first down, but Hiller was intercepted for the third time by safety Sean Baker, who returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. Fortunately for WMU, the officials flagged Ball State for a personal foul during the return, which nullified the touchdown.
The Broncos held Ball State to only four yards after the interception, but McGarvey tied his career long with a 48-yard field goal that narrowly went over the bar to put BSU back up by six, 16-10, with 7:13 to play in the third quarter.
The Broncos couldn't put together a drive after the score and Armer pinned BSU inside the 10-yard line for the second time in the game with a 33-yard punt. The Bronco defense put together another quick stop and the Broncos got the ball back at their own 46.
The Broncos steadily moved the ball downfield, highlighted by an 11-yard reception by White and West's 14-yard run to the Ball State six. After the change in quarter, WMU scored on the first play of the fourth period as Hiller found White on a fade pattern from four yards out to give WMU its first lead, 17-16, with 14:54 to go in the game.
WMU finishes the season in third place in the Mid-American Conference West Division.
