KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan football team authored a suffocating defensive performance against Nicholls in which they did not allow an offensive point, and the Broncos defeated the Colonels 28-7 in the 2011 home opener at Waldo Stadium. With the win, the Broncos improve to 1-1 overall, and head coach
Bill Cubit is now 6-1 in home openers as the Broncos' coach.
The Bronco defense was stifling throughout the game, shutting out the Colonels' offense and holding them to just ten first downs. The defense did an exceptional job of taking the ball away, forcing three turnovers, including the first career interceptions for Johnnie Simon and Chris Prom. Offensively, the Broncos primarily pushed the ball down field on the ground, recording 204 rushing yards in comparison to just 186 passing yards.
The Broncos produced 399 yards of total offense and was perfect in the red zone, producing touchdowns on all five trips inside the 20-yard line. Conversely, the defense allowed just 185 total yards, and the Colonels were just 4 of 14 on third down.
WMU would build a double-digit late in the first quarter after an odd sequence of plays where both teams committed turnovers. With the score 7-0 in favor of the Broncos, the Colonels were forced to punt on their first drive of the game. As the ball came down, it ricocheted off the turf and hit Lewis Toler in the ankle at the WMU 16, and was recovered as a fumble by Nicholls' Siega Vergenal at the WMU 15.
Two plays later, though, the Broncos would turn the tables on the Colonels. LaQuinton Caston completed a screen pass to Dalton Hilliard on the WMU 14, but the Broncos' Paul Hazel ripped the ball loose after the catch. The ball was recovered by Jon Henry, who returned the fumble 33 yards to the WMU 47.
Back on the offensive, the Broncos' Antoin Scriven converted a 4th-and-1 run to the Nicholls' 4-yard line to keep the drive going, and one play later, Brian Fields carried up the gut for his first touchdown of the game. John Potter's PAT made it 14-0 in favor of Western Michigan.
Fields would be the hero on the next Bronco drive as well. After the WMU defense forced another three-and-out, the sophomore carried four times for 43 yards on the next drive, including a bruising 17-yard run down the hash marks that saw him breaking numerous tackles en route to his second touchdown of the night. Potter's kick gave the Broncos a 21-0 lead. They would post another touchdown at 2:53 of the second quarter, when Carder found Robert Arnheim on the right seam from 21 yards out to give WMU a 28-7 lead heading into the locker room at half.
WMU was content to keep the game plan simple in the second half, relying mostly on the defense and the running game to set the stage for victory. Tevin Drake shouldered the load offensively, carrying 10 times for 86 yards and playing a key role in the Broncos' final touchdown drive of the game. At the 8:45 mark of the third quarter, Drake pin-balled off tacklers on a 20-yard run to put WMU inside the Nicholls 25.
Carder would complete a pass to Arnheim to put the Broncos in the red zone, and a roughing the passer penalty would move WMU inside the Nicholls 10. Carder would complete a 3rd-and-goal pass to Dallas Walker to the Nicholls 2, and Scriven would cap the drive with a two-yard touchdown plunge to make it 35-7.
The Broncos authored a methodical drive to open the game, with Carder picking up chunks of yardage by going to the air, opening the drive with a 23-yard out to White. The Broncos appeared to bog down around midfield, but a personal foul called on Nicholls gave WMU new life. Carder would go to White again, finding White heading down the seam before being stopped at the Nicholls 3. One play later, Carder would find roll out to his left and find tight end Clark Mussman for his first career touchdown catch to cap an eight-play, 71-yard drive.
The lone points for the Colonels came as a result of a bobbled WMU pass. At 8:50 of the second quarter, Chika Madu stripped a ball in mid-air from Jordan White at the WMU 34 and raced down the sideline for a 36-yard interception return to cut the lead to 21-7.
Carder finished the game 12-for-18 passing with 143 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in roughly three quarters of play. Drake produced a game-high 86 yards on the ground, while Fields finished with eight carries for 54 yards and two touchdowns. White had the game high in receptions (4) and receiving yards (67).
Defensively, Simon posted a team-high nine tackles, one interception, and 1.0 tackles for loss. Freddie Bishop had six tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.
Western Michigan returns to Waldo Stadium for its annual showdown with Central Michigan at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17. Listen to the Bronco Radio Network and watch on ESPN Regional.
John Henry's fumble recovery
