Box Score KALAMAZOO, Mich.- Western Michigan had Toledo on the ropes, but the Rockets managed to slip out of Kalamazoo with a 20-19 overtime win on a missed Bronco PAT in WMU's Mid-American Conference opener Saturday night at Waldo Stadium.
What was predicted to be an offensive shootout turned out to be a defensive battle. Neither team put any points on the board in the first quarter and Western Michigan held a 7-0 lead at the half. The Broncos never trailed in the game until overtime and was the first team to shut out Toledo in the first half since Northern Illinois in 2010.
Western Michigan out-gained Toledo in total yards, 450-444, and limited the Rockets to their lowest point production of the season. UT entered the matchup with the highest ranked offense in the MAC, 16th best in the nation.
Western Michigan held leads of 7-0, 10-3 and 13-10 during regulation. A 37-yard field goal by Toledo's Jeremiah Detmer as time expired in the fourth quarter tied the score at 13-13, forcing overtime.
The Broncos won the coin toss in extra play and elected for defense. Alonzo Russell gave the Rockets their first lead, 20-13, with a 22-yard touchdown from quarterback Logan Woodside. Western Michigan took over the ball on the 25 and answered with a 20-yard touchdown reception by
Darius Phillips, putting WMU down one, 20-19. Haldeman's PAT bounced off the left upright to end the game.
Western Michigan quarterback
Zach Terrell was on the money all night, completing 30 of 37 pass attempts for a career-high 370 yards. He had one touchdown and no interceptions. Terrell also recorded his first career reception in the second quarter, an 18-yard pass from
Corey Davis.
Davis finished with seven receptions and 124 yards receiving. Phillips had his first career 100-yard receiving game, racking up 121 yards on 10 catches.
Daniel Braverman hauled in eight balls for 82 yards. Running back
Jarvion Franklin was well matched by Toledo's front line and ended his night with 66 yards on 19 carries and one touchdown.
The Bronco defense stepped up at key moments in the game. After a missed Bronco scoring opportunity on a blocked field goal in the second quarter, senior cornerback
Donald Celiscar stole back the momentum for Western Michigan with his second interception of the season at the WMU 24. Western Michigan later recovered two fumbles in the second half, both times with Toledo threatening.
Richard Ash pounced on a loose ball at the WMU four-yard line in the third quarter and freshman
Robert Spillane recovered his first fumble in the fourth quarter, at the WMU 24.
Western Michigan put together an impressive 98-yard drive in 11 plays with the rain blowing sideways to take the opening lead, 7-0 in the second quarter. Terrell found Davis over the middle for 35 yards and then on the next play, Terrell threw to Davis behind the line of scrimmage. Davis floated the ball back to Terrell for an 18-yard pass. Braverman also made a crucial third-down reception to keep the drive going, moving the chains 13 yards to the Toledo seven-yard line. Franklin would go on and punch the ball in from two yards out for his 12th touchdown of the season.
Toledo and WMU traded field goals in the third quarter and the Rockets pulled even for the first time on the opening drive of the fourth quarter. Terry Swanson's two-yard touchdown run knotted the score at 10-10.
Haldeman booted in a 33-yard field goal with 1:11 left in the fourth quarter to give the edge back to WMU, 13-10. Toledo converted on fourth down during its final drive in regulation to set up Detmer's 37-yard field goal.
Western Michigan (2-3, 0-1 MAC) is on the road for its next two contests, traveling to Ball State next Saturday and Bowling Green on Oct. 18.
