Box Score DEKALB, Ill.- Western Michigan couldn't make a 28-21 lead hold, as Northern Illinois out-scored the Broncos 14-3 in the final quarter to defeat WMU Wednesday night, 35-31.

Making his third career start, freshman quarterback Reece Goddard had his most productive outing of the season, connecting on 15 of 27 passes for 211 yards. He threw his first and second career touchdown passes and rushed for one as well. In the third quarter he found fellow freshman Tyron Arnett for a 68-yard strike, a team season long throw and catch.

Finishing with 115 yards on 27 carries, senior running back Jarvion Franklin went over 100 yards for the seventh time this year. His season total stands at 1,176 yards. Franklin did most of his work early, recording 83 of the Broncos' first 84 yards of the game. He had a 2-yard touchdown run at the beginning of the second quarter that tied the score at 14-14.

Western Michigan's defense forced three fumbles which the offense converted into 21 points. The Broncos entered the game ranked third in the nation in fumble recoveries and adding to their total now have 16 on the season.

On NIU's first offensive play of the game running back Jordan Huff scampered 31 yards to give the Huskies a 7-0 advantage. Following runs of 23 and 29 yards by Franklin, WMU's Goddard found redshirt sophomore Keishawn Watson in the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown.

Northern Illinois scored on a 1-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Marcus Childers before the Broncos pulled even at 14-14 with Franklin's 2-yard touchdown. NIU took a 21-14 lead into the half after Sutton Smith picked up a fumble by Goddard and returned it 58 yards midway through the second quarter.

The Broncos forced fumbles on back-to-back NIU possessions in the third quarter, setting up a pair of WMU touchdowns that gave Western Michigan a 28-21 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Senior tight end Donnie Ernsberger took a short pass from Goddard and held off a Huskie defender for a 13-yard touchdown. Goddard later scrambled for a 7-yard touchdown with 1:36 remaining in the quarter.

Huff ran for his second touchdown of the game for Northern Illinois to once again tie the score at 28-28 at the start of the fourth quarter. The Broncos' Josh Grant hit a 28-yard field goal with 10:37 left to put WMU back on top 31-28. Western Michigan couldn't hold off the Huskies late and Childers threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Mitchell Brinkman with 6:20 remaining to cap the scoring.

Northern Illinois (8-3, 6-1 Mid-American Conference) ran out the last five minutes of the game, sealing the win on Tre Harbison's 12-yard run on a third-and-10 with about a minute left.

Heavy wind blowing from the north end of Huskie Stadium affected the punting and kicking game throughout the evening resulting in several short field situations.

Western Michigan (6-5, 4-3 MAC) heads to Toledo (9-2 , 6-1 MAC) for the final regular game of the season on Friday, Nov. 24. Television broadcast details and kickoff time are TBA. Having reached six wins last week against Kent State, WMU is bowl eligible for a program-record fourth consecutive year.