ATHENS, Ohio – The Western Michigan football team fell in a tight contest, 20-17, on the road to Ohio at Peden Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
In his first career start as a Bronco, Hayden Wolff passed for 290 yards on 30-for-42 with one touchdown and one interception. Sophomore transfer wide receiver Kenneth Womack had a new career high with 14 receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown, while Leroy Thomas had six catches for 68 yards, his high as a Bronco.
Nate Norris led the Bronco defense with 14 total tackles, while Jacob Wahlberg had nine, including one tackle for loss.
The Bronco defense held Ohio to just a pair of field goals in the first half, with WMU missing two.
Western Michigan (2-6, 1-3 MAC) finally got on the board when Palmer Domschke connected on a 43-yard field goal to cut the lead to 6-3 with 7:07 left in the third quarter. The six-play, 52-yard drive came after OU missed a 40-yard field goal on the other end. Wolff dumped it off to Jalen Buckley on second and nine from the WMU 24 and the talented freshmen running back weaved his way through traffic and into the open field for 49 yards to get down to the Ohio 27.
The Bobcats countered with the game's first touchdown on a nine-play, 75-yard drive. Sieh Bangura finished off the drive, that was aided by two WMU pass interference penalties, with a one-yard run into the endzone, giving OU a 13-3 lead.
WMU responded with its first touchdown on the ensuing drive. Thomas returned the kick off 53 yards to the Ohio 41. Wolff connected with Womack for 18 yards and then Hence for 20 to get the ball down to the three. A holding penalty pushed the Broncos back but Wolff passed it to Womack to get them back to the three and then ran it in to the endzone for his second rushing touchdown of the season. Domschke's extra point cut the lead to 13-10 with 18 seconds left in the third quarter.
Ohio drove down the field and go to WMU's nine thanks to a big run by O'Shaan Allison, but the Bronco defense held strong to force the short field goal. The 26-yard attempt by Spetic bounced off the left upright and back into the endzone, with WMU taking over on its 20.
After Western Michigan's drive stalled near midfield, the Broncos punted to the OU 22. Kurtis O'Rouke opened the drive with a 17-yard pass to Sam Wiglusz to open the drive. Bangura then ran the ball four straight times for 47 yards to move deep into WMU territory. The Bronco defense held out to force a third and three from the seven, but O'Rourke found Wiglusz in the corner of the endzone to push the lead to 20-10 with 5:05 to play.
Wolff and the Broncos answered back with an eight-play, 68-yard drive with Wolff passing it to Womack at the one and the wide receiver pushing into the endzone. Domschke's extra point got WMU back within three with 2:09 to play.
The Broncos kicked it deep for the touchback but were unable to hold Ohio and Allison and force the punt to get the ball back.
Western Michigan is on the road next Saturday at Eastern Michigan to start the quest for the Michigan MAC Trophy. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. and can be watched live on ESPN+.
