TOLEDO, Ohio – The Western Michigan football team dropped its Mid-American Conference opener on the road at Toledo, 49-31, on Saturday afternoon at the Glass Bowl Stadium.
It was a tale of two halves, with WMU once again starting strong and taking a 24-14 lead into the second half. The Rockets then outscored the Broncos 35-7 in the second half.
Redshirt freshman running back Jalen Buckley continued his strong start to the season, with 29 carries for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Treyson Bourguet started at quarterback for WMU, with 12-for-22 passing for 160 yards and one interception. Anthony Sambucci had a season-high three catches to lead the team, also going for 55 yards.
The Bronco defense forced four turnovers on the day, with Tate Hallock causing three of them with two interceptions and forced fumble. Keni-H Lovely forced a fumble and returned it for a touchdown, while fifth-year transfer Nate Norris led WMU in tackles with 11.
Toledo tried an on-side kick on the opening kickoff, but it was jumped on by the Broncos at their own 47-yard line, giving them great field position to start the game. Buckley ran the ball six times on the opening drive and capped it off with a two-yard touchdown run to give WMU an early 7-0 lead with 10:00 to play in the first quarter.
The Rockets marched down the field and into WMU territory but the drive stalled when Tate Hallock picked off Dequan Finn over the middle at the Broncos' 17-yard line. It was Hallock's first career interception. But two plays later Bourguet tried to go deep to Sambucci but it was intercepted at the WMU 43. Six plays later Finn found Jerjuan Netwon's first of three touchdown receptions in the game, tying it at 7-7.
Toledo took its first lead of the game with four seconds left in the first quarter when Finn hit Newton on a crossing route and Newton outran the Bronco defense for a 34-yard touchdown.
WMU got deep into Toledo territory early in the second quarter but were stopped at the goal line on fourth down. On the ensuing drive UT was facing a third and 11 from its own 12. Finn passed it to Junior Vandervoss out in the left flat. Vandervoss got about four yards before Lovely stripped him and recovered it, returning it 15 yards for the defensive touchdown.
The Bronco defense forced a three-and-out and got the ball on their own 39. Runs by Jamal Hailey and Bourguet pushed the ball past midfield. Buckley came in and ran it for four yards and then another three to put it at third and three from the Toledo 38. Buckley took the handoff and got through the line and bolted for a 38-yard touchdown to put the Broncos up 21-14.
Hallock picked off Finn again three plays later and WMU got deep into Rocket territory before Palmer Domschke nailed a 36-yard field goal with four seconds left to play in the half to send WMU to the locker rooms with the lead 24-15.
To open the third quarter the teams traded punts and fumbles until the Rockets scored on their third drive. Backup quarterback Tucker Gleason came in after Finn left with an injury and led Toledo to a seven-play 88-yard scoring drive after a 20-yard touchdown pass to Newton. The Rockets took the lead after they got the ball back when Bourguet fumbled after being hit in the backfield. Gleason found Rusk for a 16-yard touchdown to give the lead back to Toledo, 28-24.
The Broncos responded with a nine-play, 75-yard drive to retake the lead after freshman running back C.J. Hester ran it in from one-yard out for his first collegiate touchdown.
The lead didn't last long as Toledo used big plays to move down the field and retake the lead after a one-yard touchdown run by Walendzak. The Rockets then took advantage of another WMU turnover to push ahead 41-31, before Boone ran it in with two minutes left to play to set the score.
Western Michigan returns home for the first time since Aug. 31 to host Ball State on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 3:30 p.m. Get there early for Buster's Block Party, a free tailgate party and concert with Bryce Vine. Festivities begin at 11:30 a.m. in Lot 13, with the concert starting at 1:30 p.m. Tickets for the game are available at www.wmubroncos.com/tickets.
