MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Western Michigan football team fell on the road at rival Central Michigan, 16-14, at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Broncos (5-6, 4-3 MAC) were held to just 184 yards of total offense in the game.
After multiple three-and-outs by both teams, the Chippewas struck first, scoring on a 6-yard run by B.J. Harris to take a 7-0 lead with 5:06 in the first quarter. The drive was just three plays for 70 yards. CMU then added a field goal with 2:27 left in the second quarter from 36 yards, capping off an 11-play 74-yard drive that ate up 6:00 of the quarter. The Broncos tried to score in the final minutes of the quarter, but turned the ball over on downs inside CMU territory and Tristan Mattson connected on his second field goal as time expired in the half to put the Broncos down 13-0.
Central Michigan got the ball to open the second half and drove into WMU territory before Bronco safety
Tate Hallock picked off a pass from Jaydn Glasser and returned it 78 yards for the score to cut the lead to 13-7. The interception was Hallock's MAC-leading fourth of the season and his first career pick-six.
The Chippewas responded with a 17-play 50-yard drive that took 10:17, with Mattson connecting on a 30-yard field goal to give CMU a 16-7 advantage and keeping the Broncos from running an offensive play in the entire third quarter.
The Broncos responded with a scoring drive of their own, this time
Jalen Buckley ran it in from the 1-yard line to cut the lead to 16-14 with 7:15 left to play in the game.
Western Michigan forced Central Michigan to punt on the next drive but went 3-and-out and were forced to punt themselves. CMU got the ball with 3:38 left to play and WMU was unable to stop its rushing attack, with the Chippewas able to run the ball into WMU territory before taking knees to end the game.
Senior linebacker
Donald Willis had 12 tackles and two for loss on the day, while
Corey Walker had two sacks, three tackles for loss and seven tackles total. Hallock had eight tackles to go with his pick six.
Jalen Buckley led WMU with 50 yards on 12 rushes and the touchdown. WMU quarterback
Hayden Wolff was 13-for-23 for 126 yards but was sacked three times.
Western Michigan wraps up the regular season next Saturday, hosting Eastern Michigan with the MAC Michigan Trophy on the line at Waldo Stadium. Time and broadcast information is still to bet determined.
