KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan recorded its first shutout of a Mid-American Conference opponent since 2016 as the Broncos blanked Ball State 42-0 at Stafford-Smith Field at Waldo Stadium on Saturday. 

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Broc Lowry had a career-best day. The Canfield, Ohio, native threw for 241 yards on a 23-of-27 passing and two touchdowns. He also racked up 108 yards on the ground on 13 carries and a touchdown. Lowry became the first Bronco quarterback to run for 100 yards in a game since Paul Jorgensen did so against Northern Illinois on Sept. 22, 1973. Graduate transfer wide receiver Talique Williams had a team-best five catches for 55 yards, while freshman receiver Aveion Chenault had three catches for 29 yard and a touchdown. 

The Bronco defense dominated Ball State, holding the Cardinals to just 88 yards of total offense, the fewest for a MAC opponent since Akron had 119 on Nov. 24, 2006. Senior defensive end Nadame Tucker had a career-high 3.5 sacks and seven total tackles. As a team, WMU's defense racked up five sacks and 10 tackles for loss. The team also forced two turnovers, both fumbles. Western Michigan only allowed five total first downs and BSU was just 1-for-13 on third downs. 

Western Michigan didn't get on the board until late in the first quarter. Ball State had the ball on the WMU 41 and went for it on fourth and three, but sophomore safety Micah Davis blew up the run play to TJ Horton and tackled him for a four-yard loss. The Broncos took over on downs at their own 45 and Lowry threw a deep ball to Malique Dieudonne, who caught it at the 10 and was tackled at the three. Lowry then rushed up the middle and was stopped at the Ball State one-yard line. Ofa "Lolo" Mataele then ran it in for his third touchdown of the season as WMU took a 7-0 lead with 1:56 left in the quarter. 

The Broncos got the ball back before the end of the first quarter when Kershawn Fisher blew up a run play in the backfield, stripping Jamarion McDougle and Tate Hallock jumping on the ball on the BSU 27. A few plays later, Lowry found tight end Michael Brescia open for a five-yard touchdown pass to give Western Michigan a 14-0 lead with 13:47 left in the second quarter. 

WMU added to its lead shortly after a Ball State punt. The drive started on the WMU 27 and the Broncos used a 24-yard pass to Williams and then a 25-yard reverse by Chenault to get down to the BSU 2. Jalen Buckley then lined up at the quarterback position and took the snap and ran it in to make it 21-0.

Both teams went three-and-out to open the third quarter but the Broncos got the ball on their 27 for their second drive. Lowry found Baylin Brooks over the middle to move the ball closer to midfield. He then had back-to-back runs of 13 and six yards to get to the BSU 27. Lowry passed it to Chenault to get to the 14 and then the next play they hooked up again, with the talented freshman making an acrobatic catch for the touchdown to push the lead to 28-0.

Lowry got over the century mark on the ground in the fourth quarter. The Broncos had a third-and-four from the BSU 37 and he took the snap and right it right up the middle and into the endzone to go ahead 35-0. 

Quarterback Brady Jones came in for Lowry late in the fourth quarter and threw a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Cade Conley to make it 42-0. It was Jones' first career touchdown pass and Conley's first touchdown reception as a Bronco. 

Western Michigan is off next weekend and then heads on the road to take on Miami (OH) on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 3:30 p.m.