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Western Michigan University Athletics

Western Michigan - Northern Illinois Game Notes

TextWestern Michigan – Northern Illinois Game Notes
Pre-game:
  • Game time temperature 33 degrees, cloudy and cold, 13 mph SW wind.
  • This is the 44th all-time meeting between Western Michigan and Northern Illinois.
  • WMU leads the series 24-19. The last time the two met was in DeKalb in 2017 where WMU fell to NIU 35-31. The last time WMU and Northern Illinois met in Kalamazoo was in 2016 and WMU won by a score of 45-30.
  • WMU honors 10 seniors (nine active) tonight as they play their last game at Waldo Stadium: C John Keenoy, TE Odell Miller, RB Jamauri Bogan, RB/special teams captain Leo Ekwoge, WR Drake Harris, DL Eric Assoua, DL Ken Finley, OL Curtis Doyle, OL Zach Novoselsky, and DL Steven Clark, who missed the
  • Bellamy leads the MAC this season in rushing yards (1,120), yards per game (101.8), and all-purpose yards (1,502).  
  • Freshman QB Kaleb Eleby starts for the third time in his career. Eleby replaces junior QB Jon Wassink who suffered a season-ending injury against Toledo on October 25th, 2018.
  • Team captains: Senior RB Leo Ekwoge, Senior C John Keenoy
  • NIU wins the coin toss and defers to the second half. WMU will defend the SW end zone.
First Quarter:
  • Redshirt senior RB Jamauri Bogan rushes three yards for a touchdown; his 14th of the season.
  • WMU has scored first four times this season including today. The first three times occurred against Delaware State, Eastern Michigan, and Central Michigan. 
  • First fumble recovery for senior DL Ken Finley.
  • First fumble recovering for WMU since Central Michigan on October 20th, 2018.
  • Score: WMU 7, NIU 7  
Second Quarter:
  • Freshman K Gavin Peddie kicks a career-long 45-yard field goal.
  • Peddie kicks a 42-yard field goal; his second longest of his career.
  • Sophomore DL Ali Fayad records a career-high two sacks. He now has seven on the season.
  • Score: WMU 13, NIU 7  
Third Quarter:
  • Freshman QB Kaleb Eleby records his second career rushing touchdown.
  • Junior LB Drake Spear records his first career interception.
  • Score: WMU 21, NIU 21
Fourth Quarter:
  • Junior WR D’Wayne Eskridge breaks 100 receiving yards for the third time this season. The first two times were against Syracuse (240) and Miami (OH) (141).
  • NIU senior DE Josh Corcoran is ejected for targeting.
  • Redshirt senior RB Jamauri Bogan rushes for his 15th touchdown of the season surpassing Jerome Persell’s 1977 record (14). Bogan is now fifth all-time for rushing TDs in a single season.
  • Redshirt freshman DB Harrison Taylor records his first career interception.
  • Score: WMU 28, NIU 21
Post-Game:
  • WMU produced 379 yards total offense; 285 passing yards and 94 rushing yards.
  • The Broncos are now 7-5 overall and 5-3 in the MAC
  • NIU heads to the MAC Championship game in Detroit with an 7-5 overall record and a 6-2 record in the MAC.