Eastern Michigan Eagles vs Western Michigan Broncos Match Player Stats On Oct 22, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Oct 22, 2016

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Western Michigan lived up to its Top 25 ranking on Saturday afternoon.

The No. 20 Broncos, who are ranked for the first season in school history, held off Eastern Michigan University for a 45-31 win in front of 23,721 fans at Waldo Stadium.

Western Michigan improves to 4-0 in the Mid-American Conference's West Division and 8-0 overall. Eastern Michigan falls to 5-3, 2-2.

The Broncos had their passing game working on Saturday.

Corey Davis, Western Michigan's star receiver, caught five passes for 81 yards, but it was teammate Carrington Thompson that had a career game. Thompson, a redshirt senior, had 177 yards on eight catches and two touchdowns.

Broncos quarterback Zach Terrell threw for 398 yards and three touchdowns on 29-of-35 passing. Jarvion Franklin led Western Michigan with 114 yards rushing on 22 carries.

Davis entered the game as the active leader in career receiving in the FBS with 4,437 yards. He leads the FBS in receiving touchdowns with 11.

The Broncos got touchdowns from four different players -- two from Jamauri Bogan and Thompson and one each by Davis and Franklin.

Bogan, a redshirt sophomore, scored on a 1-yard touchdown with 7:55 to go in the game for his second TD of the game and a 45-24 lead.

Davis had been quiet until late in the third quarter. Terrell lofted a ball to the right corner of the end zone and Davis used his 6-foot-3 frame to reach over his defender for a 31-yard touchdown. It was Davis' 11th TD of the season, which gave the Broncos a 38-24 lead.

Thompson caught an 8-yard pass from Terrell with 6:27 left in the third quarter to give Western Michigan a 31-17 lead. It was his second touchdown of the game.

Eastern Michigan answered with a quick touchdown drive. Brogan Roback tossed a 56-yard pass to Sergio Bailey II. One play later, Breck Turner ran the ball in from 9 yards out to cut the lead to 31-24 with 5:16 left in the third quarter.

Roback finished 29 of 45 for 319 yards. Running back Turner had a team-high 86 yards rushing while the Eagles got touchdowns from Antoine Porter, Willie Parker, Turner and Roback.

Thompson caught a short pass from Terrell, dodged two defenders and scampered into the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown for the first score of the game at 9:02 of the opening quarter. It was the third touchdown of the season for Thompson, a redshirt senior from Houston.

Roback sprinted up the gut and dove into the end zone for the Eagles' first touchdown to tie the game at 7-7. It was the first rushing touchdown of the season for the redshirt junior.

Franklin's 2-yard dive into the end zone completed an 11-play, 75-yard drive to give the Broncos a 14-7 lead with 12:13 to go in the second quarter. Franklin, a junior running back, has scored in four straight games and has seven rushing touchdowns on the season.

Trailing 14-10, Roback threw a 29-yard pass to the right corner of the end zone that was brought down by Porter for a 17-14 lead with 3:35 left in the half.

Western Michigan responded on its next possession. A 51-yard catch by Thompson set up a 6-yard touchdown run by Bogan as the Broncos regained the lead 21-17.

Obbie Jackson picked off a Roback pass with 35 seconds left in the first half and the Broncos made the most of it. Six plays later, freshman Butch Hampton kicked a 34-yard field goal that wobbled through the uprights with 3 seconds in the half for a 24-17 lead at halftime.

NOTES: Western Michigan began the season 7-0 for the first time since 1941, when the Broncos were 8-0. ... Eastern Michigan tried a little bit of trickery late in the first half. Roback passed to offensive lineman Cole Gardner, who was tackled short of the end zone, but the 6-foot-5, 295-pound never reported as an eligible receiver. It didn't matter as Roback connected with Porter on a scoring strike on the very next play. ... The Broncos have beaten two Big Ten Conference teams this season for the first time. It beat Illinois 34-10 and Northwestern 22-21. ... Eastern Michigan, with its 5-2 recored entering the game, is off to its best start since 1995. That also is the last season the Eagles were bowl-eligible. Eastern Michigan has not played in a bowl since 1987.