Oct. 4, 2008
Final Stats
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Ohio football team couldn't capitalize on its opportunities to score early, as it fell to the Western Michigan Broncos 41-20 at Waldo Stadium Saturday afternoon on WMU's Homecoming. The Bobcats (1-5, 0-2 MAC) trailed just 11-7 at the half, but they couldn't keep pace with the Bronco offense in the second half.
Western Michigan (5-1, 3-0 MAC) took an early 3-0 lead off an Ohio interception. The Broncos' Harrison Porter picked a Boo Jackson (Gardena, Calif.) pass and returned it 31 yards to set up WMU's John Potter for a 34-yard field goal.
After Ohio kicker Barrett Way (Richmond, Va.) missed a 43-yard field on the Bobcats' next possession, the Broncos drove 52 yards before quarterback Tim Hiller fumbled an option pitch that was recovered by Ohio's Jameson Hartke (Centerville, Ohio). The recovery was Hartke's second of his career.
Ohio could not take advantage of the turnover, however, as penalties backed the Bobcats deep into their own territory, where Jackson was tackled in the end zone for a safety by WMU's Zach Davidson, giving the Broncos a 5-0 lead. The score would remain at 5-0 after one quarter, despite Ohio outgaining Western Michigan 120 total yards to 63.
Both squads would struggle to find offense in the second quarter, but the teams traded touchdowns within the final three minutes of the half. Hartke earned his third-career interception by picking off Hiller and returning it to the Bronco three-yard line. Three plays later, Jackson found tight end Andrew Mooney (Lubbock, Texas) in the end zone for his 12th-career touchdown catch, tying him with Tom Compernolle (1983-1986) for second all-time on Ohio's career touchdown receptions list. The score gave the Bobcats a 7-5 lead that would not last long.
On Western Michigan's ensuing possession, the Broncos used a nine-play, 86-yard drive to regain the lead. Hiller completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Brandon West with four seconds remaining in the half to give WMU an 11-7 lead, as the Broncos botched the PAT.
At the half, Western Michigan had 204 yards, 183 through the air, while the Bobcats had 139 yards. Ohio was penalized seven times in the opening half for 73 yards, while WMU did not have a flag thrown on them.
Potter's second field goal of the game with 4:03 remaining in the third quarter pushed Western Michigan's lead to 14-7. Ohio junior Chris Garrett (Bristow, Va.) fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which was recovered by WMU's E.J. Biggers. Five plays later, Hiller hit Jamarko Simmons in the corner of the end zone for his second touchdown pass of the day, giving the Broncos a 21-7 lead, which they would hold at the end of the third quarter.
The Bobcats would be forced to punt on their next possession, and again the Broncos would strike quickly on a five-play, 92-yard scoring drive in just 2:22 that ended with Hiller's third touchdown pass of the day. Hiller tossed it to West on a screen play, who then broke free for the 45-yard score, his second receiving touchdown of the day, making the score 27-7. WMU again botched the PAT.
Ohio would catch a break as the Broncos' C.J. Wilson fumbled an interception return, which Brandon Peterson (Gaitherburg, Md.) recovered at the WMU 20. Jackson found tight end David Carter (Waynesboro, Pa.) in the corner of the end zone, but Way's PAT was blocked to put the score at 27-13.
Western Michigan would tack on two more touchdowns late, including Hiller's fourth touchdown pass of the day, with the Bobcats getting their final score on a Jackson 41-yard completion to Donte Harden (Erie, Pa.) in which Harden did most of the work running through Bronco defenders, to arrive at the 41-20 final score.
The Bobcats finished with 356 yards of offense, while the Broncos racked up 503 yards. Hiller completed 24 of 37 passes for 347 yards, four touchdowns and an interception for Western Michigan. Jackson threw for 144 yards on a 13-22 effort, with three touchdowns, tying a career best, and two interceptions for Ohio. Harden finished with 105 all-purpose yards on the day, including 66 on the ground to go with his 41-yard touchdown grab. Mooney led all Ohio receivers with five grabs for 67 yards and his score. Sophomore A.J. Oxley (Pickerington, Ohio) led the Bobcat defense with a career-best nine tackles, while safety Steven Jackson (Austin, Texas) and linebacker Noah Keller (Kearney, Neb.) each recorded seven.
Ohio will look for its first conference win next weekend when it travels to Kent State. Kick off in Kent is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
