CMU withstands Waldo Stadium, beats Western Michigan for fourth straight year

KALAMAZOO — One play took the life out of the Waldo Stadium crowd Saturday in the football team’s 34-23 win against rival Western Michigan.

Down by seven points with one minute, 20 seconds remaining in the first half, the Broncos drove the ball toward midfield. On second-and-10, WMU quarterback Tim Hiller dropped back, faced pressure from senior defensive end Sam Williams and threw an errant pass toward the middle of the field.

The only player in the area was CMU junior linebacker Nick Bellore, who intercepted the pass and returned it 50 yards before being tackled from behind by running back Brandon West at WMU’s 3-yard line with 18 seconds remaining.

“As usual, I didn’t make it (to the endzone),” Bellore said. “(But) it’s great anytime you can make a play in a big rivalry game. As a defense, we made a nice play.”

Two plays later, sophomore running back Bryan Schroeder ran the ball in from two yards out for a touchdown, his second of the game, with five seconds remaining in the half to make it 27-13.

When the game resumed in the second half, the student section was nearly half as full as the first half during the biggest rivalry game of the season for either team.

“That was big not having to kick a field goal down there and getting the seven points,” said Coach Butch Jones. “So I thought that was a really big turnaround in the game.”

With 11:54 remaining in the fourth quarter, senior quarterback Dan LeFevour and junior wide receiver Antonio Brown gave CMU a 34-16 lead.

Up by 11 points, LeFevour found Brown in the back right corner of the endzone. Jones said Brown got re-routed by a defender, fell and got up and found open space.

“We practice scramble drills a lot,” LeFevour said. “(Brown) found the open area and made it happen.”

Hiller threw his second touchdown pass with five minutes remaining for the game’s final score.

First-half finish

With the game tied 13-13 after WMU scored with 2:33 remaining in the first half, the Broncos were given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for excessive celebration.

CMU took advantage of WMU’s mistake. Forced to kick off at its own 15-yard line instead of the 30-yard line, redshirt freshman Jahleel Addae returned the kickoff to CMU’s 49-yard line.

LeFevour completed three 12-yard passes to senior wide receiver Bryan Anderson on the drive. At WMU’s 15-yard line on first-and-10, LeFevour hit Schroeder for a touchdown.

“We had great field position to start that. We were taking what they were giving us, really,” LeFevour said. “I think they were trying to take away our slot receivers. That’s why the ball was open to Bryan so much out on the perimeter.”

Bellore’s interception took place on WMU’s ensuing possession, which set up the second touchdown in 1:15.

Bellore finished the game with 12 tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception. Junior linebacker Matt Berning led the team with 13 tackles.

Western success

The Broncos managed to gain more yards of total offense against CMU. WMU gained 497 yards compared to CMU’s 426.

Hiller completed 40-of-66 passes for 410 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Robert Arnheim led the Broncos with nine catches for 112 receiving yards.

Running back Brandon West finished with 21 carries for 96 yards.

“We knew they were going to have some success, it was just a matter of making them drive the football,” Jones said.

CMU held WMU to field goals on three different trips to the redzone. At CMU’s 21-yard line, WMU kicker John Potter also missed a field goal attempt. He finished 3-of-4 on the day with a long of 38 yards.

“I thought we did a great job of making them kick field goals,” Jones said. “They drove the ball but, at the end, we didn’t give up touchdowns, and that’s critical.”

Offensively, CMU finished with 188 rushing yards, more than 20 yards more than its 165.2 yard per game average. However, CMU running backs had little success on the ground.

Schroeder and sophomore running back Paris Cotton combined for eight carries and 14 yards. However, LeFevour finished with 15 carries and 76 yards and junior wide receiver Antonio Brown had 8 carries and 100 yards, most coming from end-arounds.

LeFevour completed 18-of-30 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns.

CMU plays at Bowling Green at noon Saturday in the second of a three-game road trip that concludes at Boston College on Oct. 31.