The Western Michigan football team rowed its way to a 13-0 perfect season with a 29-23 win over Ohio University in the Mid-American Conference Championship at Ford Field on Friday night.
The Broncos held off a late comeback attempt as junior Robert Spillane sealed the game with an interception with 51 seconds to go in the game. This marked the first MAC championship for the Broncos since 1988 as the team looked to win out for a chance of a New York Six Bowl game. At the game, a new attendance record was set at 45,615 people in attendance for the game.
“It's only fitting that Robert Spillane strips the ball at Northwestern to make us 1 0. And they're going in to score. At the goal line he rips the ball lose, and Robert Spillane ends the story, ends the book of the regular season with a pick. Only fitting,” said coach P.J. Fleck.
The Broncos led 23-7 at halftime, but Greg Windham and the Bobcats fought back until he was intercepted on the drive that could have given the Bobcats the lead as the team fell 29-23.
Zach Terrell led the way for the Broncos as he threw for 290 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Corey Davis was named offensive player of the game for WMU as he caught eight passes for 144 yards and a touchdown. Kicker Butch Hampton kicked five field-goals to be named special teams player of the game for Western Michigan.
“Yeah, I give a lot of credit to Ohio's defense. They did a tremendous job today, I think in the second half they did a really good job of making the adjustments. But, yeah, I think we started to get kind of in a rhythm that second quarter,” said Terrell.
The Broncos would be invited to the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Sunday and will face the University of Wisconsin on January 2 at 1 pm on ESPN.
“"If you liked the MAC Championship and you enjoyed that night, the Cotton Bowl will be about 100x more exciting,” said Fleck.
