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KALAMAZOO, MI -- Sophomore quarterback Alex Carder set a Western Michigan football record with 43 completions, but it wasn't enough as Toledo won, 37-24, at Waldo Stadium on Saturday night in the Mid-American Conference opener for the Broncos (1-2, 0-1 MAC).
Carder finished with a career-high 403 yards and one touchdown, but lost two fumbles and threw four interceptions in the defeat to the Rockets (2-1, 2-0 MAC).
Senior wide receiver Jordan White set career highs with 13 receptions for 170 yards, while senior wide receiver Juan Nunez had a career-high 13 catches for 100 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Ansel Ponder also had a career-high 11 catches for 66 yards.
The Broncos ended the game with 416 total yards, while holding the Rockets to 268 yards, including only 95 yards on the ground on 40 carries for 2.4 yards per rush. Western Michigan, however, generated only 13 yards on 26 rushing attempts.
Defensively, senior safety Jamail Berry led the Broncos with a career-high 12 tackles and sophomore linebacker Dex Jones had a career-high three tackles for loss among his career-high seven tackles. Sophomore defensive end Paul Hazel tallied a career-high two sacks. Freshman cornerback Lewis Toler and senior safety Mario Armstrong each recorded interceptions.
The Rockets were led by quarterback Austin Dantin with 11 completions in 18 attempts for 173 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 45 yards and one touchdown.
The Broncos received the opening kickoff and advanced to their own 37 on a 13-yard completion to Ansel Ponder. Three plays later, Carder had the ball knocked out of his hands by Dan Molls and the fumble was recovered by the Rockets' Jermaine Robinson at the WMU 30.
Western Michigan's defense stymied the Toledo offense on the first two plays, but quarterback Austin Dantin scrambled to his right for 21 yards on third down to the WMU 10. The Broncos stuffed the first two Toledo runs, but Dantin scrambled left on third down and found Eric Page on a crossing route for a touchdown to open the scoring, 7-0, with 10:16 left in the first half.
Toledo broke a scoring drought and increased its lead, 14-0, with 9:48 to go in the second quarter when Dantin found wide receiver Kenny Stafford on a slant pass over the middle. Stafford broke one tackle and raced the rest of the way for a 73-yard touchdown reception.
Toledo tried an onside kick after the score, but the Rockets touched the ball too soon and were penalized, giving Western Michigan possession at the Rockets 28-yard line. Western Michigan continued to struggle on offense, losing five yards over the next three plays before punting.
The Rockets took over at their 20 after a touchback, and on the first play running back David Fluellen advanced the ball to the WMU 42 after a 23-yard run and 15-yard personal foul penalty on the tackle.
The WMU defense stiffened and forced a punt after a sack by Paul Hazel. Running back Brian Fields blocked the subsequent punt and WMU took over at the Toledo 25. The Broncos still couldn't manage to score, turning the ball over on downs after an incompletion on fourth-and-11.
Toledo pulled out another big play on the ensuing drive as Page advanced the ball to the WMU 23 on a 50-yard catch-and-run from Dantin. Four plays later, Dantin kept the ball and snuck into the end zone from two yards out to increase the Rockets' lead, 21-0, with 2:09 left in the half.
Western Michigan put together a successful two-minute drill to get on the scoreboard at the end of the half. Carder completed four passes in a row to four different receivers to advance the Broncos into Toledo territory at the 47-yard line.
Carder missed on his next two throws but converted on third down with a 13-yard completion to Ponder to keep the drive alive. Two plays later, Carder put WMU on the scoreboard with a 16-yard completion to Jordan White, who just managed to get his left foot down in the back of the end zone. With 42 seconds left in the half, Toledo led 21-7.
Through halftime, Toledo had out-gained the Broncos, 222-154, despite six more plays for the Brown & Gold. WMU led in passing yards, 155-148, while Toledo had 74 yards on the ground to -1 yard for the Broncos. Carder completed 18-of-24 passes in the half, including seven completions for 47 yards to Ponder.
Sophomore linebacker Dex Jones sacked Dantin on the opening series of the second half to force a punt and WMU took over for its first possession at the 30. On the Broncos' first play, Alex Johnson sacked Carder and forced a fumble that T.J. Fatinikun recovered for the Rockets at the Western Michigan 25.
The Broncos forced third-and-13, but the Rockets converted with a 16-yard screen pass to Fluellen. The WMU defense held on the next set of downs and forced a 24-yard field goal by Ryan Casano to make it 24-7 with 8:09 to go in the third quarter.
Western Michigan turned the ball over on the first play for the second series in a row as Carder overthrew White for an interception by Desmond Marrow. However, the Broncos got the ball back on the next play as Toledo attempted a trick play with Page. The wide receiver, taking a hand-off and rolling right to pass, was picked off at the two by freshman Lewis Toler.
Three players later, Marrow picked Carder off again and returned the ball 15 yards to increase Toledo's lead to 31-7 with 6:31 remaining in the third period.
The Broncos came back on the next drive with receptions of 24 yards and 19 yards to White to set up John Potter's 36-yard field goal with 3:30 left in the quarter.
The Broncos made it 31-17 early in the fourth quarter, as Carder punched the ball in from the five-yard line behind the right side of his offensive line for his first career rushing touchdown with 14:04 still to play in the game. White had receptions of 24 yards and 12 yards to keep the chains moving for the Broncos.
WMU's defense took advantage of the momentum from the offense by forcing a turnover on the next drive on an interception by Mario Armstrong to give WMU the ball back. The Bronocs took over on their own 30, and freshman running back Antoin Scriven capped a 15-play drive with a one-yard plunge to close the deficit, 31-24, with 7:40 remaining.
With all of the momentum on Western Michigan's side, Page took Potter's kickoff at the two-yard line, raced to his left and turned the corner to run up the WMU sideline for a 98-yard return touchdown. Toledo missed the extra point, but still led 37-24 with 7:26 left on the scoreboard.
With Western Michigan driving again, Carder was intercepted for the third time when Molls jumped up from his linebacker spot to snag the ball intended for the receiver behind him. He returned the ball 30 yards into Western Michigan territory at the 43-yard line. Western Michigan's defense held and WMU took over at the WMU 14.
On second down, Carder was in the grasp of a Toledo defensive lineman, but somehow wriggled free, scrambled and found Robert Arnheim for 17 yards. A roughing the passer penalty advanced the Broncos to the Toledo 33-yard line. After three more plays, WMU faced fourth-and-eight at the 31, but couldn't convert as Carder's pass attempt was deflected at the line of scrimmage.
Western Michigan is off next week and returns to Waldo Stadium on Oct. 2 to play Idaho at 2 p.m.
Courtesy of WMU Athletics |
