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Broncos register first win versus Big East |
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 HARTFORD, Conn. - Western Michigan racked up 490 yards, including a school record 479 yards passing, in a 38-31 win over defending Big East champion Connecticut Saturday evening.
Western Michigan threw the ball 51 times, with Alex Carder completing 72.5 percent of those attempts en route to the program's fourth win over a team from a BCS automatic qualifying conference under head coach Bill Cubit. It also marks the first win over a team from the Big East in program history. Even though WMU has two wins over Louisville, those games were played prior to the Cardinals joining the Big East in 2005.
Carder found seven different receivers but Jordan White, Chleb Ravenell and Robert Arnheim were the go-to guys as each went over 100 yards receiving. It was the first time that happened since 2008 at Central Michigan. White finished with 12 catches for 173, while Arnheim set new career highs in yards (113) and catches (10). Ravenell set a new career high in catches (9) and yards (123) as well.
Despite all of the gaudy aerial numbers, it was a defensive play that sealed things for the Broncos. With WMU leading 38-31 and less than a minute on the clock, UConn's Ryan Griffin hauled in a pass for 28 yards down to the WMU 13 yard line. Rontavious Atkins not only stripped the ball but came up with the recovery as well, before he ever hit the ground.
It was the one big take away that WMU needed on a night that saw a pair of interceptions go in and out of Bronco hands.
WMU took its final lead on a two-play drive that lasted just 28 seconds, WMU's second sub-minute drive of the season. After UConn kicked the ball out of bounds and Western Michigan started at its own 40, Carder found White over the middle for 19 yards. Ravenell was the target on the second play but the defender had perfect position. Ravenell went up over the corner back, hauled in the catch and stayed on his feet, going 41 yards for the winning score.
It was one of two acrobatic catches Ravenell had on the night, with another going for a first down after being deflected at the line of scrimmage.
Arnheim, who hauled in yet another one-handed grab along the sidelines, had his first 100-yard receiving game since 2009 against Central Michigan, and the third of his career. White registered two TDs in a game for the sixth time in his career and Carder had five TD passes for the second time in his career.
Defensively, Western Michigan came to play, recording five pass break ups and a pair of sacks, as well as six tackles for loss Mitch Zajac led the Broncos with nine stops and a TFL. Aaron Winchester, Demetrius Pettway and Drew Nowak all had seven stops and 2.5 TFLs among them.
WMU jumped out to a 14-0 first half lead on TD passes to White and Dallas Walker in the second quarter. The Broncos took a 17-7 lead into halftime on a 39-yard John Potter field goal. Connecticut scored 10 in the third quarter to tie the game at 17 and took its first and only lead on a Johnny McIntee to Lyle McCombs 26-yard pass in the fourth quarter.
The Huskies were held scoreless in the first quarter, making them one of four WMU opponents to not score a first quarter point this season. WMU is outscoring the opposition, 38-7, in first quarters this year.
There were 941 yards of offense between WMU and Connecticut ,with McIntee throwing for 300 yards and McCombs rushing for 136. Kashif Moore had eight catches for 112 yards.
Western Michigan returns to Mid-American Conference play Oct. 8 for a homecoming game against Bowling Green, at 2 p.m.
Courtesy of Western Michigan Athletics |
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