Saturday's MAC Football Results
Western Michigan 26, Eastern Michigan 18
NIU 24, Central Michigan 16
Stories courtesy of the Associated Press
Western Michigan 26, Eastern Michigan 18
Boxscore
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Zahir Abdus-Salaam ran for a touchdown and caught another as Western Michigan defeated Eastern Michigan 26-18 on Saturday to become bowl eligible, snapping a three-game losing streak.
Abdus-Salaam scored on a 22-yard run for a 23-8 lead in the third quarter and he celebrated by jumping into a snowbank bordering the end zone.
The Broncos (6-6, 5-3 MAC) blocked a punt for safety that started a run of 16 points in under four minutes. Abdus-Salaam scored on a 31-yard screen pass then Joey Pope recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff to set up Jalen Buckley’s 15-yard TD run with 19 seconds before the half ended.
Eastern Michigan’s Delmert Mimms II scored two third-quarter touchdowns. The teams exchanged field goals for the only fourth-quarter scoring.
The Eagles got the ball back with 2:18 remaining but on their first play Bilhal Kone intercepted a tipped pass. Eastern Michigan (5-7, 2-6 MAC) lost its last five games.
Abdus-Salaam rushed for 135 yards and Buckley 103 on 19 carries apiece. Hayden Wolff threw for 126 yards and a score. Abdus-Salaam had 40 yards receiving.
Mimms rushed for 127 yards on 18 carries. Cole Snyder was only 7 of 22 for 91 yards passing.
NIU 24, Central Michigan 16
Boxscore
DEKALB, Ill. (AP) — Ethan Hampton ran for a touchdown and engineered a pair of 66-yard touchdown drives, all in the first quarter, and Northern Illinois held on to earn a 24-16 win over long-time rival Central Michigan in the regular-season finale on Saturday.
The game was the 60th renewal of the oldest rivalry for both schools and the Chippewas came in having won four of the last five meetings and eight of the last 10, After honoring a group of 30 seniors prior to kick-off the Huskies jumped to a 19-0 lead by scoring three first-quarter touchdowns.
Gavin Williams got the Huskies (7-5, 4-4 Mid-American Conference). on the board with a 24-yard run on fourth down barely four minutes into the game, but a two-point conversion attempt failed. Hampton covered the final 16 yards to cap a five-play, 36-yard drive, but missed the PAT attempt for a 12-0 lead midway through the quarter. Telly Johnson scored from the 4 with 2:23 left in the quarter for a 19-0 lead after Kanon Woodill converted the PAT.
Central Michigan (4-8, 2-6) scored on a three-yard Jadyn Glasser pass to Jesse Prewitt III barely a minute into the second quarter but JaVaughn Byrd ran the blocked kick back for a defensive PAT and a 21-6 lead. Tristan Mattson kicked a 40-yard field goal and Glasser hit Prewitt a second time in the quarter to make it 21-16 at the half.
Woodill’s 26-yard field goal accounted for all of the second-half scoring and Northern Illinois clinched the victory by stopping the Chippewas on fourth down at the Northern Illinois 46 with 1:39 left.
Hampton was 19 of 29 passing for 169 yards and carried twice for 13. Johnson gained 84 yards on 20 carries and Williams added 65 yards on six. Trayvon Rudolph caught nine passes for 97 yards.
Glasser was 12 of 25 passing for 92 yards and two touchdowns but threw an interception. Marion Lukes had 13 carries for 78 yards but Central Michigan was held to just 112 yards on the ground.
