Game stories courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Staffs.
Northern Illinois 31, Western Michigan 21
Box Score
Postgame Notes
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Back to Detroit. Ten wins, again.
It's a new year, a new team but the same story for the Northern Illinois University Huskies, who captured their fifth straight Mid-American Conference West Division crown Friday with a 31-21 win over Western Michigan at Waldo Stadium.
Once again, the Huskies (10-2, 7-1 MAC) did it "the Hard Way," coming back from a 14-point deficit and a nightmarish offensive first half to score the last 24 points of the game to win its sixth straight game. Western Michigan (8-4, 6-2 MAC) committed six turnovers in the game as NIU stopped the Broncos' six-game winning streak.
NIU will play in the Marathon MAC Championship game for the fifth straight season and has won 10 games in each of the last five years, becoming just the third team ever to make it to five straight conference title games, and the first since Marshall played in six consecutive MAC title games from 1997-2002. Florida played in five consecutive SEC Championship games from 1992-96.
But NIU Head Coach Rod Carey was not thinking about championship games after Friday's win.
"You have to give a ton of credit to our guys," Carey said. "It would have been easy to get down, but we knew what we had to do. Defense played great all day, they got put in some tough positions a couple times [by the offense] but they really had a mindset today. On offense, our plan was not flawed, what was flawed was our execution. At half we talked about what had to be done."
NIU's day got off to a great start when receiver Aregeros Turner took a little flare pass from Drew Hare down the sideline 65 yards for a touchdown on the game's first play from scrimmage, giving the Huskies a 7-0 lead just 12 seconds into the game.
There wouldn't be many other first half offensive highlights for NIU, although the Huskie defense kept NIU in striking distance.
The Huskies held WMU to a 29-yard Andrew Haldeman field goal on the Broncos' first drive with a third-down stop at the NIU 12-yard line. Western Michigan reached the end zone on its next possession as quarterback Zach Terrell hit Corey Davis on a 13-yard touchdown pass to complete a seven-play, 68-yard drive.
Two plays later, a bad snap from center that Hare couldn't corral was recovered by WMU on the Huskies' 28-yard line and Western Michigan freshman running back Jarvion Franklin punched it in four plays later from two yards out. A failed PAT put Western Michigan on top, 16-7.
It went from bad to worse for the Huskies when Akeem Daniels fumbled the kickoff and WMU recovered at the NIU 26-yard line on the last play of the third quarter. However, the NIU defense once again stepped up and Western Michigan kicked a 44-yard field goal after losing a yard in three plays.
Meanwhile, the Huskies could not take advantage of a pair of Western Michigan miscues. After Tyler Wedel's punt was fumbled and recovered by Brandon Mayes at the WMU 16, Christian Hagan's 28-yard field goal attempt was blocked. And after a Franklin fumble forced by Corey Thomas was recovered by Dechane Durante on the NIU one-yard line, the Huskies gave up a safety on the next play when they were penalized for a chop block in the end zone.
With 4:41 to play in the half, NIU trailed 21-7. The Broncos would not score again, though, as the Huskies shut out an opponent in the second half of a game for the first time this year.
NIU got three points back before halftime, driving to the Broncos' 23-yard line. From there, Hagan's career-long 40-yard field goal was good. NIU trailed 21-10 at half. The Huskies had the ball for just 7:23 to WMU's 22:37 and did not convert on any of its five third-down chances. Western Michigan, meanwhile, converted six of nine third downs.
The tide seemed to turn for the Huskies on a fourth down defensive stop. Western Michigan took the second half kickoff and faced third and two on the NIU 11-yard line. William Lee and Boomer Mays combined to stop Franklin for just a one-yard gain, and when Terrell tried to sprint out on fourth and one after the Broncos eschewed the field goal try, he was dropped by Thomas for no gain.
Hare engineered a seven-play, 90-yard drive in just two minutes, with Joel Bouagnon providing a 41-yard run, and senior Akeem Daniels earning his first rushing score of the year as he ran 21 yards, untouched, up the middle to put NIU within four, 21-17, with 5:07 to play in the third quarter.
The Huskies took the lead for good early in the fourth. After WMU was forced to punt out of its end zone, the Huskies drove 47 yards in eight plays for the game-winning score.The running of Bouagnon, who finished the game with 70 yards on six plays, and Daniels carried NIU to the two and Hare waltzed in from there. Hagan's PAT made it 24-21 with 11:37 to play.
WMU went three and out on its next possession and the Huskies advanced to the WMU 10 after Hare picked up 24 yards on third-and-four. But Hagan's field goal hit the left upright and WMU got the ball back.
The NIU defensive line had its way with Western Michigan in stopping the Broncos' next drive. When Terrell was sacked by Sean Folliard and his fumble at the WMU 26 was recovered by Jason Meehan with 1:39 to play, the Huskies didn't just run out the clock, they scored the decisive touchdown.
NIU finished with four sacks and got interceptions from Albert Smalls and Dechane Durante in the second half. They held Broncos' freshman running back Franklin to just 92 rushing yards on 29 carries.
The Huskies will take on MAC Champion Bowling Green, the team that defeated NIU in the 2013 championship game, at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, Dec. 5th. The game kicks off at 6 p.m. (CT) and will be televised on ESPN2.
Toledo 52, Eastern Michigan 16
Box Score
Postgame Notes
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Toledo sophomore Logan Woodside threw for 323 yards and a career-high five touchdowns as Toledo cruised to a 52-16 victory over Eastern Michigan in the regular-season finale at Ypsilanti Friday.
With the victory, Toledo (8-4, 7-1 MAC) earned a co-West Division championship, sharing the crown with Northern Illinois. NIU, which earlier in the day defeated Western Michigan, won the tie-breaker by virtue of its victory over UT on Nov. 11. The Huskies will represent the West Division and play Bowling Green in the MAC Championship on Dec. 5.
Woodside, who completed 14-of-18 passes, threw TD passes to five different receivers. Four of his scoring throws came in the first half, which gave Toledo a 42-9 edge at the beak. Sophomore Kareem Hunt rushed for 110 yards and a TD on 22 carries, moving his streak of games with 100 or more yards to 10.
Toledo’s defense kept Eastern Michigan under wraps, holding the Eagles to 215 yards of total offense, including just 119 yards in the first half. UT also picked off two EMU passes in the first half.
The Rocket D got off to a great start when junior Christian Dukes picked off a Reginald Bell pass at the EMU 42-yard line on the first drive of the game. Two plays later, Jones took a sideline screen pass from Woodside 41 yards for the score. Following an EMU three-and-out, Dwight Macon returned a short punt 23 yards to the EMU 48-yard line. Woodside hit senior Justin Olack on the second play of the drive across the middle for a 22-yard score to make the score 14-0 just four minutes into the contest.
Woodside struck again late in the first quarter, hitting junior Kishon Wilcher over the middle for an 89-yard TD to make the score 21-0 with 1:28 left in the first quarter. It was a career-long pass for both Woodside and Wilcher.
EMU got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter on a 10-yard TD pass from Bell to Kris Strange. A missed extra point made the score 21-6. Toledo extended the lead to 28-6 with 5:53 left in the first half on a one-yard run by Hunt. The drive was set up by a 50-yard punt return by Jones.
An interception by junior safety Chaz Whittaker on EMU’s next drive set up Toledo’s fifth touchdown of the half. Whittaker picked off a pass that was deflected by sophomore DeJuan Rogers and UT took over at midfield. Three plays later, sophomore Damion Jones-Moore took it 28 yards to give Toledo a 29-point lead, 35-6, with 4:26 left in the half. Toledo wasn’t finished, as Woodside hit junior Alonzo Russell for a 59-yard TD with 1:18 remaining to make the score 42-6.
Toledo padded the lead to 45-9 on its first possession of the second half on a 21-yard field goal by Jeremiah Detmer. EMU answered with a seven play, 65-yard drive to cut the lead to 45-16. Bell hit Ryan Brumfield for the TD from 34 yards out.
The Rockets answered with a 79-yard drive capped by Woodside’s fifth TD pass of the game, an 11-yarder to sophomore tight end Michael Roberts with 0:29 left in the third quarter to up the score to 52-16.
The Rockets will wait to find out their bowl game destination. Bowl game assignments will be announced no later than Sunday, Dec. 7.
Kent State 27, Akron 24
Box Score
KENT, Ohio -- The The Wagon Wheel has returned to Kent State University. A lunging catch of a 5-yard touchdown pass by Chris Humphrey with one minute remaining in his final game at Dix Stadium lifted the Golden Flashes to a 27-24 victory over the University of Akron in Saturday's rivalry battle.
Colin Reardon lofted the ball to the senior wide receiver in the right corner of the end zone, capping a 10-play, 77-yard drive. The march answered a long touchdown run by Akron's Jawon Chisholm, who gave the Zips their first lead of the day with 4:30 to play.
"No matter what, we were going to get it done by any means necessary," said Kent State head coach Paul Haynes. "A lot of guys stepped up and made plays. They never gave up and kept believing.
After Kent State carried a 13-7 lead into halftime, Akron seized the momentum by controlling the football in the third quarter. The Zips finally jumped ahead on the scoreboard at 24-20 late in the final quarter when Chisholm raced 80 yards for a touchdown – his third of the day adding to runs of 2 yards in the first quarter and 41 yards in the third.
But Humphrey insisted the Flashes never had a doubt they would reclaim the Wagon Wheel as the offense took the field for the final time.
"It was nothing but positive energy," said Humphrey, who caught nine passes for 123 yards in his farewell. "(Akron) took something we wanted that is ours. We got it back. There was nothing that was going to stop us on that last drive."
On the final third-down throw from the Akron 5, Humphrey had a feeling the ball was coming his way.
"Once I saw the ball in the air, I knew I had to make a play," he said. "I couldn't have written it any better … The ball was high. I was looking up. Being a wideout, you practice getting your foot in. I knew I was getting close to the line. I got the ball and just tried my best to get that foot down."
After a short review of instant replay, referee Greg Blum announced that the touchdown had been confirmed. All that remained for Kent State was holding Akron's offense from coming up with an answer of its own.
On the very next play, Jordan Italiano intercepted a tipped pass by Akron quarterback Kyle Pohl. With 54 seconds to play, all that remained was two kneel downs by Reardon and a race for the Wagon Wheel that was waiting behind Dix Stadium's south goal post.
"Words can't describe how that felt," said Humphrey. "It meant the world to me. It let the seniors go out on a good note … and it meant we got the win for (Haynes). He is the most passionate guy I have ever met in my life for Kent State."
Fellow senior Casey Pierce caught six passes for 81 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown pass from Reardon that gave the Golden Flashes a 20-10 lead with 11 minutes to play in the third quarter.
"This game meant everything to me," said Pierce, who clutched the Wagon Wheel all through the post-game press conference. Had the Flashes lost, the tight end said he would have "tried everything to forget this season. But this game gives us something to talk about in years to come. I'm proud to have this wheel. I want it to stay here year after year and to never leave."
The comeback provided a happy ending to an often painful season that began with the unexpected death of starting center Jason Bitsko. After Saturday's win, the Flashes gathered around Bitsko's No. 54 that is painted between the 30 and 25 yard lines on the southwest side of the field.
"Jason is always there," said Haynes. "That's why we went to that 54 at the end. I can see that smile on his face right now."
The win also provides the younger Flashes with something to build on heading into 2015.
Sophomore running back Nick Holley helped the Flashes to their early lead, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run with 10:50 on the first-quarter clock. He tacked on a 24-yard scoring run, breaking a 7-7 tie later in the quarter.
Redshirt freshman Demetrius Monday made that lead stand up going into halftime, jumping a route for an interception of Pohl at the Kent State 5-yard line just before the break.
Monday said Haynes, who always stressed the importance of preparation, talked all week about needing to do even more during rivalry week, "so we studied a little bit more and got that extra time in," said Monday. "It got to a point where we knew what (Akron) was going to run."
Chisholm finished with a career high 184 yards on 19 carries. The Zips passing game struggled, however, as Pohl threw for 191 yards while completing 17-of-42 attempts.
With the exception of the Chisholm touchdown, Kent State controlled the fourth quarter. Take away the 80 yard run and the Zips gained just eight yards in the final 15 minutes as Kent State ran 35 plays to Akron's 10.
Reardon completed 28-of-45 for 298 yards and one interception to go with his two scoring throws.
"This win sets this program up for the future," said Pierce. "(Haynes) is going to be the one to turn it around because he truly cares. It's going to be a great future."
Kent State completed its season at 2-9 overall and 1-6 in Mid-American Conference play. Akron closes the season at 5-7 and 3-5 in MAC games.
Ball State 41, Bowling Green 24
Box Score
Postgame Notes
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- Behind the rushing of Ball State's all-time career leader Jahwan Edwards, the Cardinals tallied a 41-24 win over Bowling Green Friday in their season finale. With the win, Ball State improved to 5-7 overall and evened its MAC record at 4-4.
Edwards rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns to help the Cardinals go on a 34-3 run after falling behind 21-7 in the first 5:20 of the game. His final touchdown of the game topped off a 10-play, 75-yard drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock and gave Ball State a 41-24 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
The 165 yards was a season high for Edwards, who completed his Ball State career as the all-time leader in rushing yards with 4,558. The total yards ranks fifth in MAC history, while his 51 career touchdowns is the Ball State school standard and ranks fifth in league history.
Ball State quarterback Ozzie Mann completed 20-of-29 passes for 286 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in his first appearance since the Cardinals' sixth game of the season. In his sixth start of 2014, Mann's 286 yards marked a career high as did his three scoring strikes.
Bowling Green opened up the game's scoring on the first play from scrimmage when the Falcons scored on a 75-yard run. After Ball State evened the score less than two minutes later on a Mann to KeVonn Mabon 62-yard scoring strike, BG returned the ensuing kick 96 yards to take a 14-7 lead. At the 9:40 mark of the first quarter, the Falcons scored again and led 21-7 with the game barely five minutes old.
But from that point on, it was all Ball State as the Cardinals racked up 199 yards on the ground and 286 through the air.
Bowling Green would not see the scoreboard again until just under a minute remained in the third quarter to pull within 34-24 before Edwards' final career TD put the game away for the Cardinals.
Mabon ended the game with a career high 119 receiving yards on six catches, while Jordan Williams manged his 16th career TD to move him into sole possession of seventh place on Ball State's all-time list.
The victory snapped a six-game losing streak in the all-time series against the Falcons as the Cardinals defeated Bowling Green for the first time since 1996 in the first meeting between the two schools since 2008.
Ball State won its final two games of the season and four of the final six contests and finished the 2014 season with 332 total points, the sixth most in program history.
Buffalo 41, UMass 21
Box Score
AMHERST, Mass. -- The State University of New York, Buffalo football team ended the season in style with a dominant, 41-21, win over Massachusetts at McGuirk Stadium on Friday afternoon. The Bulls rolled up 548 yards of total offense, paced by Anthone Taylor's career-high 237 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
