Kalamazoo, MI –Kareem Hunt rushed for a season-high 200 yards and picked up another 73 yards on three receptions but it wasn't enough to slow down No. 14 Western Michigan as the Broncos rolled in the MAC West Division showdown, 55-35, at Kalamazoo Friday night.
 
The victory clinched the West Division for WMU (12-0, 8-0 MAC), which will now advance to the MAC Championship Game vs. East Division champ Ohio next week.
 
Western scored on an interception on the first play from scrimmage and never looked back. The Broncos led, 24-14, at the half, then scored three touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game out of reach. Toledo actually outgained WMU, 456-445, but lost three turnovers that were converted into Bronco touchdowns.
 
Hunt tried to keep the Rockets close in the first half, accounting for 173 of Toledo's 197 first-half yards. His 38-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter cut the Bronco lead to 17-14 but UT would never get any closer.  Woodside completed 13-of-24 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns. Tight end Michael Roberts caught three TD passes, giving him 15 for the season which broke the school record of 14 set by Lance Moore in 2004.
 
It took WMU exactly 12 seconds to get on the scoreboard as Asantay Brown picked off Woodside's first pass attempt and returned it 21 yards for the score. The Rockets got right off the mat, however, marching 75 yards in six plays to tie the score, 7-7. Hunt had a 41-yard reception and runs of 16 and 10 yards in the drive. Roberts capped off the drive with a nine-yard TD reception.
 
The Broncos made it 14-7 with a 13-play, 81-yard drive that was finished off by Jarvion Franklin's 14-yard run up the middle with 5:18 left in the first quarter. One minute into the second quarter, the Broncos went up, 17-7, thanks to a 23-yard field goal by Butch Hampton.
 
Hunt countered with a 38-yard touchdown run that he finished off with a dive just inside the pylon to cut the lead to 17-14 with 12:16 left in the half. Toledo then forced a WMU punt but was stopped on fourth-and-two at midfield. The Broncos then turned that defensive stop into seven points with an 11-play, 55-yard drive that culminated with a three-yard TD run up the gut by Franklin on third down, making the score 24-14 at the break.
 
Western took the kickoff at the start of the third quarter and promptly marched 76 yards in 12 plays to push the lead out to 31-14. Corey Davis caught passes of 20, 17 and a one yards on the drive, the last one for the score. Following a Toledo punt, WMU moved quickly down the field again, scoring on a 27-yard run by Jamauri Bogan to make the score 38-14.
 
WMU forced its second turnover of the game on a fumble by Woodside following a sack. The Broncos recovered on the nine-yard line and scored on the next play, a nine-yard pass from Zach Terrell to Carrington Thompson.
 
Roberts caught his second TD of the game, a three-yarder, early in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 45-21. WMU added to its lead with a 23-yard field goal by Hampton, growing the lead to 48-21. Roberts caught his third TD, a 21-yarder with 7:53 to play, to trim the lead to 48-28.
 
The Broncos scored their final touchdown on a seven-yard pass from Terrell to Donnie Ernsberger with 1:41 remaining, making the score 55-28. The Rockets drove 76 yards in 1:06 to close the night's scoring with a two-yard touchdown plunge by Terry Swanson.
 
 Toledo (9-3, 6-2 MAC) will now wait to find out its bowl destination. Bowl invitations go out on Sunday, Dec. 4.


Head Coach Jason Candle


Junior quarterback Logan Woodside


Senior safety DeJuan Rogers