MAC title game the next hurdle for unbeaten Western Michigan

Highlighted by a 70-yard touchdown catch by star receiver Corey Davis, WMU jumped out to a 23-7 halftime lead – a lead that could have been much bigger. Offshore and Vegas Sportsbook betting measurements advise us 71 percent favor WMU and 75 percent the over.

Navy (9-2) is 19th in the latest playoff rankings, two spots behind unbeaten Western Michigan heading into the Midshipmen’s matchup with Temple in the American Athletic Conference championship game today. Ohio’s front seven continued its consistent dominance displayed all season by holding Western Michigan’s 13th-ranked rushing attack to just 114 yards.

While the Broncos didn’t capitalize off the first turnover, they did on Ricci’s recovery, which was set up by a big hit from senior Trevor Sweeney who was trying to make an impact in his final season while on special teams.

WMU has played in the MAC title game twice, losing at Marshall in 1999 and 2000.

OH (9-4) never led and didn’t do much on offense until the final quarter, but the Bobcats still came achingly close to their first MAC championship since 1968. The pointspread has Western Michigan -18.5 and 60. Zach Terrell threw for 290 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions as the Broncos moved to 13-0 on the year.

As emotions were running high, Corey Davis took to Twitter to channel his inner Drake on the way home.

“Obviously, our defense has been very strong throughout the course of basically the season and so they have that potential and they knew they had to step up, get that done”, Solich said. A Navy win over 9-3 Temple as WMU beats 8-4 OH would likely close that gap even more. “He’s one of the most legendary coaches in college football”.

Beauregard said the streets in downtown Kalamazoo were full as the Broncos left for Ford Field.

“That’s just a testament to Coach Fleck and this entire staff”, Davis said.

Ohio Edge Rusher Tarell Basham vs WMU Tackles Taylor Moton & Chukwuma Okorafor. There is a community send-off planned for early Thursday afternoon, as the team heads out. The Broncos answered with a 13 play, 81 yard drive that kept Toledo’s offense off the field, and gave Western a 14-7 lead over the Rockets. The Broncos’ strength of schedule, which the Sagarin ratings have as the 118th-most hard in the country, includes just three wins against teams with a winning record.

Moments later, during the Broncos’ portion of the postgame press conference, quarterback Zach Terrell was asked what he thought about his team’s Cotton Bowl chances. This win marks a remarkable win for Western Michigan and their head coach PJ Fleck, who managed to only win a single game in his first year as head coach of the Broncos in 2013. The Broncos haven’t won the league since 1988, although OH has been waiting even longer – since 1968.

“I feel like there are some sleepers out there that may not think that we belong here on this stage playing this game”, OH defensive end Tarell Basham said. It’s the first MAC Championship for the Broncos since 1988 and first undefeated season sine 1941. The Midshipmen have two losses (at Air Force and at South Florida), but victories over Houston and Memphis, and potentially Temple this weekend, look better than the Big Ten also-rans the Broncos took down in September. There are six games, all involving Group of Five teams.

– Written by Bryan Fischer, an award-winning college football columnist and member of the Athlon Contributor Network.