MAC Championship 2016: Western Michigan vs

Despite completing a flawless 13-0 season Friday night, the Western Michigan Broncos left the MAC championship game still not knowing if they had earned a trip to the Cotton Bowl. The final score was 29 to 23.

Not many are giving OH a chance to slow down the Broncos’ offense, much less get the win.

The Broncos have carried the league’s banner all season long and are riding a 14-game winning streak heading into the league title game, a mark good for second in the country behind fellow undefeated Alabama.

Western Michigan wasted no time to respond, scoring on its next play from scrimmage when quarterback Zach Terrell found Corey Davis across the middle before he outraced the Bobcats defense for a 70-yard touchdown reception to give the Broncos a 16-7 lead.

Butch Hampton would connect on three straight field goals and the Broncos would jump out to an early 9-0 lead on the field.

The Midshipmen were ranked only two spots behind WMU in the latest College Football Playoff rankings and could have possibly stood in the Broncos’ way for the Group of Five’s New Year’s Six bowl berth. Or, should Navy win its AAC Championship game Saturday against Temple (noon, ABC), the committee could wait another week until after the Army-Navy game.

Terrell was 19-for-31 for 290 yards and two touchdowns, both scores coming in the second quarter, as WMU turned from the run game to the passing game and opened up a 23-7 halftime lead. “You need to row every single moment”, Fleck told ESPN after the game. The offers could start rolling in this weekend.

The Broncos dominated the first half, out-gaining the Bobcat, 270-107 and holding the ball for 6:12 longer while taking advantage of two OH turnovers. As great as all this success has been, it would be crushing for this team, seniors especially, if they failed to complete the job at the last hurdle in the title game. What are they, a plus 18 on turnovers?

Hampton’s 33-yard field goal later in the quarter stretched Western Michigan’s lead to 13. OH drove down the field, but Windham threw an interception that sealed the game for Western Michigan.

OH quickly tacked on a touchdown in the third quarter after Terrell’s pass went high and behind Davis, who tipped the ball to Brad Ellis for an interception that the Bobcats defensive back returned to the WMU 5.

Terrell, who for the past four years has teamed with Corey Davis, the most prolific receiver in FBS history, has thrown 30 touchdowns and only one interception this season.

Ohio Bobcats: Frank Solich and his team perhaps will feel a little bit forgotten about in the build up to this title game.

The Ohio Bobcats have managed to find themselves playing in Detroit once again.

Standing in their way is an experienced OH squad out of the East Division that is built on playing tough defense, running the ball and creating turnovers.

“They felt they had the talent to be in this game, and so did I”, OH coach Frank Solich said.

That will easily break the MAC championship game record, set in 1998, when Marshall hosted 28,085.