KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan kicker Gavin Peddie made a 24-yard field goal with 2:23 to play to lift WMU to a 30-27 win over the Northern Illinois University Huskies Saturday at Waldo Stadium.
 
NIU, whose starting line-up included 11 freshmen, seven on defense, held a powerful Western Michigan offense 20 points and 200 yards below their season average while controlling the ball for 40:00 and running 80 plays to the Broncos' 49. NIU outgained the Broncos, 350-325 and had 18 first downs to WMU's 15 while not committing a turnover for the first time this season.  
 
Despite the loss to the 4-0 Broncos, which dropped the Huskies' record on the season to 0-4, NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock was encouraged by his team's performance.   
 
"I liked the mentality and the approach of our football team," Hammock said. "We started seven freshmen on defense, four freshmen on offense and you couldn't tell the difference during the game. They don't know any better. They don't know they're not supposed to be out there making plays. These guys play hard, they're fearless, they expect to win. We're going to keep working, we're going to keep grinding. I love working with this team."
 
The Broncos used a trio of big plays, leading to 20 points. La'Darius Jefferson scored WMU's first touchdown on a 43-yard run in the first quarter to give the Broncos a 7-3 lead; kickoff returner D'Wayne Eskridge scored on a 100-yard kickoff return in the second quarter as WMU took a 20-17 halftime lead; and Eskridge caught a pass between a pair of Huskie defenders in the fourth quarter and went 57 yards to set up WMU's game-tying touchdown with 9:12 to play in the game.
 
"Obviously we knew [Western Michigan] was explosive [on offense]," Hammock said. "We had to try to play keep away, keep our offense on the field as much as possible. They had one player better than our guys, [Eskridge] was a difference maker, we tried to minimize him as much as possible. He had the KOR, he had the big play downfield in the fourth quarter."
 
Eskridge finished with seven catches for 134 yards, three kickoff returns for 124 yards and gained 27 yards on a reverse to total 285 all-purpose yards.  For NIU, senior wide receiver Tyrice Richie caught a career-high 12 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns.  NIU quarterback Ross Bowers completed 22-of-36 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns.
 
Defensively, cornerback Jordan Gandy led NIU with seven tackles while his five pass break-ups tied the Huskies' single game record for pass break-ups in a game.  The Huskie defense allowed WMU to convert just one of nine third downs.
 
"We're going to keep going to Tyrice," Hammock said. "If they double team him, that opens it up for someone else.  How about Dennis Robinson? He's a guy people have been down on, we've kept confidence in him to be a playmaker and he  made some plays today.  I'm proud of him.  We're going to keep coaching our players. Jordan Gandy played a heck of a ball game on defense." 
   
NIU took a 3-0 lead on the opening possession of the game on John Richardson's 38-yard field goal. The drive was a sign of things to come as the Huskies took 12 plays and 5:16 to go 50 yards with Harrison Waylee's 22-yard run setting up NIU at the 20-yard line. 
 
Western Michigan responded by going 58 yards in three plays and 42 seconds to take a 7-3 lead. La'Darius Jefferson scored on a 43-yard run and finished the game as WMU's leading rusher with 81 yards in the game.
 
The Huskies then embarked on an epic 18-play, 75-yard drive that took more than nine minutes off the clock. NIU converted three fourth downs on the drive, with the first coming on a fake punt with back-up quarterback Andrew Haidet completing an eight-yard pass to Messiah Travis on fourth-and-five.  On fourth-and-two from the WMU 26, quarterback Ross Bowers hit Tyrice Richie, who went 17 yards to the WMU nine-yard line. Then on fourth and goal from the Western Michigan three-yard line, Bowers found Richie open in the back of the end zone. After the PAT, NIU took a 10-7 lead with 14:54 to play in the second quarter.
 
A Huskie penalty on an onside kick attempt gave WMU the ball on NIU's 34-yard line and the Broncos drove to the 13, where Thiago Kapps missed a 30-yard field goal.  The Huskie offense was stymied by a holding penalty on its ensuing possession and a short punt once again gave Western Michigan starting position in Huskie territory.
 
Six play later, WMU re-took the lead on a one-yard run by quarterback Kaleb Eleby.  The PAT was missed and Western Michigan led 13-10 with 8:45 left in the half. 
 
The seesaw affair continued as NIU drove five plays in 65 yards to re-take the lead, 17-13.  Bowers hit Dennis Robinson, who set career highs for catches (3) and yards (36) in the game, for 30 yards to the WMU 29.  Back-to-back completions to freshman tailback Harrison Waylee, the last for nine yards was taken to the end zone for Waylee's first career score.
 
Eskridge scored on the ensuing kickoff to give Western Michigan a 20-17 lead with 6:25 left in the half. Despite a 56-yard kickoff return by NIU freshman Trayvon Rudolph following the score, the Huskies were forced to punt.  
 
The third quarter began with three straight three-and-outs before NIU started a drive from its 20-yard line with 10:23 on the clock.  The Huskies converted a pair of third downs on the drive, with Bowers hitting Richie, who caught the ball between two defenders and escaped to the WMU three-yard line.  One play later, Bowers connected with Dennis Robinson and the PAT gave NIU a 24-20 advantage with 6:56 on the clock.
 
That was the only score by either team in the quarter as the NIU defense forced four WMU punts in the period. The Huskies started its next scoring drive at the 2:35 mark of the third and drove 58 yards in 13 plays and 7:07 with Richardson hitting a 40-yard field goal with 10:28 to play to take a 27-20 lead.
 
Western Michigan came back to tie the game in just 1:16, driving 79 yards in three plays. One play after the Eskridge play put WMU at the Huskie 27-yard line, Eleby hit Skyy Moore down the middle for a 26-yard touchdown and the PAT tied the game at 27 with 9:12 to play.
 
The next three possessions ended in punts before WMU took advantage of the Huskies' third kick-catching interference penalty of the game to start a drive at the 50. Eskridge caught a 14-yard pass from Eleby and then went 27 yards on a reverse to put the Broncos on the NIU nine-yard line.  Three plays netted just four yards and Peddie's 24-yard field goal was good.
 
The Huskies play the last of three home games next Saturday, December 5^th when NIU takes on Toledo at 11 a.m. at Huskie Stadium.  The game can be seen on ESPN3.  Fans, including families, will NOT be allowed in the stands for the home finale.
 
-- NIU --