Western Michigan wins fourth straight, 24-17 over Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Kaleb Eleby threw a pair of touchdown passes to Skyy Moore and Western Michigan won its fourth straight game, defeating Buffalo 24-17 on Saturday in a Mid-American Conference opener.
Eleby hit a streaking Moore with a 64-yard strike to give the Broncos (4-1, 1-0) the lead with 9 1/2 minutes remaining. After Buffalo went three-and-out for the fourth straight possession, the Broncos burned almost six minutes off the clock before La'Darius Jefferson scored from a yard out.
Kyle Vantrease's 1-yard keeper cut the lead to seven with 1:17 remaining but WMU recovered an onside kick.
After WMU's Parker Sampson had missed two field goal attempts, punter Nick Mihalic kicked a 26-yard field goal to tie it at 10 earlier in the fourth quarter.
Eleby found Moore in the right corner of the end zone for a 12-yard score and a 7-0 lead in the opening quarter before Buffalo tied it less than 30 seconds later on Ron Cook's 55-yard sprint up the middle. The Bulls (2-3, 0-1) had the lead with Alex McNulty's 37-yard field goal in the third.
The game featured the MAC's top two receivers in Buffalo's Quian Williams and WMU's Corey Crooms but it was Moore piling up a career-high 163 yards on 11 catches. Williams finished with 119 yards on six catches.
Eleby was 21-of-33 passing for 279 yards as WMU outgained Buffalo 457-282. Jefferson rushed for 96 yards on 23 carries.
Zaire Barnes forced a fumble by recording the first sack against Buffalo this season but Western Michigan failed to score off the turnover.
Western Michigan's Tim Lester returned to coach in a game for the first time since Sept. 18 after testing positive for COVID-19 with a breakthrough infection.
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Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
K. Eleby
5 QB
|
K. Eleby | 21/33 | 279 | 2 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
L. Jefferson
3 RB
|
L. Jefferson | 23 | 96 | 1 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Tyler
9 RB
|
S. Tyler | 14 | 80 | 0 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Kincaide
7 RB
|
J. Kincaide | 2 | 8 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Eleby
5 QB
|
K. Eleby | 8 | -2 | 0 | 10 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
S. Moore
24 WR
|
S. Moore | 14 | 11 | 163 | 2 | 64 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Crooms
4 WR
|
C. Crooms | 13 | 4 | 52 | 0 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
L. Jefferson
3 RB
|
L. Jefferson | 2 | 2 | 33 | 0 | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Torres
85 TE
|
A. Torres | 4 | 4 | 31 | 0 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Hall
1 WR
|
J. Hall | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
C. Moment
20 LB
|
C. Moment | 5-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Z. Barnes
3 LB
|
Z. Barnes | 4-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Selig
27 LB
|
R. Selig | 4-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Ware
26 S
|
D. Ware | 4-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Coleman
7 CB
|
T. Coleman | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Carter
5 DL
|
A. Carter | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Kneeland
94 DL
|
M. Kneeland | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Thomas
6 LB
|
A. Thomas | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Holley
8 DL
|
R. Holley | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Moertl
35 S
|
J. Moertl | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Jackson
23 CB
|
D. Jackson | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Griffin
30 CB
|
C. Griffin | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Q. Cannon
33 LB
|
Q. Cannon | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Aguirre
90 DL
|
K. Aguirre | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
P. Sampson
97 K
|
P. Sampson | 0/2 | 0 | 1/1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
N. Mihalic
39 P
|
N. Mihalic | 1/1 | 26 | 2/2 | 5 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
N. Mihalic
39 P
|
N. Mihalic | 1 | 38.0 | 0 | 38 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
N. Bryant
41 LB
|
N. Bryant | 1 | 24.0 | 24 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
B. Nunnelly 19 WR
|
B. Nunnelly | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
K. Vantrease
7 QB
|
K. Vantrease | 12/22 | 151 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
R. Cook Jr.
2 RB
|
R. Cook Jr. | 3 | 56 | 1 | 55 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. McDuffie
8 RB
|
D. McDuffie | 8 | 38 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Marks Jr.
5 RB
|
K. Marks Jr. | 11 | 34 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Myers
10 QB
|
M. Myers | 2 | 4 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Vantrease
7 QB
|
K. Vantrease | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Molinich
44 TE
|
J. Molinich | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
Q. Williams
3 WR
|
Q. Williams | 8 | 6 | 119 | 0 | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Gassett
18 WR
|
J. Gassett | 3 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Molinich
44 TE
|
J. Molinich | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Johnson
9 WR
|
D. Johnson | 5 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Cook Jr.
2 RB
|
R. Cook Jr. | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
K. Laborn
0 WR
|
K. Laborn | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Borland
34 TE
|
T. Borland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
C. Gross Jr.
1 S
|
C. Gross Jr. | 6-4 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Fuqua
10 S
|
M. Fuqua | 6-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Patterson
8 LB
|
J. Patterson | 5-9 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. Hudgens
35 CB
|
L. Hudgens | 5-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Terry
5 LB
|
T. Terry | 3-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Ingram
9 CB
|
J. Ingram | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Williams
95 DL
|
D. Williams | 3-2 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Laing
55 DE
|
K. Laing | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Michel
6 DE
|
M. Michel | 3-4 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Rogers
99 DT
|
J. Rogers | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Riggins
49 DE
|
T. Riggins | 1-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Wright
2 LB
|
K. Wright | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Washington
3 CB
|
A. Washington | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
G. Wolo
90 DT
|
G. Wolo | 1-1 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Brown
7 S
|
E. Brown | 0-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Tate
33 LB
|
C. Tate | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Folsom
20 DL
|
D. Folsom | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
A. McNulty
16 K
|
A. McNulty | 1/1 | 32 | 2/2 | 5 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
J. Baltar
14 K
|
J. Baltar | 5 | 35.2 | 1 | 50 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
R. Cook Jr.
2 RB
|
R. Cook Jr. | 2 | 18.5 | 20 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
R. Cook Jr. 2 RB
|
R. Cook Jr. | 1 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 |