WMU News

Football Broncos fall behind early, lose at Toledo

Nov. 20, 1999

TOLEDO, Ohio -- Western Michigan University (7-4 overall, 6-2 MAC) lost, 45-21, at Toledo on Saturday (Nov. 20). The Broncos fell behind, 21-0, four minutes into the second quarter and were unable to cut into Toledo's early lead, trading touchdowns with the Rockets the remainder of the afternoon.

Western Michigan got on the scoreboard at 6:42 of the second quarter on an 82-yard touchdown pass from Tim Lester to Corey Alston. That trimmed the deficit to 21-7, but Toledo responded with a Chester Taylor 7-yard touchdown run to lead, 28-7, at the intermission.

For the game, Taylor rushed for 136 yards on 22 carries. He was one of two Rockets with more than 100 yards rushing. Toledo rushed for 391 yards and held WMU to minus seven yards on the ground.

Senior quarterback Tim Lester led the Broncos, completing 27 of 41 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns. Lester became only the sixth player in NCAA Division I-A history to pass for more than 11,000 yards in his collegiate career. He also ranks No. 6 all-time in career touchdown passes, with 85.

Leading receivers for the Broncos were Steve Neal (14 catches for 114 yards), Josh Bush (5-83), Micah Zuhl (3-30), and Alston (2-96). Western's top rusher, Robert Sanford, was held to just 20 yards in seven attempts.

Leading the WMU defense was junior linebacker Scott Niles with 15 tackles. Niles has led the team in tackles each of the past five weeks.

WMU sophomore Ronald Rogers had an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to put the final points of the game on the scoreboard.

WMU has two weeks to prepare for its rematch with Marshall in the MAC Championship Game on Friday, Dec. 3, on Marshall's home field in Huntington, W.Va.

Score by quarters     1  2  3  4   F 
                      -  -  -  -  -- 
Western Michigan      0  7  7  7  21 
Toledo               14 14  7 10  45

MAC Championship game tickets on sale

The football Broncos, champions of the MAC West, will face the MAC East Division Champion Marshall in the MAC Championship Game in Huntington, W.Va., on Dec. 3. Tickets are available by calling the Bronco Ticket Office at 888 4-WMU-TIX. Seating is limited.

Bronco Express to Huntington

The Broncos are offering a Bronco Express bus trip to Huntington, W.Va., for the MAC Championship game. The price of the trip includes a game ticket, bus ride, breakfast, a pre-game meal, snacks and pop on the bus and one night's hotel stay (two people per room). All other meals are the fan's responsibility. The bus leaves Dec. 3 at 6 a.m. and arrives Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.. The WMU student rate is $80; the public rate is $150. Space is limited. Call 387-3062 or 387-2057 for more information.

Media contact: Daniel Jankowski, 616 387-4122; daniel.jankowski@wmich.edu


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