Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
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Western Michigan
Chippewas Stun Heavily Favored Broncos
11/11/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 11, 2000
MOUNT PLEASANT--"When Central Michigan and Western Michigan play records don't matter."
That old cliche rang true for CMU on Saturday as the Chippewas upset the heavily favored Broncos, 21-17. The loss drops Western's record to 8-2 on the year while CMU improves to 2-8.
The Chippewas set the tone from the opening kickoff. CMU got the ball first and found the end zone on the opening drive when Ira Gooch caught a short pass from Derrick Vickers and turned it into a 77-yard scoring play. Adam Clyne's extra point gave CMU a quick 7-0 advantage.
The Chippewas got the ball right back when CMU's Scott Naz picked off Western quarterback Jeff Welsh on the Broncos' first drive of the game.
Central converted on the turnover when Vickers connected with David Hannah on a 15-yard scoring play. Clyne hit the extra point to give CMU the 14-0 lead.
Western got on the board later in the first quarter on a 32-yard Brad Selent field goal to make it 14-3.
The Broncos stopped CMU on its next possession and seemed to get some momentum when they scored the first points of the second quarter on a Robert Sanford four-yard touchdown to make narrow the Chippewas' lead to 14-10.
The Chippewa defense came up big in the second quarter, picking off two Welsh passes. Brian Leigeb and Wayne Dudley both had interceptions to help the Chippewas go into the half with a 14-10 advantage.
Neither team could score in the third quarter to set up an exciting finish to the game.
Western got the first big break of the fourth quarter when Josh Bush scored on a 73-yard punt return to give the Broncos a 17-14 lead.
Trailing for the first time in the game, the Chippewas answered with a Vince Webber one-yard rushing touchdown to take a 21-17 lead. One of the key plays of the 14 play, 71-yard drive was a roughing the passer penalty that gave the Chippewas a first down.
On the following drive, Western drove the ball to the CMU 21-yard line but three incomplete passes and a false start penalty gave the ball back to CMU with just 1:14 left.
The Broncos were out of timeouts so the Chippewas were able to run out the clock to secure the upset victory.
Vickers led the Chippewas to the win with a strong performance at quarterback. He was 16-of-28 for 228 yards and two touchdowns.
Gooch led the receivers with two catches for 108 yards and a touchdown while Hannah had six receptions for 72 yards and a score. Vince Webber led CMU on the ground with 86 yards of rushing.
The CMU defense held Western's passing attack to just 99 yards. Quarterback Jeff Welsh was eight-of-20 with three interceptions and three sacks.
NOTES AND QUOTES
*Vince Webber's one-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter capped a 77-yard scoring drive for CMU. It was the longest scoring drive for CMU on the year.
*Western's Josh Bush returned a 73-yard CMU punt in the fourth quarter to set a Kelly/Shorts Stadium record. The old record was a 70-yard punt return by Ted Hollern against Northern Illinois in 1983.
*Central Michigan held a 14-10 lead at halftime to mark just the second time this season that the Broncos didn't hold the lead at the half. The last time it happened was in the season opener versus Wisconsin. Wisconsin defeated WMU, 19-16.
*Western Michigan has not won at Kelly/Shorts Stadium since 1973. The last Bronco victory in Mount Pleasant was an 18-13 decision in 1973.
CMU HEAD COACH MIKE DEBORD
On the point spread: "It was just a point spread that they put on the game without knowing what our football team had inside it. We didn't use the spread for motivation, playing Western Michigan was enough. Our guys always come to practice to work hard and that's why we won the game. Our team never quit."
On the rivalry: "There's no difference between this game and Michigan and Michigan State. Coach (Jim) Schulte and Herb Deromedi came in and gave the team great inspirational talks earlier in the week. The atmosphere was no different than that of any rivalry out there."
WMU HEAD COACH GARY DARNELL
"Congratulations to Central Michigan. It did everything a team needs to do with a rivalry game. It just shows there's not much difference between teams in the MAC. Congratulations to Mike DeBord and his staff for compiling a great game plan."Central Michigan didn't do anything unexpected. Robert Sanford had 183 yards but they weren't yards that came when the team needed them. We had too many zero-yard plays and we didn't execute at critical times."
On the rivalry: "We're a team that doesn't warm up well and we came out this afternoon warming up with emotion but it didn't carry over into the game. It just shows that anything can happen in this rivalry and any team can win at any time.
