Western Michigan ran for 303 yards, forced four turnovers and blasted Kennesaw State 41-6 in the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Friday afternoon in Conway, S.C.
The Broncos (10-4) won their sixth straight game to reach double-digit wins for the second time in program history.
“This team deserves so much recognition,” Broncos coach Lance Taylor said. “What they did this season, a special season, one of the best teams in WMU history. We played to our standard, not to the score. I think you saw them do that on the field. All three phases, multiple guys stepped up and made plays today.”
Jalen Buckley started the game with a 65-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage. He finished with eight carries for 174 yards and a score, all in the first half. Devin Miles added 68 yards and a score on 19 carries.
Western Michigan quarterback Broc Lowry completed 12 of 19 passes for 120 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
The Owls (10-3) were only outgained 423-378 but saw two turnovers returned for touchdowns. Amari Odom completed 18 of 35 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions and two fumbles.
Kennesaw State’s Chase Belcher carried the ball 16 times for a career-high 148 yards, and Javon Rogers had three catches for 111 yards and a score.
Western Michigan jumped all over the Owls from the start, leading 14-0 just 76 seconds in and 27-0 before the end of the first quarter.
Rodney McGraw had a strip sack of Odom on Kennesaw State’s fourth play which Kershawn Fisher returned 47 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-0.
The Broncos kept piling on from there, following up a pair of punts by the Owls with drives which ended in touchdown passes.
First, Lowry connected with Mareyohn Hrabowski for a 4-yard TD pass to make it 21-0 with 7:39 left in the first. Then he found Blake Bosma for a 3-yard score which made it 27-0.
Devin Miles capped off the first-half onslaught with a 2-yard TD run with 7:45 left in the half to make it 34-0.
The Broncos picked up right where they left off after halftime, with Joey Pope intercepting Odom on the opening possession and returning it 75 yards for a touchdown and a 41-0 lead.
Kennesaw State broke up the shutout in explosive fashion when Odom found Rogers for an 82-yard touchdown pass with 4:10 left in the third quarter.
