MUNCIE, Ill. — Sean Tyler ran 75 yards for the game-winning touchdown midway through the fourth quarter and Western Michigan beat Ball State 37-30 on Saturday.
Western Michigan (1-1, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) ended a two-game skid against Ball State (0-2, 0-1) and collected its first victory at Schuemann Stadium since its undefeated 2016 season, a 52-20 win.
It took one play for the Broncos to cap the scoring with 7:33 remaining. Ball State then drove to the Western Michigan 38, but the drive stalled on an incomplete pass on fourth-and-8. The Broncos converted on fourth-and-7 to help run out the clock.
Jack Salopek threw his first career touchdown pass when he hit Crooms in the end zone for a 12-yard score and the Broncos led 29-23 on the after the first play of the fourth quarter. Ball State answered on the ensuing series when John Paddock lofted a pass to Amir Abdur-Rahman, who made a one-handed, over-the shoulder catch then ran untouched about 15 yards into the end zone for a 39-yard TD.
