By Tiffany Williams –
Western Michigan delivered its most punishing ground performance of the season and turned a 13-0 hole into a 35-19 win over Northern Illinois on Tuesday night, a victory built on rushing dominance, defensive answers and complete control of the game’s final three quarters. The Broncos piled up a season-high 361 rushing yards, with Jalen Buckley, Devin Miles and quarterback Broc Lowry all crossing the 100-yard mark. Miles reached the century mark for the first time in his career, Buckley handled a game-high 24 carries and scored twice, and Lowry found the end zone three times.
NIU struck early, marching 75 yards on its opening drive and jumping ahead on a 43-yard touchdown run by Telly Johnson Jr. A deflected Lowry pass on WMU’s first offensive snap set up a second NIU score as Andrew Glass connected from 39 yards for a 10-0 edge. Glass added a 41-yarder early in the second quarter, but NIU’s offense stalled from there. Western Michigan’s defense held the Huskies to 252 total yards and only 78 through the air, while graduate transfer linebacker James Camden paced the Broncos with 13 tackles and a half sack. Senior defensive end Nadame Tucker added eight tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a half sack as WMU’s front repeatedly shut down NIU possessions.
WMU’s comeback began with a field-position swing mid-second quarter. After a Ryan Millmore punt pinned NIU at the six, the Broncos forced a three-and-out and took over at midfield. Miles broke loose for 32 yards, and Lowry punched in an 18-yard run two plays later to cut the lead to 13-7. Following a fourth-down stop by Camden, Buckley carried five straight times and scored from eight yards out, sending Western Michigan into halftime with a 14-13 lead.
The Broncos seized full control to open the second half, grinding out a 12-play, 89-yard touchdown drive capped by an eight-yard run from Lowry. Their next march covered 76 yards over 15 plays and ended with a one-yard plunge from Buckley, stretching the lead to 28-13. A bad NIU snap on a punt set up WMU at the Huskies’ five, and Lowry scored his third touchdown two plays later for a 35-13 advantage. NIU added a late score on an 18-yard pass from Brady Davidson to Rickey Taylor Jr., but WMU recovered the onside kick and drained the clock, attempting only one pass in the entire second half.
Northern Illinois rotated quarterbacks and leaned heavily on its own rushing attack, finishing with 174 yards on the ground, led by Chavon Wright’s 92 yards. Jasper Beeler posted 13 tackles and an interception for the Huskies, while Quinn Urwiler added 11 tackles, marking his 10th double-digit performance of the season.
Western Michigan improved to 7-4 and 6-1 in MAC play and will close the regular season next Tuesday at Eastern Michigan. NIU, now 3-8 and 2-5 in the conference, will finish its 2025 season at home against Kent State on Nov. 28 in what will be both Senior Day and the program’s final MAC game.
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