Tuesday's college football: Bogan's late TD boosts Broncos to victory
Kalamazoo — Jamauri Bogan rushed for 63 yards and two touchdowns and Western Michigan held off Northern Illinois, 28-21, on Tuesday night.
Bogan’s second touchdown came from a yard out with 1:36 left in the fourth quarter and helped the Broncos (7-5, 5-3 Mid-American Conference) knock off the Huskies (7-5, 6-2), who had already wrapped up the West Division title and a berth in the MAC championship game.
Bogan scored on a 2-yard run to stake the Broncos to a 7-0 first-quarter lead, but Northern Illinois’ Marcus Childers hooked up with Spencer Tears for a 58-yard scoring strike and a 7-all tie. Freshman Gavin Peddie kicked two second-quarter field goals to give Western Michigan a 13-7 lead at intermission.
The Huskies grabbed a 14-13 lead midway through the third quarter on Childers’ 1-yard touchdown run, but Kaleb Eleby scored on a 2-yard run and hit Jayden Reed for the 2-point conversion to put the Broncos back on top, 21-14. Northern Illinois pulled even again when Sutton Smith picked up a LeVante Bellamy fumble and raced 85 yards to the end zone with 28 seconds left in the third quarter.
Western Michigan’s defense held the Huskies to two three-and-out drives in the fourth quarter and polished off the win when Harrison Taylor picked off Childers with 1:36 remaining.
Eleby passed for 285 yards and connected with D’Wayne Eskridge six times for 123 yards.
Bowling for Terrapins
The Terrapins aren’t done yet. After trying for three straight weeks to become bowl eligible with their sixth win of the season, Maryland (5-6, 3-5 Big Ten) has one last chance to get it right Saturday against No. 15 Penn State (8-3, 5-3).
“I’m proud regardless, but we need to win,” interim coach Matt Canada said.
Offensive lineman Jordan McNair collapsed on the practice field in May and died of heatstroke in June. In August, the school launched investigations into McNair’s treatment at scene and the culture of the football program, and also placed DJ Durkin on administrative leave.
With Canada serving as interim coach and offensive coordinator, the Terrapins opened with an upset of then-No. 23 Texas were 5-3 on Oct. 27 after a 63-24 rout of Illinois.
On Oct. 30, Durkin was reinstated by University System of Maryland board of regents. The next day, he was fired by University president Wallace Loh.
Since then, Maryland has been in futile pursuit of its sixth win of the season.
The skid began with a 24-3 loss at home to Michigan State. Then, after rallying from a 31-15 deficit at Indiana, Maryland lost 34-32 on a late field goal. That wasn’t nearly as heartbreaking as last week’s 52-51 overtime defeat against then-No. 9 Ohio State, when Canada boldly called for a 2-point conversion try in overtime that failed on the final play of the game.
Now, Maryland must knock off Penn State to become bowl bound and make this season an unequivocal success.
Extra points
Massachusetts is working on parting ways with coach Mark Whipple, who has led the Minutemen to just 16 victories in six seasons, a person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press.
... Phil Estes is resigning as Brown coach. He was 115-94 in 20 years, leading the team to three Ivy League titles.
... Arkansas cornerback Jordon Curtis suffered a wound above his right eye after he was struck by a car in a pedestrian crosswalk near the Fred W. Smith Football Center.