Onside Kick & Fake Spike lead to a wild comeback for Western Michigan, a breakdown
What Happened
In a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback, the Western Michigan Broncos rally from a 10-point deficit in the final minutes to defeat the Toledo Rockets 35-34. With 3:30 remaining, Western Michigan faces a crucial 4th-and-11 situation. Quarterback Kaleb Eleby (Western Michigan) calls an audible and running back Sean Tyler (Western Michigan #22) makes a quick catch to move the chains and keep the drive alive. The referees precisely measure the first down, bending the marker that was knocked down during the play. Toledo extends their lead to 10 points on the very next drive, but Western Michigan refuses to quit. Eleby connects with wide receivers Jaylen Hall (Western Michigan #0) and DaVon Womack III (Western Michigan #45) to methodically march down the field. With 1:40 left, Eleby finds Hall again for a big gain, but he inadvertently bumps the side judge, causing a penalty. Undeterred, Western Michigan scores a touchdown, but the ensuing extra point is missed, keeping the score at 34-33. Needing a touchdown to win, Western Michigan attempts an onside kick. Kicker Nick Mihalic (Western Michigan #16) executes a perfectly placed dribbler, which is recovered by Delano Ware (Western Michigan #39). Eleby then engineers a lightning-fast drive, capped by a stunning fake spike touchdown pass to wide receiver Skyy Moore (Western Michigan #1) with just 9 seconds remaining. The Broncos convert the extra point, taking a 35-34 lead. Toledo's final desperation heave is intercepted, sealing the come-from-behind victory for Western Michigan. Head coach Tim Lester (Western Michigan) celebrates with his team, overcome with emotion after witnessing their resilience and determination. For the Broncos, this thrilling win marks a defining moment in their season and a testament to their unwavering spirit.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentall right we're going to western
michigan versus toledo game last night i
know everyone was watching but let's
break it down anyway
quick reminder for maybe those who
weren't and the person who sent this to
me thank you very much now
it's 31 to 28 toledo's up by
three if they kick a field goal here
they'll be up by six that's not that
good because western michigan just
scored touchdown and win that's math
it's the fourth quarter
there's three and a half minutes left
it's fourth and eleven and they're going
for it
let's see the play gotta get something
good here they audible a little bit
and then the one guy on western michigan
he leaves his
his area these are all football terms he
number 23 he bounces that opens up for
the running back number 22 he gets the
quick pass
and then number 23 drags him over the
first down marker
they actually broke that dude's first
down marker now here's what i love about
football
is the ref just places this ball down
you know
he's like this is where it is and he
just throws it down there
and then they measure it within
millimeters
to determine a huge outcome in the game
that guy holds the ball down don't go
anywhere ball we're measuring you
so then the refs got the bent marker
from the guy and he's like okay well
should i unbend it no it's okay this is
gonna work
and then they they drag that out and
they pull it and
bam because when the ref put the ball
down this is what he was thinking
it's right exactly on that
blade of grass you give the ref 10
chances to spot this ball
you probably split 50 50. but that's the
system in place i don't have a better
idea first down
boom huge then toledo scores a touchdown
on the very next play number 22 gets the
ball again
now they're up 10 because they add on
with the kick so they're up 10
with three minutes left and western
michigan
just picks on number 45 and number zero
on toledo that side of the that side of
the
field i mean it's just like one two
uh uh three there's number zero again
gets beat and he's like what happened
damn it
and then another play number five the qb
he just like okay i'll just check down
to you
first down number zero gets beat again
number 45 over there
then we go again 140 left five i'll just
check down to you again
okay he trips but there's 45 there's
zero
and then another play second down and
five yeah we'll just keep running this
play i guess
easy first down number zero it's like
damn what the hell then they're like you
know what
let's try and beat them deep so i throw
way downfield
they got two guys there zero's there he
gets beat one is that womack
womack iii tony womack's son stop so
that's the big play number one bumps
into number 23 throws the ball
hits the ref in the shoulder face feels
terrible about it right away sorry sir
sorry and then after a couple penalties
by toledo
they score so now it's interesting now
it's fun number 16 the kicker to add on
another point oh
no he shanks it now they need a
touchdown
that changes the outlook of this game a
lot good call
by the toledo coach no good that doesn't
even look at the coach as he runs past
him coach wanted to look at him
didn't even give him the chance because
he's got to go right back out there and
kick the onside kick
what a couple moments for this kid
little dribbler right down the middle
knocks it out and bam they get it
love a good onside kick just a dribbler
number 25 is right there they're coming
right at him scoops it up the
kicker runs into him knocks it out and
then 39 with this grab look at that grab
just wraps it up hands team how about it
number 25 didn't get it went through the
other guy's leg number 39.
great grab dude so now they're going to
go back to offense and number five is
going to team up and they're just going
to pick up
pick on number zero on toledo again in
45 and just go to that side of the field
and now watch this all right five
goes down the middle
to number one he runs down he catches
down look at number 11.
right away he bounces all the way to the
outside he's like hurry up hurry up you
guys see me you guys see me hurry up
hurry up yo hurry up hurry up hurry up
hurry up hurry up hurry up hurry up
come on come on come on come on come on
come on fake the spike they didn't even
need to fake the spike because the
coverage was busted and no one was
covering that dude and it's the easiest
touch
number one's like get over there get
over there no one's there
awesome play by number 11 and the
quarterback and here's the coach's
reaction
solid fist pump here oh i love a solid
fist bump and then this dude
celebrates too much coach is like get
off me man get off me then
hold on then you have this coach the uh
he's the get back coach
look at look at the hood of the guy in
the left the get back coach
just grabbed him by the hood a get back
oh it's not a hood it's just a shirt get
back
get back hugs all around let's touch
faces let's touch faces
uh oh and then everyone's gonna
beat him up on the sidelines and just
talk to him we'll give him a little
push here
a little push there a little hit to the
face there
coach says let's go for one send my
kicker back out there let him redeem
himself
number 16 splits the uprights
it's got to feel good for him goes from
a terrible feeling to an absolutely
great feeling
like redemption immediately doesn't feel
good for toledo
they return the kick to there and then a
little bit later they throw the ball
down field
and western michigan intercepts it and
that's the end of the game
and that's a wild finish i mean you had
an onside kick you had a missed
extra point you had a fake spike that
didn't even need to be fake spike number
five's feeling really good posting up
for all the fans to see
his teammates going to come celebrate
with them and knock him down and he's
like dude i was posting up
yeah yeah yeah yeah
yeah yeah yeah yeah
yeah yeah this one's brought to you by
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