FINAL: Western Michigan defense, Broc Lowry shine in 38-7 drubbing of Kent State

The Broncos kick off homecoming at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+ against the Golden Flashes.

(Andrew Graham/Mitten Football)

Kalamazoo — Western Michigan hosts Kent State at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, at Waldo Stadium as the Broncos try to move to 2-0 in conference play.

WMU escaped with a goal line stand win last Saturday in Buffalo, while Kent State had some special teams gaffes and lack of offense hold it back in a 13-10 loss to Ohio.

It’s homecoming for the hosts, and Saturday is a big potential lookahead spot for WMU, with a trip to Mt. Pleasant to play for the Victory Cannon is set for next Saturday.

Mitten Football will have live updates throughout here and plenty of coverage to follow.

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FINAL: Western Michigan 38, Kent State 7

Western Michigan (4-2, 2-0 MAC) rolled to a thorough 38-7 win over Kent State on Saturday, riding a disruptive day from the defensive front and a sterling showing from Broc Lowry to an eventual blowout.

After WMU had strolled out to a 14-0 lead with an quick opening drive score, a stop, and another quick scored — all told 14 plays for 138 yards and 14 points to start — Kent State managed a touchdown on the first play out of the two minute stoppage before halftime.

But WMU responded, namely with a surgical set of dropbacks from Lowry capped with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Baylin Brooks, to go up 21-7 just 1:19 later.

It’d be the start of 24 straight points for WMU as Lowry finished 18-of-26 for 257 yards and three touchdowns plus nine carries for 52 yards and another touchdown. Brooks had one touchdown and tight end Adam Parks finished with two on the day he got his first score as a Bronco.

WMU’s pass rush also came to dominate, finishing with five sacks and six tackles for loss while constantly haranguing and harassing Kent State quarterback Dru DeShields.

An interception late with the backups in, via Gabe Welch, was an exclamation on comprehensive win.

It wasn’t a flawless or wall-to-wall dominant day, but Western Michigan got ahead, stayed ahead, and never looked like it wouldn’t eventually find itself where it did: Beating the hell out of Kent State.

Touchdown, WMU — Petty runs for TD on 4th down

The Broncos moved the pocket left on 4th and 3 from the Kent State 4 yard line, but backup QB Trey Petty didn't like his options so he shot forward, then to the right and then ran away from any defender with a hint of an angle to make it 38-7.

That 4th and goal play came after Petty couldn't connect with TE Nate Levicki for TD — the pass was complete, but Levicki's foot was just out of bounds when he caught it at the front pylon.

There are 3:11 left here in Kalamazoo.

Trey Petty in at QB with 8:33 to play

With WMU up, 31-7, and Kent State turning it over on downs with fewer than nine minutes to play, backup QB Trey Petty is in.

Broc Lowry finishes his day with four total touchdowns. Lowry went 18-of-26 for 257 yards and three touchdowns while rushing nine times for 52 yards and another score.

Lowry played with unflappable pocket presence, deftly scooting away from danger or getting rid of the ball before anything bad could befall him. And he was unafraid challenging Kent State down the field, completing passes of 25, 28, 30, 33 and 42 yards vs. the Golden Flashes.

Domschke kicks another out of bounds for WMU

Palmer Domschke now has two kickoffs that have gone out of bounds in the second half. But in this case, because of the roughing the passer on Kent State on WMU's touchdown, the ball goes to the 20 for Kent State as the yardages more or less cancel out.

Touchdown, WMU — Parks hauls in TD No. 2

Broc Lowry dodges a hit, rolls a few steps left and floats one to TE Adam Parks, who fights in for his second touchdown of the day. Lowry takes a late hit, to boot, and draws the flag.

It's now 31-7, with the PAT, and WMU has 10:58 left in this one until going 2-0 in the MAC. Lowry is up to 257 yards passing and has four total touchdowns.

Nate Levicki hauls in long catch, survives big shot

Broc Lowry left a bit of air under a throw up the right seam to Levicki, who hauled it in and survived a big blow from a safety coming across from the middle.

It's a 25 yard catch for Levicki and Lowry is up to a career-high 245 yards — and counting, adding eight more on a completion to Aveion Chenault.

End of 3: Western Michigan 24, Kent State 7

A WMU field goal counted for the only three points in that quarter, which serves the hosts well in bleeding out the game for another MAC win.

Kent State will punt from its own 30 on 4th and 12 out of the stoppage.

It hasn't been a dominant showing from the Broncos by just peering at the stats, but this has been a pretty comprehensive performance down-to-down so far.

WMU tacks on 3 via Dieter Kelly field goal

Kelly hits his first attempt of the day, good from 31 yards out. WMU takes a 24-7 lead.

Turns out that jamming up Kent State within its own 1 yard line paid off, as the Golden Flashes quickly punted and WMU walked down into scoring territory.

There's 2:17 left in the third quarter.

WMU fake field goal stopped

WMU appeared to be kicking a 19-yard field goal from the 2 yard line, with Trey Petty as the holder. And Petty instead kept and tried running around the left side for a touchdown, but got jammed up and dropped mere inches from breaking the plane.

It's a big stop for the Kent State defense to keep it 21-7 with 9:15 left in the third quarter. But it's also not a bad gamble for WMU, with four sacks, to put the Golden Flashes in a backed up spot playing out of its own end zone.

Broncos force 3 and out to open 2nd half

A first down sack backed up the Golden Flashes and meant WMU forced a quick 4th and 4 from the Kent State 41 and the visitors punted.

The punt bounced inside the 10 and then inside the 5 yard line but went into the end zone for a touchback. It's the first three-and-out that WMU's defense has forced this game.

Domschke's 2nd half opening kick goes out of bounds

Palmer Domschke, healthy enough to play today, has handled kickoff duties for WMU while Dieter Kelly remains the field goal and PAT guy.

And to open the second half, Domschke's short kick dribbles out of bounds and Kent State starts at the 35.

HALF: Western Michigan 21, Kent State 7

Broc Lowry, have a half of football: Three total touchdowns, including two through the air to go with a 12-for-16 for 162 yard performance. He rushed four times for 28 yards and an additional touchdown.

Lowry's shown confidence ripping the ball down the field, including over the middle of the field, and helped set up a few pass interference calls in spots where his receivers haven't hauled it in. He's also shown good command and control, including making a few timely, accurate throws to take meager sideline chunks on a two-minute drive to end the half, which Lowry capped with a near-perfect throw to Baylin Brooks for the score.

WMU's defense hasn't been a stalwart, but has largely kept Kent State away from the end zone, save for the one touchdown that the Golden Flashes came up with just out of the two-minute stoppage.

But for what WMU's defense has failed to do in stopping Kent State outright, it has more than made up for with havoc plays, namely sacks and tackles for loss. WMU finished the first half with three sacks among four tackles for loss and put myriad other hits on Kent State QB Dru DeShields.

Touchdown, WMU — Broncos pull out two-minute drill TD

Broc Lowry has been sizzling in the first half and Baylin Brooks gets the second touchdown pass for the WMU QB, hauling in a corner route for 28 yards and the score. The drive covered 73 yards on nine plays and took just 1:16 of game clock.

And it means, with :33 left in the half, that Kent State is likely not able to pull off a double score by receiving the ball to start the second half.

Touchdown, Kent State — End zone shot pays off for Golden Flashes

Brendyn Smith pushed up the seam, got position behind Jarvarius Sims, and had just enough reach and extension snag the rifled throw from Dru DeShields to the left side of the end zone.

PAT is good and WMU now leads 14-7 with 1:55 left until half time.

A bold call out of the two minute warning pays off for Kent State to break the scoring seal.

Two minute warning: Western Michigan 14, Kent State 0

Kent State has moved the ball fairly well outside of the red zone, with 142 yards to the 144 total that WMU has. But the Golden Flashes have gotten jammed up, stopped, and turned around in various ways when close to scoring in this game.

So it'll be a key spot after this stoppage, with 2nd and 7 for Kent State at the WMU 20 coming up out of the break.

Kent State is set to receive the kick to open the second half.

WMU goes 3 and out again

After two straight drives where WMU marched down the field, in part by attacking Kent State's defense down the field in rhythm, the Broncos have now been stuck in neutral the last two offensive series.

All told, six plays for six yards gained after piling up 138 on 14 plays to start the game.

Kent State takes over at its 49 after a solid punt and nice return. 4:28 to half.

Kent State crosses 50, forced to punt

The punt for the Golden Flashes goes for a touchback and WMU will start at the 20.

WMU fizzled out the previous Kent State drive, which crossed the 50 on a well-timed screen call, with more pressure and a sack on Dru DeShields, the third so far. Getting more pressure has been a point of emphasis for the WMU defense, and with eight sacks across the last six quarters, that goal seems to be getting achieved.

WMU has 6:05 until half to add to the lead.

Broncos go 3 and out

A first down run by Broc Lowry picked up four, then a swing to the running back on second down went for a loss and the third down play didn't do much better.

First time out for Ryan Millmore on Saturday and he boots it to the Kent State 37 — a 33 yard punt. It's 14-0, WMU, with 8:59 to halftime.

WMU forces turnover on downs

A sack from Dillon Moore on 3rd and 10 set up 4th and 18 from the WMU 30. It was too close to punt, too far to kick a field goal, and the desperate call on fourth down didn't work well for the Golden Flashes either.

Justyce Betts ended up escorting a scrambling Dru DeShields out of bounds at the WMU 26, as the Broncos can try to make it three scores on three drives to open this game.

Touchdown, WMU — Lowry keeps it for a short rushing score

The Broncos motioned Jalen Buckley from the slot, Broc Lowry faked the pitch and then followed his blocks along the right side of the offensive line to spin into pay dirt.

WMU's now run 14 plays for 138 yards and two touchdowns today.

End of 1: Western Michigan 7, Kent State 0

Western Michigan will have third and goal from the Kent State 2 yard line to begin the second quarter, as the Broncos are on the precipice of taking some early control.

Broc Lowry and the passing game in particular has shone for the Broncos, with Lowry 4-of-5 for 104 yards and a touchdown already. He's hit big plays to Egypt Nelson, Adam Parks and on the second drive Cole Cabana. The Broncos also drew a PI on the Kent State defense to set up 1st and goal at the 1.

WMU defense gets quasi sack, Kent State misses FG

DeJuan Echoles Jr. got home to Dru DeShields on third down, and DeShields rifled a ball blindly into the WMU bench from the pocket as he went down, bringing out intentional grounding.

On fourth down and very, very long, Kent State trotted out Sean Leonard for a 42-yard field goal attempt that he sent left.

WMU stays up, 7-0, with 4:36 left in the first quarter, as both teams have possessed the ball once.

Kent State crosses 50, converts 4th and 5

The Broncos appeared to have forced a stop but Kent State kept the offense on the field for its first drive and Dru DeShields completed a pass on 4th and 5 keep the drive going, and taking the Golden Flashes to the WMU 30.

WMU had a pass rush package with Scoop Gardner Jr., KJ Burley and DeJuan Echoles on the field with linebackers Dillon Moore and Justyce Betts walked up on the line with them for the 3rd and 5 and 4th and 5 plays.

Touchdown, Western Michigan — two explosive passes get WMU in end zone

Facing 3rd and 11 after the firs two plays from scrimmage went for a short gain then a short loss, WMU QB Broc Lowry dropped back and ripped a middle-of-the-field throw to Egypt Nelson on a post for a 33-yard gain.

Then on 1st and 10 from the Kent State 42, Adam Parks ran wide open down the left hash and Lowry found him. Parks just had to cruise about 15 yards, cutting back on one defender, to score.

Four play, 75-yard scoring drive puts WMU up 7-0 in just 1:59.