Middle Tennessee vs. Western Michigan: Score and Reaction for 2015 Bahamas Bowl

Defense may win championships, but offense wins Popeyes Bahamas Bowls.     

Western Michigan outlasted Middle Tennessee in the 2015 version 45-31 thanks to an incredible performance from its offensive stars. Running back Jamauri Bogan tallied 215 rushing yards and four touchdowns on only 19 carries, quarterback Zach Terrell threw for 297 yards and two scores, and wide receivers Corey Davis and Daniel Braverman combined for 284 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

There were simply too many weapons for the Blue Raiders defense to contain for the entire four quarters, and Mitch Fick of Fox 17 in West Michigan congratulated the Broncos program for an impressive turnaround and its first bowl win in school history:

On the other side, quarterback Brent Stockstill threw for 327 yards and three scores, but a critical interception late in the fourth quarter ended Middle Tennessee's realistic chances at a comeback.

Last season's Bahamas Bowl finished with a 49-48 Western Kentucky victory over Central Michigan. Fans looked to be in for another offensive shootout in the 2015 when the two teams combined for 34 points in the first quarter alone.

ESPN Stats & Info put the scoring fireworks into context:

However, one of the big-play touchdowns was questionable at best. Stockstill hit Richie James for a 44-yard score to give the Blue Raiders a 14-7 lead, but it appeared as if the receiver fumbled it out of the end zone instead of crossing the plane. Still, the officials said the touchdown stood after a review, and Robby Kalland of CBS Sports provided his version of rationale:

Western Michigan answered right back, largely because of Davis. The playmaker tallied 183 receiving yards, 80 of which came on a touchdown pass to tie the game at 17, and earned the praises of ESPN College Football Analyst Dustin Fox in the process:

The defenses finally showed up in the second quarter and kept the game tied at 17 heading into the halftime locker rooms. However, ESPN CollegeFootball pointed to a concern for the Broncos:

The offense returned at the start of the second half when Western Michigan marched right down the field on a six-play, 69-yard drive that Bogan capped off with a 46-yard touchdown on 4th-and-1. SB Nation demonstrated how important the momentum-swinging plays were in the game:

The Broncos continued to keep the ball on the ground with success throughout the third quarter, but it was the defense that kept the team ahead in the early going of the second half after a disastrous first quarter. Darius Phillips, who turned heads when he tallied two interceptions against Ohio State earlier in the season, contained the Blue Raiders passing attack.

Pro Football Focus noted it was business as usual for the defensive back:

Middle Tennessee responded with a reverse and a halfback swing pass to change things up, and it worked to perfection. Receiver Christian Collis took it in from 17 yards out to tie the game at 24, and Stockstill set a record in the process, per Middle Tennessee:

The theme of big plays continued on the ensuing Western Michigan possession to start the final quarter, as Terrell found Braverman for a 68-yard strike to give the Broncos the lead again at 31-24. Dr. Saturday of Yahoo Sports was impressed with Braverman's ability to break away:

ESPN Stats & Info added the statistical perspective on the long-touchdown barrage:

Western Michigan went for the surprise onside kick and recovered it, but it was called back for an offside penalty. The Broncos looked primed to seize control and potentially put the game away, but the mistake gave the Blue Raiders another chance to tie it in the fourth quarter. 

The penalty proved crucial because Middle Tennessee scored easily when Stockstill connected with James for a 29-yard score to tie the game yet again. WH Sports acknowledged the Broncos couldn't stop James throughout the contest:

All that meant was Western Michigan's offense got the opportunity to retake the lead, and it stuck to the rushing attack to do just that. Bogan exploded for a 61-yard run to put his team in scoring range and then finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown. The Broncos captured the 38-31 advantage with less than seven minutes left, and the MAC effectively summarized the proceedings:

In a game filled with offense, it was ironic that Western Michigan's defense made the most important play on the next possession. Rontavious Atkins picked off Stockstill's pass and returned it inside the Middle Tennessee 5-yard line, where Bogan punched it in to push the lead to an insurmountable 45-31. It was the biggest advantage for either team, and Hustle Belt of SB Nation recognized Atkins' play:

The Broncos defense came through yet again with a sack on third down and a stop on fourth down to get the ball back with less than four minutes left.

That stop essentially ended the contest, but Bogan ran out the clock with some physical carries through the middle for good measure. Just like that, Western Michigan captured its first bowl win in program history, 45-31.

Postgame Reaction

It was a historic moment for Western Michigan, and the team captured the triumph in the aftermath:

Broncos coach P.J. Fleck looked at things from a big-picture perspective, per the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl: "A year and 16 weeks ago, we were the worst team in college football. And now we’ve had back-to-back bowl games, the greatest turnaround in program history, in Mid-American conference history and the greatest in college football last year."

As for the Blue Raiders, quarterback Stockstill congratulated the victorious Broncos but "said his team gave up too many big plays," per Aldo Amato of the Daily News Journal.

Stockstill also "said it was hard to get things going in the fourth quarter when they were backed up on first and second down," per Amato.

It is difficult enough to keep pace with Western Michigan when a track meet breaks out on the football field without playing behind the sticks. The inability to generate much offense down the stretch doomed the Blue Raiders in their final game of the season.