KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Preston Hutchinson was 19 of 30 for 315 yards and three touchdowns and Eastern Michigan earned its first victory of the season with a 53-42 win over Western Michigan on Saturday.
Darius Boone Jr. ran 25 times for 148 yards and a touchdown and Samson Evans added 61 yards rushing and a TD run for the Eagles (1-4, 1-4 Mid-American Conference). The 53 points were the most Eastern Michigan has scored in the 56-game history of the all-time series with the Broncos (4-1, 4-1).
The Eagles pulled away in the third quarter after each of the back-to-back fumbles by Western Michigan deep in its own territory led to field goals by Chad Ryland to make it 43-28. The Broncos, whose only defensive stop came on the first drive of the game, scored two more touchdowns but remained unable to keep the Eagles from scoring.
Despite the loss, Western Michigan's game next week against Ball State will be for the MAC West title.
Kaleb Eleby was 18 of 26 for 288 yards and four touchdowns for Western Michigan, and La'Darius Jefferson ran 21 times for 130 yards and two TDs.
