If you just looked at the box score of Western Michigan's 41-38 win over Toledo on Wednesday night, you'd probably just chalk it up to a typical, high-scoring, mid-week MACtion game. Oh, but it wasn't.
The Broncos were down 10 points with 2:54 to play, and promptly went on an 11-play, 70-yard drive that culminated with a Kaleb Eleby touchdown with 44 seconds to play. As you'd expect in mid-week MACtion, Thiago Kapps missed the extra point, but Western Michigan recovered his onside kick one play later to earn one more chance.
This is where the fun really stars. Down four with 20 seconds left, Eleby found D'Wayne Eskridge to make it first-and-goal from the 9-yard line with no timeouts left. No problem, right? Just run up, spike the ball and take a few shots at the end zone.
Nope. Western Michigan got weird ... really weird. Eleby ran up to the line, called for the snap and saw Jaylen Hall all alone, uncovered, on the near sideline. The two connected for a 9-yard, game-winning touchdown after faking the spike.
Check it out.
FAKE SPIKE OMG OMG #MACtion pic.twitter.com/f6vLl4TOkR
— #MACtion (@MACSports) November 12, 2020
Now that's what you call an innovated play-action.
The win moves Western Michigan to 2-0, while Toledo falls to 1-1 on the young season.
