Senior quarterback Jeff Welsh tossed a career-high five touchdowns to lead Division-I-A Western Michigan past Illinois State, 48-7, before a sellout crowd in the season-opener for both teams at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Mich., Thursday.
Welsh, who completed 58.5 percent of his passes as a junior in 2000, made good on 19-of-26 attempts as he diced the Redbird defense for 330 yards and five scoring strikes. The Western Michigan (1-0) defense, which ranked No. 9 overall nationally last season, gave Welsh all the support he needed by holding Illinois State (0-1) to 248 yards of total offense and 14 first downs.
Welsh wasted little time exploiting the young Illinois State secondary as he connected with wideout Marco Wolverton on a 54-yard pass on the Broncos first play from scrimmage. The Broncos were on the board four plays later when running back Charles Woods dove into the end zone from two yards out to give WMU a 7-0 lead.
Following a 10-play drive by ISU, the Broncos went back to work on offense with a 13-play, 66-yard drive that saw Welsh complete eight consecutive passes, including a nine-yard scoring strike to tight end Anthony Kiner to give WMU a 14-0 lead less than a minute into the second quarter.
On the Broncos ensuing drive, Welsh went to the air again, firing a 65-yard touchdown pass to Josh Bush to give the Broncos a 21-0 advantage mid-way through the second quarter.
Senior Jeff Ryan replaced Welsh at quarterback and led the Broncos on an efficient eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive that was culminated in Kiners second touchdown reception of the game.
Welsh returned to the game on the Broncos next drive and went back to work picking apart the Redbird secondary. Welsch led the Broncos on a five-play 70-yard drive that resulted in a 21-yard touchdown pass to wideout Kendrick Mosley to give the Broncos a 34-0 lead at the half.
Welsh picked up where he left off in the first half as he tossed touchdowns on back-to-back possessions to start the second half, a 21-yarder to Brandon Johnson and a 41-yarder to Micah Zuhl.
Dusty Burk, who was at the helm of the ISU offense in the first and fourth quarters, completed 6-of-11 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. Junior college transfer Kevin Zouzounis, who led the Redbird offensive attack in the second and third quarters, racked up 84 yards while completing 11-of-19 passes.
Vito Golson pulled down five receptions for 69 yards and a 17-yard touchdown late in the game from Burk. Nolan Gatewood chipped in with four catches for 19 yards, Mike Andreacchi added three catches for 18 yards and Wayne Riley pulled down two balls for 15 yards.
Quincy Washington led the Redbird running game with 92 yards on nine carries, including a long scamper of 42 yards, while Willie Watts grinded out 47 tough yards on 20 carries.
The loss snaps the Birds six-game winning streak and is their first season-opening defeat since the 1997 campaign.
Illinois State plays at Murray State on September 8.
