Wolff throws for 3 TDs, Nixon runs for 3 more and Western Michigan tops Ball State 45-42

MUNCIE, Ind. — Hayden Wolff threw three touchdown passes, Jaden Nixon scored three times on the ground, and Western Michigan rallied in the second half to defeat Ball State 45-42 on Saturday.

The Broncos (2-3, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) led 21-14 after one quarter but trailed 35-28 in the middle of the third. Western Michigan then scored the next 17 points on a field goal, a 23-yard TD run by Nixon and 2-yard TD pass from Wolff to Anthony Sambucci.

Trailing 45-35 late in the fourth, Ball State (1-4, 0-2) made it a three-point game when Kadin Semonza hit Cam Pickett with a 27-yard touchdown pass. Western Michigan recovered an onside kick then took a knee three times to run out the clock.

Nixon had 124 yards rushing with a long of 57 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos had 197 yards on the ground.

Wolff completed 26 of 29 passes for 264 yards. His touchdowns went 10 yards to Blake Bosma and 43 yards to Malique Dieudonne in addition to the short TD to Sambucci.

Semonza threw for 307 yards on 21 of 35 passing. He threw three TD passes, but was intercepted twice. Tanner Koziol caught nine passes for 102 yards.

__ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football