Western Kentucky wins First Responder Bowl on last-second field goal

DALLAS — Freshman Cory Munson kicked a career-long 52-yard field goal with no time left after a rules review to give Western Kentucky a 23-20 victory over Western Michigan in the First Responder Bowl on Monday.

The Hilltoppers (9-4) drove 36 yards in 27 seconds before Munson kicked his third field goal in four tries. The clock had expired, and Munson was given the final play after a 5-yard defensive substitution penalty against the Broncos for having 12 players on the field. Munson tied the score at 20 on a 31-yarder with 1:36 to play. He also kicked a 26-yarder and missed from 29.

Thiago Kapps’ 20-yard field goal with 4:58 to play gave Western Michigan (7-6) a 20-17 lead.

Kapps’ field goal, his second of the game, capped a 62-yard drive that took 5:35 after Western Kentucky tied the score on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Ty Storey to Lucky Jackson with 10:40 to go. Jackson had 17 catches for 148 yards.

Western Michigan’s other touchdowns came on a 6-yard pass from Jon Wassink to DaShon Bussell midway through the third quarter and an 88-yard interception return by Kareem Ali in the first half’s closing minutes.

Storey threw a 17-yard pass to Jahcour Pearson in the second quarter for the Hilltoppers’ other touchdown on SMU’s campus.