DALLAS, Texas – Cory Munson. Field goal. Ball game.

A true freshman kicker, Munson lined up for a 52-yard attempt with no time left on the clock and sent his kick directly through the uprights to lift Western Kentucky to a 23-20 win over Western Michigan in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Monday afternoon at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

After going just 3-9 overall in 2018, Munson’s game-winning kick helped cap the Hilltoppers’ 2019 season with a 9-4 record and sends them into the offseason riding a four-game win streak entering head coach Tyson Helton’s second year at the helm.

After Western Michigan’s opening drive stalled after six plays and it had to punt, WKU covered just 13 yards on three plays before Ty Storey was picked off and the Broncos regained possession at their own 31.

Although Roger Cray broke up a pass into the end zone on 3rd and 5 from the WKU 12 to keep WMU from scoring a touchdown, Thiago Kapps kicked a 30-yard field goal to give the Broncos a 3-0 lead with 4:17 remaining in the first quarter.

The Hilltoppers responded early into the second, assembling a lengthy 11-play, 93-yard drive that lasted 5:28 and capping it with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Storey to Jahcour Pearson. Storey hit Lucky Jackson three straight times for a total of 32 yards to set up the eventual scoring play and put WKU up 7-3 at the 10:54 mark.

WKU put together another long series – this one a 12-play, 68-yard drive that knocked 5:25 off the clock – and capped it with a successful 26-yard field goal from Munson. Munson’s kick gave the Toppers a 10-3 lead with 2:22 left in the opening half.

Storey’s second turnover of the game on the Toppers’ next series helped Western Michigan quickly answer.

On 2nd and 3 at the WMU 14, Storey threw to the right sideline, the ball bounced off his intended target and Kareem Ali picked off the pass and returned it 88 yards for a TD. Ali’s big play off a strange sequence evened the scoreboard at 10-10.

WKU had the chance to take a three-point lead into the locker room at the break, but Munson’s 29-yard field goal attempt went wide right and things remained knotted after two complete quarters.

Storey was 21-of-28 passing for 216 yards at the half, while Jackson was up to 92 yards on 10 receptions and Joshua Simon had three catches for 59 yards. WKU was outgaining WMU 279-105, but the two turnovers were proving to be costly.

Storey finished 35-of-51 for 358 yards, while Jackson – the game’s Most Valuable Player – had 17 catches for 148 yards. Simon tallied 105 yards on six catches and running back Gaej Walker rushed for 93 yards on 15 carries.

Western Michigan took a 17-10 lead at the 8:18 mark of the third quarter with a six-yard TD pass from Jon Wassink to DaShon Bussell. Wassink received the snap, stepped back and fired over the middle to the open Bussell, who easily made his way into the end zone to finish off a 10-play, 90-yard series that lasted 4:30.

After not scoring since the 2:22 mark of the second, WKU finally found the end zone again early into the fourth.

Putting together a 12-play, 80-yard drive, the Hilltoppers scored on a five-yard strike from Storey to Jackson to tie it at 17-17 with 10:40 remaining. Jackson’s 16th reception of the contest – a new program record – moved him up to 137 yards and gave WKU some much-needed momentum.

Ta’Corian Darden broke up a pass into the end zone on third and goal, but the Broncos earned three points on a 20-yard field goal from Kapps to go up 20-17 with 4:58 left. Munson answered Kapps’ kick with one of his own – this one a 31-yarder – to make it 20-20 with 1:36 to go.

After a penalty was called on WMU for having 12 players on the field, the Hilltoppers received an untimed down and went to Munson, who nailed the 52-yard kick to become the hero and send WKU back to Bowling Green on a high note.