is half-century when he turned Gregory off his leg

DETROIT -- With a conference championship finally in tow and his teams unbeaten record still intact, P.J. Fleck stopped holding back.Before he was even asked about it, the Western Michigan coach made it clear where he thought his team should be headed next.We deserve to be in the gosh darn Cotton Bowl, he said. Period. Write it down.The 13th-ranked Broncos might indeed end up there, but only after holding on for a dramatic 29-23 victory over Ohio on Friday night in the Mid-American Conference title game. WMU wrapped up its first MAC championship since 1988 when Robert Spillane intercepted a pass with 51 seconds remaining.The Broncos (13-0, No. 17 CFP) led 23-7 at halftime, but Ohio rallied and had the ball in WMU territory in the final minute when Spillane intercepted Greg Windhams pass over the middle. Spillane immediately took a knee at his own 30, then was mobbed by teammates as a Ford Field crowd full of Broncos fans roared.Ohio (8-5) never led and didnt do much on offense until the final quarter, but the Bobcats still came achingly close to their first MAC championship since 1968.Instead, WMU became the first undefeated team to win the MAC title game since Marshall in 1999. The question is whether the Broncos have done enough to make it to the Cotton Bowl. WMU is trying to earn the Group of Five bid to a New Years Six bowl.When asked previously about the playoff committee and its perception of his team, Fleck had been diplomatic, refusing to do too much lobbying. That changed after Fridays win, especially when he was asked about whether hed be paying attention to Navy this weekend.The Midshipmen, two spots behind WMU in the most recent playoff rankings, are another contender for the Cotton Bowl, and they play Temple for the American Athletic Conference title Saturday.I dont think theres anybody to pay attention to, Fleck said, becoming animated. Who are we paying attention to? Why are we paying attention to anyone? We are 13-0. Were the best Group of Five team in the country. We didnt lose a game. Whoever they put on our schedule, we beat. Theres two undefeated teams in the country -- us and Alabama. There is no argument. My TV will be off. We will be recruiting (Saturday). Im not going to watch anybody, period.Im going to wear cotton shirts, Im going to have cotton slippers, Im going to have cotton earmuffs, Im going to have a cotton jacket. Im going to wear everything cotton, from here on out.THE TAKEAWAYOhio: The Bobcats can hold their heads high after giving WMU by far its toughest game against a MAC opponent all season. Ohios defense held firm early, when a couple of fumbles by the Bobcats gave WMU a chance to break it open.They felt they had the talent to be in this game, and so did I, Ohio coach Frank Solich said. They were pretty driven to get some things done.WMU: The Broncos may end up sweating out the bowl announcements Sunday, but WMU can celebrate a truly special season no matter what happens. The Broncos nearly let it slip away in the second half, but their first conference title in nearly three decades was an accomplishment to savor.The crowd of 45,615 -- easily a record for a MAC title game -- was full of WMU fans chanting the teams row the boat mantra .We just kept our oars in the water, quarterback Zach Terrell said. Thats what this teams all about, and people might think its a cliche and that its not real, but thats just how we operate.HIGHLIGHTWestern Michigans Corey Davis, the career FBS leader in yards receiving, had eight catches for 144 yards. That included a 70-yard touchdown in the second quarter in which he caught the ball near midfield with safety Javon Hagan right behind him, opened up some distance between himself and Hagan and then outran a couple more defenders down the sideline.RARE MISTAKESTerrell, who had thrown one interception all season, was picked off twice in the second half, and Ohio held WMU without a touchdown after halftime.Obviously, our defense has been very strong throughout the course of basically the season and so they have that potential and they knew they had to step up, get that done, Solich said. I was a little worried because Western Michigan in the second half just seems to wear people down and then the score just gets away from a team thats playing them.That didnt happen Friday. Ohio repeatedly forced the Broncos to settle for field goals, but Butch Hampton made five of them for WMU. The last one was a 34-yarder that gave the Broncos a 29-23 lead with 1:24 remaining.POLL IMPLICATIONSWMU: The Broncos moved up one spot in the AP poll after last weeks win over Toledo, and they might have a chance to inch up further after winning the MAC. No. 9 Colorado lost Friday night, and No. 11 Oklahoma State plays Saturday.UP NEXTOhio: The Bobcats MAC title drought continues, but Ohio is bowl eligible for the eighth straight season.WMU: If Navy (9-2) loses Saturday, the Broncos figure to be a cinch for the Cotton Bowl. If Navy wins, it could end up being a close call between the Midshipmen and WMU.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25.---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister David Justice Jersey . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Sean Newcomb Braves Jersey . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. http://www.baseballbravesproshop.com/babe-ruth-braves-jersey/ . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Dale Murphy Braves Jersey . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Bob Uecker Jersey . LUCIE, Fla. Hampshire 281 for 6 (Ervine 103, McLaren 61, Leach 3-77) v SomersetScorecard A century from Sean Ervine, well supported by Ryan McLaren who made 61, enabled Hampshire to reach 281 for 6 on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match with Somerset at Taunton.Ervine walked out to the middle when his side lost their first wicket in the fourth over of the morning. By the time he departed for 103 more than 80 overs later he had seen Hampshire to within sight of posting a competitive total.McLaren helped add 112 for the fifth wicket. Jack Leach was the pick of the home attack with 3 for 77 off 30 overs while fellow left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe ended with 2 for 81 off 25.Hampshire opted to bat first on a wicket with green tinges, a decision they might have doubted when Somerset opening bowler Lewis Gregory made an early breakthrough. Jimmy Adams played inside a good length ball with the score on 16.Somerset introduced spin well before noon, with their leading wicket taker Leach and van der Merwe coming into the attack. The latter was rewarded with his fifth ball when he bowled Will Smith for 16 with a delivery that clipped leg stump.James Vince, returning from England duty, did not resume the Hampshire captaincy - Will Smith continuing that role - and was bowled without scoring by Leach with a ball that pitched on leg, but took middle stump.Van der Merwe cclaimed a second wicket just before lunch when he accounted for Adam Wheater, lbw playing back to a full ball, for 21, which made the total 92 for 4.dddddddddddd.If the morning belonged to the home side then Hampshire spent the second session playing themselves back into the game.Ervine, unbeaten on 39 at the break went to his half-century when he turned Gregory off his legs to square leg, his runs coming off 98 balls with five fours.McLaren kept Ervine company and together the pair resisted the considerable pressure from the Somerset attack. McLaren went to his half-century with a boundary through the covers off Jim Allenby, having faced 139 balls.The stand ended when McLaren was well caught by Tom Abell off the full face of the bat at short-leg off Leach, with the total on 210.Ervine continued to move closer to his century, which he reached when he clipped Gregory behind square leg for two, his runs coming off 200 balls with 10 fours.The new ball was only five overs old when Leach was brought back on and with his fourth delivery had Ervine leg before to end a fine innings.Hampshire wicketkeeper Lewis McManus and Gareth Berg then remained together to see their side through to the close, by which time McManus was unbeaten on 41 and Berg was on 12. ' ' '