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Western Michigan beats Toledo on incredible fake spike in final minute

Kristian Dyer

By Kristian Dyer

Published:

It was shades of Dan Marino on Wednesday night, Western Michigan using a fake spike to beat Toledo with just seconds left in the game.

Down 38-34 to Toledo, Western Michigan quarterback Kaleb Eleby faked the spike with 20 seconds left in the game. Toldeo’s defense bit and Eleby’s lofted nine-yard pass to Jaylen Hall was unopposed. With the point-after, Western Michigan took a 41-38 lead.

The trick play capped off a four-play, 51-yard drive. It was the first lead of the game for the Broncos, who were down by as much as 10 points in the fourth quarter.

The play was so effective that even the clock during the television broadcast was stopped.

With the win, Western Michigan improves to 2-0. Toledo falls to 1-1.

Toledo was unable to get into field goal range, an Eli Peters interception on the game’s final play sealing the win for the Broncos.

The Miami Dolphins immortalized the fake spike play. On a late-game drive against the New York Jets on Nov. 27, 1994, Marino faked a spike and instead hit wide receiver Mark Ingram Sr., a former first round pick out of Michigan State, for an eight-yard touchdown pass to complete the Dolphins comeback.

Kristian Dyer