SNOW MACTION!!!

Football games played in the snow? Awesome.

MACtion on the week before Thanksgiving? Also awesome.

Snow MACtion? AN ABSOLUTE GLORIOUS EVENT THAT DEMANDS YOUR FULL TIME AND ATTENTION.

On Wednesday night, Central Michigan hosted Western Michigan in a battle between two MAC West squads. And while both teams entered Wednesday night’s clash — the Battle for the Victory Cannon — with losing records, you just THROW THAT OUT THE WINDOW WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SNOW MACTION.

I mean, look at these absolute scenes. We can start with play-by-play announcer Drew Carter, who posted this clip on social media prior to kickoff:

Then, the game began and things only got better from there.

Is this a snow angel? A tackle attempt? Both? Who cares, it’s SNOW MACTION!

(For the record, it was a snow angel):

Yes. Yes. Bask in the glory that is SNOW MACTION. You, wise fan, made a smart decision to attend this game. Let no one try and convince you otherwise.

I just hope you went with the double-sock method. Or even the triple-sock method. Necessary on a night like this.

Western Michigan running back Sean Tyler opened the scoring for the Broncos, on this 53-yard run. Or so I’m being told, as yard lines are somewhat tough to decipher:

Also, full credit to Carter in the booth, with the incredible “dashing through the snow” call.

Central Michigan quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. then tied the game a few snaps with a 60-yard touchdown run, and I think we all need to take a moment and appreciate this play:

This is basically 18 Power, a play out of a Pop Warner playbook, but Emanuel sees that there is absolutely no daylight to the right side, literally or figuratively. So he reverses field and manages to outrun the entire Western Michigan defense. In the snow. On what probably feels like a sheet of ice:

Oh, we’re doing Frozen references? Tremendous.

Beyond that touchdown run, Emanuel started the night completing his first three passes for 32 yards. He averaged over ten yards an attempt on his first three throws as the snow fell sideways! As a true freshman! From Houston! I don’t know if he played in snow before or not, but he looks like a natural. I am being told he is already atop the draft board for the 2025 CFL Draft.

Western Michigan had a chance to take a lead into the halftime break on this short field goal try, but Central Michigan was able to block the kick:

Here is an even better angle of the block:

Can you imagine, for a moment, coming off the edge on the kick block team and taking a frozen football right to your hands, rocketing off the kicker’s foot from just a few feet away from you? Someone get Donte Kent an NIL deal with North Face, pronto.

And maybe some Advil too.

Halftime. So let’s meet SnowFan:

Moving along ...

As the second half began, the snow had begun to taper off. But another band of the white stuff was bearing down on Mount Pleasant, Michigan, so if there was a time for explosive offense in this game, the time was now.

Unfortunately, neither team could get much of anything going on offense as the second half began. A sequence of short drives, followed by punts, was the theme of the third quarter. In fact, it seemed like there were more penalties than positive offensive plays through the first part of the third quarter. Given the situation, the social media team for Western Michigan had some fun ...

That was around the time we got a true snow angel:

But then, like a jolt of thunder snow from the football gods, some offense! Central Michigan’s other freshman quarterback, Jase Bauer, connected with wide receiver Tyson Davis for a 36-yard gain, giving the Chippewas a 1st and goal at the Western Michigan 9-yard line.

Central Michigan, however, would be forced to settle for a field goal, and a 10-7 lead.

Near the end of the third quarter, however, Western Michigan caught a break. Punter Nick Mihalic lofted a punt into the night sky, and Central Michigan returner Alec Ward settled under it for the the return. But he was hit, the ball popped out, and Corey Crooms recovered for the Broncos in Central Michigan territory.

Western Michigan would face a 4th and 5 on their ensuing possession, and looked to move the chains on a six-yard run from quarterback Treyson Bourguet, but a flag fell for holding, and the Broncos sent their punt team onto the field.

One could only wonder as to the confidence SnowFan was feeling as the third quarter drew to a close.

The Broncos would get another chance, taking over after a Central Michigan punt on their own 10-yard line, with just over nine minutes left in the game. Western Michigan finally got their offense going again, with a completion from Bourguet to Crooms, followed by a decent run from the quarterback to get the Broncos to midfield.

But the drive would stall there, and Western Michigan was forced to punt once more. Mihalic’s punt was downed at the five-yard line, and the Chippewas took over with 5:39 remaining, and a chance to put the game away.

That’s when the Broncos got the break they were looking for:

With Central Michigan facing a 3rd and long deep in their own territory, Emanuel dropped into the pocket to throw. That’s when Zaire Barnes crashed into the quarterback, and the ball popped out of Emanuel’s hands. Ryan Selig was the man on the spot with the recovery, for what looked to be a touchdown for the Broncos.

However, the play was reviewed, and officials determined it was not a touchdown, but a safety. That cut Central Michigan’s lead to 10-9, and the Broncos would get the ball right back after the free kick.

Western Michigan started their next drive on their own 35-yard line, down by one, with under four minutes left. The Broncos would get behind the sticks quickly, and face a 3rd and 11 with the game on the line.

Bourguet and Crooms delivered again, connecting on a deep seam route up the right side of the field to get the ball down to the Central Michigan 30-yard line:

Would that be enough for a field goal in the conditions? While the snow had died down by this point, a 47-yard kick in that environment seemed like, well, less than a sure thing.

Thankfully, the Broncos had Sean Tyler. The running back ripped off a 20-yard gain, making defenders miss while managing to keep his balance, and the run got the Broncos down to the 10-yard line:

The drive would stall at that point, but kicker Palmer Domschke converted from 25-yards out to tive Western Michigan the 12-10 lead with under two minutes to go:

It was a bit of redemption for Domschke, who missed earlier in the game and also had the blocked kick right before halftime. However, the game was not over.

Would Central Michigan be able to put together a drive of their own?

They would not:

Bauer’s deep shot was intercepted by Western Michigan cornerback Keni-H Lovely, and the Broncos were able to seal the victory.

We’ll always have SnowFan:

MACtion, there’s nothing like it. Especially in the snow.

Can we do it again next week?