YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) _ Robert Sanford ran 25 yards for a touchdown on Western Michigan's first overtime play, giving the Broncos a 40-37 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday night.

Sanford, who ran for 134 yards on 26 carries, scored the game-winner one play after Toller Starnes' 34-yard field goal gave the Eagles a 37-34 lead.

The victory kept Western Michigan (4-2, 3-0 Mid-American Conference) alone atop the West Division standings. Eastern Michigan dropped to 1-4 and 1-2.

Tim Lester became Western Michigan's career total offense leader while completing 19 of 30 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns, all to Steve Neal in the first half.

Lester, who has thrown 20 touchdown passes this year, has 9,185 total offense yards to move ahead of Brad Tayles on the Broncos' career list.

Neal, with touchdown catches of 58, 65 and 35 yards, became Western Michigan's career leader in scoring receptions with 22.

Eastern Michigan quarterback Walt Church was 29-of-50 passing for 312 yards and one touchdown.

Western Michigan had 436 total yards to the Eagles' 409.

The Broncos had two chances to win in the last seconds of regulation, but Brad Selent missed two field goal attempts.

Selent pulled a 29-yard try wide left but got another chance when Eastern Michigan was called for running into the kicker. Selent, who has three last-second game-winning field goals in his career, then clanged a 24-yard attempt off the left upright as time expired.

The Eagles had the first overtime possession and got one first down before Starnes kicked his third field goal of the night. But the lead lasted only long enough for Sanford to burst through the left side and go in untouched to end it.

Eastern Michigan trailed 34-24 when Selent kicked a 39-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter but responded with 10 unanswered points. Church hit Jermaine Sheffield with a 7-yard touchdown pass with 9:06 remaining before Starnes kicked a 44-yard field goal for a 34-34 tie with 3:25 to go.

Earlier, Eastern Michigan, which was penalized 12 times for 93 yards, had an apparent 44-yard touchdown pass from Church to Sheffield wiped out by an offensive interference call.