KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) _ Tim Lester threw for 407 yards and three touchdowns as Western Michigan remained unbeaten in the Mid-American Conference West Division with a 45-17 victory over Buffalo on Saturday night.

Lester completed 22 of 36 passes despite a steady rain and threw his 23rd TD pass of the season, breaking the school record of 22 he set last season. Western (5-2, 4-0) is off to its best start in MAC play ever.

Buffalo (0-6, 0-5) lost its 10th straight.

Lester, who has passed for 400 or more yards four times in his career, tossed touchdown passes of 12 and 18 yards to split end Steve Neal. Neal caught seven passes for 122 yards and set a school record for touchdown passes in a season with 11, breaking the mark of 10 set by Allan Boyko in 1990.

Buffalo scored the game's first points with 2 minutes left in the first quarter on Scott Keller's 29-yard field goal.

Western overcame a sluggish start by scoring the first 21 points of the second quarter. Robert Sanford, who rushed for 107 yards on 17 carries, scored on a 9-yard run up the middle. Charles Wood scored from 1 yard out, and Lester scored on a 16-yard run.

Buffalo got its first first-half touchdown of the season on Joe Freedy's 12-yard touchdown pass to Drew Haddad with 21 seconds left in the half to cut the lead to 21-10.

Western led 38-17 after the third quarter. Brad Selent kicked a 31-yard field goal and Lester had two TD passes to Neal. Buffalo got its final score on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter by Dan Shefferly.

Lester lofted a 33-yard pass to Joshua Bush for the final WMU touchdown.