2018 Western Michigan Broncos football team

Summary

The 2018 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University (WMU) in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Tim Lester and played their home games at Waldo Stadium as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 7–6, 5–3 in MAC play to finish in a three-way tie for second place in the West Division. They were invited to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl where they lost to BYU.

2018 Western Michigan Broncos football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record7–6 (5–3 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJake Moreland (2nd; 11th overall season)
Defensive coordinatorTim Daoust (2nd; 6th overall season)
Co-defensive coordinatorLou Esposito (2nd; 5th overall season)
Home stadiumWaldo Stadium
Seasons
← 2017
2019 →
2018 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Buffalo x   7 1     10 4  
Miami (OH)   6 2     6 6  
Ohio   6 2     9 4  
Akron   2 6     4 8  
Bowling Green   2 6     3 9  
Kent State   1 7     2 10  
West Division
Northern Illinois x$   6 2     8 6  
Western Michigan   5 3     7 6  
Eastern Michigan   5 3     7 6  
Toledo   5 3     7 6  
Ball State   3 5     4 8  
Central Michigan   0 8     1 11  
Championship: Northern Illinois 30, Buffalo 29
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions

Preseason edit

Award watch lists edit

Listed in the order that they were released

Award Player Position Year
Rimington Trophy[1] John Keenoy C SR
Doak Walker Award[2] Jamauri Bogan RB SR
LeVante Bellamy RB JR
John Mackey Award[3] Giovanni Ricci TE JR
Outland Trophy[4] Luke Juriga G JR
John Keenoy C SR
Wuerffel Trophy[5] Jamauri Bogan RB SR
Justin Tranquill DB JR

Preseason media poll edit

The MAC released their preseason media poll on July 24, 2018, with the Broncos predicted to finish in third place in the West Division.[6]

West Division
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Northern Illinois 133 (15)
2 Toledo 125 (7)
3 Western Michigan 87 (1)
4 Eastern Michigan 67
5 Central Michigan 58 (1)
6 Ball State 34

Schedule edit

The following table lists WMU's schedule.[7]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 316:00 p.m.Syracuse*CBSSNL 42–5520,628
September 8Noonat No. 21 Michigan*FS1L 3–49110,814
September 157:00 p.m.Delaware State*
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
ESPN+W 68–023,244
September 222:00 p.m.at Georgia State*ESPN+W 34–1515,264
September 293:30 p.m.at Miami (OH)ESPN+W 40–3915,012
October 6NoonEastern Michigan 
ESPN+W 27–2424,282
October 133:00 p.m.at Bowling GreenESPN+W 42–3518,551
October 203:00 p.m.at Central MichiganESPN+W 35–1010,097
October 257:00 p.m.Toledo
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
ESPN2L 24–5111,389
November 17:00 p.m.Ohio
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
ESPNUL 14–5911,935
November 136:00 p.m.at Ball StateESPN2L 41–42 OT5,503
November 207:00 p.m.Northern Illinois
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
ESPNUW 28–2118,278
December 214:00 p.m.vs. BYU*ESPNL 18–4918,711
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Game summaries edit

Syracuse edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Orange 24 10 14 7 55
Broncos 7 0 28 7 42
Series Record Previous meeting Result
First meeting

At Michigan edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 0 0 0 3 3
No. 21 Wolverines 21 14 7 7 49
Series Record Previous meeting Result
0–6 2011 MICH, 34–10

[8]

Delaware State edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Hornets 0 0 0 0 0
Broncos 14 14 16 24 68
Series Record Previous meeting Result
First meeting

At Georgia State edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 3 17 14 0 34
Panthers 0 9 6 0 15
Series Record Previous meeting Result
First meeting

At Miami (OH) edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 14 0 13 13 40
RedHawks 17 10 6 6 39
Series Record Previous meeting Result
21–37–1 2015 WMU, 35–13

Eastern Michigan edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Eagles 0 10 7 7 24
Broncos 7 7 0 13 27
Series Record Previous meeting Result
33–18–2 2017 WMU, 20–17

At Bowling Green edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 0 7 21 14 42
Falcons 7 14 7 7 35
Series Record Previous meeting Result
18–32–3 2015 BGSU, 41–27

At Central Michigan edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 7 14 0 14 35
Chippewas 0 0 10 0 10
Series Record Previous meeting Result
48–38–2 2017 CMU, 35–28

Toledo edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Rockets 14 9 21 7 51
Broncos 7 10 7 0 24
Series Record Previous meeting Result
30–42 2017 TOL, 37–10

Ohio edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 21 24 7 7 59
Broncos 0 0 7 7 14
Series Record Previous meeting Result
33–28–1 2016 WMU, 29–23

At Ball State edit

1 2 3 4OT Total
Broncos 7 10 3 156 41
Cardinals 7 14 7 77 42
Series Record Previous meeting Result
25–19 2017 WMU, 55–3

Northern Illinois edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 7 0 14 0 21
Broncos 7 6 8 7 28
Series Record Previous meeting Result
24–18 2017 NIU, 35–31

Vs. BYU (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl) edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Cougars 7 0 28 14 49
Broncos 0 10 0 8 18
Series Record Previous meeting Result
2–3 1970 WMU, 35–17

References edit

  1. ^ "Rimington Trophy Press Release". May 30, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  2. ^ "2018 Doak Walker Award Candidates". July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  3. ^ "2018 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List Released" (PDF). July 20, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  4. ^ "22018 OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST UNVEILED". July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  5. ^ "Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2018 Watch List". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  6. ^ "NIU & Ohio Picked As Divisional Winners In 2018 MAC Football Media Preseason Poll". getsomemaction.com.
  7. ^ "2021 Football Schedule". Western Michigan University Athletics.
  8. ^ "Western Michigan vs. Michigan - Game Summary - September 8, 2018". ESPN. Retrieved September 8, 2018.