2018 Western Michigan Broncos football team

2018 Western Michigan Broncos football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record7–6 (5–3 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJake Moreland (2nd season)
Offensive schemeWest Coast
Defensive coordinatorTim Daoust (2nd season)
Co-defensive coordinatorLou Esposito (2nd season)
Base defense4–3 or 4–2–5
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

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.

Preseason

Award watch lists

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

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

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 Michigandagger
ESPN+W 27–2424,282
October 133:00 p.m.at Bowling Green
ESPN+W 42–3518,551
October 203:00 p.m.at Central Michigan
ESPN+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 State
ESPN2L 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
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Game summaries

Syracuse

1 2 3 4 Total
Orange 24 10 14 7 55
Broncos 7 0 28 7 42
See also: 2018 Syracuse Orange football team
Series Record Previous meeting Result
First meeting

At Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 0 0 0 3 3
No. 21 Wolverines 21 14 7 7 49
See also: 2018 Michigan Wolverines football team
Series Record Previous meeting Result
0–6 2011 MICH, 34–10

[8]

Delaware State

1 2 3 4 Total
Hornets 0 0 0 0 0
Broncos 14 14 16 24 68
See also: 2018 Delaware State Hornets football team
Series Record Previous meeting Result
First meeting

At Georgia State

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 3 17 14 0 34
Panthers 0 9 6 0 15
See also: 2018 Georgia State Panthers football team
Series Record Previous meeting Result
First meeting

At Miami (OH)

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 14 0 13 13 40
RedHawks 17 10 6 6 39
See also: 2018 Miami RedHawks football team
Series Record Previous meeting Result
21–37–1 2015 WMU, 35–13

Eastern Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total
Eagles 0 10 7 7 24
Broncos 7 7 0 13 27
See also: 2018 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team and Michigan MAC Trophy
Series Record Previous meeting Result
33–18–2 2017 WMU, 20–17

At Bowling Green

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 0 7 21 14 42
Falcons 7 14 7 7 35
See also: 2018 Bowling Green Falcons football team
Series Record Previous meeting Result
18–32–3 2015 BGSU, 41–27

At Central Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 7 14 0 14 35
Chippewas 0 0 10 0 10
See also: 2018 Central Michigan Chippewas football team, Western Michigan–Central Michigan football rivalry, and Michigan MAC Trophy
Series Record Previous meeting Result
48–38–2 2017 CMU, 35–28

Toledo

1 2 3 4 Total
Rockets 14 9 21 7 51
Broncos 7 10 7 0 24
See also: 2018 Toledo Rockets football team
Series Record Previous meeting Result
30–42 2017 TOL, 37–10

Ohio

1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 21 24 7 7 59
Broncos 0 0 7 7 14
See also: 2018 Ohio Bobcats football team
Series Record Previous meeting Result
33–28–1 2016 WMU, 29–23

At Ball State

1 2 3 4OT Total
Broncos 7 10 3 156 41
Cardinals 7 14 7 77 42
See also: 2018 Ball State Cardinals football team
Series Record Previous meeting Result
25–19 2017 WMU, 55–3

Northern Illinois

1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 7 0 14 0 21
Broncos 7 6 8 7 28
See also: 2018 Northern Illinois Huskies football team
Series Record Previous meeting Result
24–18 2017 NIU, 35–31

Vs. BYU (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)

1 2 3 4 Total
Cougars 7 0 28 14 49
Broncos 0 10 0 8 18
See also: 2018 BYU Cougars football team and 2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Series Record Previous meeting Result
2–3 1970 WMU, 35–17

References

  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.


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