2018 Western Michigan Broncos football team

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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

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[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 Michigandagger
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
  • daggerHomecoming
  • 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.