2018 Western Michigan Broncos football team

{{Infobox NCAA team season

| mode = Football

| year = 2018

| team = Western Michigan Broncos

| image = Western Michigan Athletics wordmark.svg

| image_size = 150

| conference = Mid-American Conference

| division = West Division

| short_conf = MAC

| record = 7–6

| conf_record = 5–3

| head_coach = Tim Lester

| hc_year = 2nd

| off_coach = Jake Moreland

| oc_year = 2nd

| def_coach = Tim Daoust

| dc_year = 2nd

| codef_coach1 = Lou Esposito

| codc1_year = 2nd

| off_scheme = West Coast

| def_scheme = 4–3 or 4–2–5

| stadium = Waldo Stadium

| bowl = Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

| bowl_result = L 18–49 vs. BYU

}}

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

class="wikitable"

{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Award|Player|Position|Year}}

Rimington Trophy{{cite web|title=Rimington Trophy Press Release|url=http://www.rimingtontrophy.com/news/?article_id=100|date=May 30, 2018|access-date=July 14, 2018}}

|John Keenoy

|C

|SR

rowspan=2|Doak Walker Award{{cite web|title=2018 Doak Walker Award Candidates|url=https://www.smu.edu/DoakWalkerAward/Candidates|date=July 18, 2018|access-date=July 18, 2018}}

|Jamauri Bogan

|RB

|SR

LeVante Bellamy

|RB

|JR

John Mackey Award{{cite web|title=2018 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List Released|url=http://www.johnmackeyaward.com/uploads/3/4/7/9/34791900/2018_john_mackey_award_preseason_watch_list_-_final.pdf|date=July 20, 2018|access-date=July 20, 2018}}

|Giovanni Ricci

|TE

|JR

rowspan=2|Outland Trophy{{cite web|title=22018 OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST UNVEILED|url=http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/news/2018/outland180724.html|date=July 24, 2018|access-date=July 24, 2018}}

|Luke Juriga

|G

|JR

John Keenoy

|C

|SR

rowspan=2|Wuerffel Trophy{{cite web|title=Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2018 Watch List|url=https://www.wuerffeltrophy.org/news1/wuerffel-trophy-unveils-2018-watch-list|date=July 26, 2018|access-date=July 26, 2018|archive-date=July 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726215108/https://www.wuerffeltrophy.org/news1/wuerffel-trophy-unveils-2018-watch-list|url-status=dead}}

|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.{{Cite web|url=https://getsomemaction.com/news/2018/7/23/niu-ohio-picked-as-divisional-winners-in-2018-mac-football-media-preseason-poll.aspx|title=NIU & Ohio Picked As Divisional Winners In 2018 MAC Football Media Preseason Poll|website=getsomemaction.com}}

class="wikitable"
align="center" \|align="center" Colspan="3" \|West Division
align="center" {{CollegePrimaryHeader\|team=Western Michigan Broncos\|Predicted finish\|Team\|Votes (1st place)}}
align="center" \| 1	Northern Illinois	133 (15)
align="center" \| 2	Toledo	125 (7)
align="center" \| 3	Western Michigan	87 (1)
align="center" \| 4	Eastern Michigan	67
align="center" \| 5	Central Michigan	58 (1)
align="center" \| 6	Ball State	34

Schedule

The following table lists WMU's schedule.{{Cite web|url=https://wmubroncos.com/sports/football/schedule|title=2021 Football Schedule|website=Western Michigan University Athletics}}

{{CFB schedule

| opprank = y

| rankyear = 2018

| rankdivision = NCAA Division I FBS

| poll = AP

| timezone = Eastern

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = {{tooltip|August 31|Friday}}

| time = 6:00 p.m.

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| rank =

| opponent = Syracuse

| site_stadium = Waldo Stadium

| site_cityst = Kalamazoo, MI

| tv = CBSSN

| score = 42–55

| attend = 20,628

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 8

| time = Noon

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| rank =

| opponent = Michigan

| opprank = 21

| site_stadium = Michigan Stadium

| site_cityst = Ann Arbor, MI

| tv = FS1

| score = 3–49

| attend = 110,814

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 15

| time = 7:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| rank =

| opponent = Delaware State

| site_stadium = Waldo Stadium

| site_cityst = Kalamazoo, MI

| tv = ESPN+

| score = 68–0

| attend = 23,244

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 22

| time = 2:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| rank =

| opponent = Georgia State

| site_stadium = Georgia State Stadium

| site_cityst = Atlanta, GA

| tv = ESPN+

| score = 34–15

| attend = 15,264

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 29

| time = 3:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank =

| opponent = Miami (OH)

| site_stadium = Yager Stadium

| site_cityst = Oxford, OH

| tv = ESPN+

| score = 40–39

| attend = 15,012

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 6

| time = Noon

| w/l = w

| homecoming = y

| rank =

| opponent = Eastern Michigan

| gamename = Michigan MAC Trophy

| site_stadium = Waldo Stadium

| site_cityst = Kalamazoo, MI

| tv = ESPN+

| score = 27–24

| attend = 24,282

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 13

| time = 3:00 p.m.

| w/l = W

| away = y

| rank =

| opponent = Bowling Green

| site_stadium = Doyt Perry Stadium

| site_cityst = Bowling Green, OH

| tv = ESPN+

| score = 42–35

| attend = 18,551

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 20

| time = 3:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank =

| opponent = Central Michigan

| gamename = Victory Cannon / Michigan MAC Trophy

| site_stadium = Kelly/Shorts Stadium

| site_cityst = Mount Pleasant, MI

| tv = ESPN+

| score = 35–10

| attend = 10,097

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = {{tooltip|October 25|Thursday}}

| time = 7:00 p.m.

| w/l = l

| rank =

| opponent = Toledo

| site_stadium = Waldo Stadium

| site_cityst = Kalamazoo, MI

| tv = ESPN2

| score = 24–51

| attend = 11,389

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = {{tooltip|November 1|Thursday}}

| time = 7:00 p.m.

| w/l = l

| rank =

| opponent = Ohio

| site_stadium = Waldo Stadium

| site_cityst = Kalamazoo, MI

| tv = ESPNU

| score = 14–59

| attend = 11,935

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = {{tooltip|November 13|Tuesday}}

| time = 6:00 p.m.

| w/l = l

| away = y

| rank =

| opponent = Ball State

| site_stadium = Scheumann Stadium

| site_cityst = Muncie, IN

| tv = ESPN2

| score = 41–42

| overtime = OT

| attend = 5,503

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = {{tooltip|November 20|Tuesday}}

| time = 7:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| rank =

| opponent = Northern Illinois

| site_stadium = Waldo Stadium

| site_cityst = Kalamazoo, MI

| tv = ESPNU

| score = 28–21

| attend = 18,278

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = {{tooltip|December 21|Friday}}

| time = 4:00 p.m.

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| neutral = y

| rank =

| opponent = BYU

| gamename = Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

| site_stadium = Albertsons Stadium

| site_cityst = Boise, ID

| tv = ESPN

| score = 18–49

| attend = 18,711

}}

Game summaries

=Syracuse=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Orange

|R1=24

|R2=10

|R3=14

|R4=7

|Home=Broncos

|H1=7

|H2=0

|H3=28

|H4=7

}}

class="wikitable"

align="center"

{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

align="center"

| colspan=3| First meeting

=At Michigan=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Broncos

|R1= 0

|R2= 0

|R3= 0

|R4= 3

|Home=No. 21 Wolverines

|H1= 21

|H2= 14

|H3= 7

|H4= 7

}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

{{CollegeSecondaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

0–6

| 2011

| MICH, 34–10

{{cite web |title=Western Michigan vs. Michigan - Game Summary - September 8, 2018 |url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=401012889 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=8 September 2018}}

=Delaware State=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Hornets

|R1=0

|R2=0

|R3=0

|R4=0

|Home=Broncos

|H1=14

|H2=14

|H3=16

|H4=24

}}

class="wikitable"

align="center"

{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

align="center"

| colspan=3| First meeting

=At Georgia State=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Broncos

|R1= 3

|R2=17

|R3=14

|R4= 0

|Home=Panthers

|H1= 0

|H2= 9

|H3= 6

|H4= 0

}}

class="wikitable"

align="center"

{{CollegeSecondaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

align="center"

| colspan=3| First meeting

=At Miami (OH)=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Broncos

|R1=14

|R2=0

|R3=13

|R4=13

|Home=RedHawks

|H1=17

|H2=10

|H3=6

|H4=6

}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

{{CollegeSecondaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

21–37–1

| 2015

| WMU, 35–13

=Eastern Michigan=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Eagles

|R1=0

|R2=10

|R3=7

|R4=7

|Home=Broncos

|H1=7

|H2=7

|H3=0

|H4=13

}}

{{see also|2018 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team|Michigan MAC Trophy}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

33–18–2

| 2017

| WMU, 20–17

=At Bowling Green=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Broncos

|R1= 0

|R2=7

|R3=21

|R4= 14

|Home=Falcons

|H1= 7

|H2= 14

|H3= 7

|H4= 7

}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

{{CollegeSecondaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

18–32–3

| 2015

| BGSU, 41–27

=At Central Michigan=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Broncos

|R1= 7

|R2= 14

|R3= 0

|R4= 14

|Home=Chippewas

|H1= 0

|H2= 0

|H3= 10

|H4= 0

}}

{{see also|2018 Central Michigan Chippewas football team|Western Michigan–Central Michigan football rivalry|Michigan MAC Trophy}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

{{CollegeSecondaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

48–38–2

| 2017

| CMU, 35–28

=Toledo=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Rockets

|R1= 14

|R2= 9

|R3= 21

|R4= 7

|Home=Broncos

|H1= 7

|H2= 10

|H3= 7

|H4= 0

}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

30–42

| 2017

| TOL, 37–10

=Ohio=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Bobcats

|R1=21

|R2=24

|R3=7

|R4=7

|Home=Broncos

|H1=0

|H2=0

|H3=7

|H4=7

}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

33–28–1

| 2016

| WMU, 29–23

=At Ball State=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Broncos

|R1= 7

|R2= 10

|R3= 3

|R4= 15

|R5= 6

|Home=Cardinals

|H1= 7

|H2= 14

|H3= 7

|H4= 7

|H5= 7

}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

{{CollegeSecondaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

25–19

| 2017

| WMU, 55–3

=Northern Illinois=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Huskies

|R1= 7

|R2= 0

|R3= 14

|R4= 0

|Home=Broncos

|H1= 7

|H2= 6

|H3= 8

|H4= 7

}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

24–18

| 2017

| NIU, 35–31

=Vs. BYU (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=Cougars

|R1= 7

|R2= 0

|R3= 28

|R4= 14

|Home=Broncos

|H1= 0

|H2= 10

|H3= 0

|H4= 8

}}

{{see also|2018 BYU Cougars football team|2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Western Michigan Broncos|Series Record|Previous meeting|Result}}

2–3

| 1970

| WMU, 35–17

References

Western Michigan

Category:Western Michigan Broncos football seasons

Western Michigan Broncos football