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American college football season
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 .
Previous season
The Broncos finished the 2017 season 6–6, 4–4 to finish in fourth place in the West Division. Despite being bowl eligible, the Broncos did not receive an invite to a bowl game.[1] [2]
Preseason
Award watch lists
Listed in the order that they were released
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.[8]
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.[9]
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance 6:00 p.m. Syracuse * CBSSN L 42–5520,628
September 8 Noon at No. 21 Michigan * FS1 L 3–49110,814
September 15 7:00 p.m. Delaware State * Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI ESPN+ W 68–023,244
September 22 2:00 p.m. at Georgia State * ESPN+ W 34–1515,264
September 29 3:30 p.m. at Miami (OH) ESPN+ W 40–3915,012
October 6 Noon Eastern Michigan ESPN+ W 27–2424,282
October 13 3:00 p.m. at Bowling Green ESPN+ W 42–3518,551
October 20 3:00 p.m. at Central Michigan ESPN+ W 35–1010,097
7:00 p.m. Toledo Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI ESPN2 L 24–5111,389
7:00 p.m. Ohio Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI ESPNU L 14–5911,935
6:00 p.m. at Ball State ESPN2 L 41–42 OT 5,503
7:00 p.m. Northern Illinois Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI ESPNU W 28–2118,278
4:00 p.m. vs. BYU * ESPN L 18–4918,711
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings 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
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
Series Record
Previous meeting
Result
0–6
2011
MICH, 34–10
[10]
Delaware State
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
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)
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
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
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
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
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
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
1
2
3
4 OT
Total
Broncos
7
10
3
15 6
41
Cardinals
7
14
7
7 7
42
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
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
Series Record
Previous meeting
Result
2–3
1970
WMU, 35–17
References
^ "Central Michigan heads to Idaho Potato Bowl; Western Michigan left out" . Detroit Free Press . Retrieved 2017-12-19 .
^ "The 3 bowl-eligible teams that missed bowls" . SBNation.com . Retrieved 2017-12-19 .
^ "Rimington Trophy Press Release" . May 30, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018 .
^ "2018 Doak Walker Award Candidates" . July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018 .
^ "2018 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List Released" (PDF) . July 20, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018 .
^ "22018 OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST UNVEILED" . July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018 .
^ "Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2018 Watch List" . July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018 .
^ http://getsomemaction.com/news/2018/7/23/niu-ohio-picked-as-divisional-winners-in-2018-mac-football-media-preseason-poll.aspx
^ http://www.wmubroncos.com/schedule.aspx?path=football
^ "Western Michigan vs. Michigan - Game Summary - September 8, 2018" . ESPN . Retrieved 8 September 2018 .
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