Western Michigan Broncos
Mid-AmericanKalamazoo, MIWaldo Stadium
2026: 5–2 (3–0 Mid-American). Last: won at Central Michigan 21–14. Next: at Toledo, Saturday, Oct 24, noon ET.
- L 12–13at No. 16 Michigan
- W 49–14Monmouth
- W 28–21at Rice
- L 7–32Boise State
- W 20–17at Buffalo
- W 38–7Kent State
- W 21–14at Central Michigan
- Oct 24at Toledo
- Oct 31Bowling Green
- Nov 10at Akron
- Nov 17Eastern Michigan
- Nov 24Miami (OH)
- Outfitted by Adidas
Western Michigan has played football since 1906 and is officially 613–492–24; 748 of its 1,129 games are in our file. Their best finish in the final AP poll is No. 15, in 2016. They have won four Mid-American Conference titles (the last in 2025) and one Michigan Collegiate Conference title, counting shared titles. Since 1962, the NFL Draft has taken 33 players from here in its first seven rounds, 2 of them in the first round. The AFL draft also took one player from here. Al Molde (1987–1996) won more games here than any other coach: 62. The most-played rival is Toledo: 63 meetings, Toledo leads 39–24. This season, under Lance Taylor, they’re 5–2.
Résumé
- All-time record
- 613–492–24 official; 379–362–7 on file; how we count
- Postseason
- 3–12 bowls, title games, playoff
- AP No. 1 finishes
- 0
- Weeks at No. 1
- 0 of 9 ranked
- Elo now
- 1590 37th of 138 FBS
- Computer rankings
- Massey No. 85 · Composite No. 65 in FBS, Oct 17; down 1 since Oct 11. From Massey Ratings
- Conference titles
- 5 last in 2025
- Bowl record
- 3–10 official, bowls only
- Seasons
- 83 since 1917, 748 games
Identity
- Apparel
- Adidas
2026 season 5–2
RosterFull 2026 season| Date | Opponent | Result | Elo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5 | at 16Michigan | L 12–13 | 37% |
| Sep 12 | vs Monmouth | W 49–14 | 83% |
| Sep 19 | at Rice | W 28–21 | 65% |
| Sep 26 | vs Boise State | L 7–32 | 56% |
| Oct 3 | at Buffalo | W 20–17 | 60% |
| Oct 10 | vs Kent State | W 38–7 | 78% |
| Oct 17 | at Central Michigan | W 21–14 | 59% |
| Oct 24 | at Toledo | Preview | 47% |
| Oct 31 | vs Bowling Green | Preview | 81% |
| Nov 10 | at Akron | Preview | 77% |
| Nov 17 | vs Eastern Michigan | Preview | 79% |
| Nov 24 | vs Miami (OH) | Preview | 71% |
Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.
This season, game by game
Future schedule
2027–34- 20274 games: 2 home, 2 away, non-conference only
- BryantSept. 2
- at PittsburghSept. 11
- at TennesseeSept. 18
- RiceSept. 25
- 20283 games: 3 away, non-conference only
- at Michigan StateSept. 2
- at IowaSept. 16
- at DelawareSept. 23
- 20292 games: 1 home, 1 away, non-conference only
- Stony BrookSept. 15
- at Boise StateSept. 22
- 20302 games: 1 home, 1 away, non-conference only
- DelawareSept. 7
- at Florida InternationalSept. 14
- 20313 games: 1 home, 2 away, non-conference only
- at Michigan StateAug. 30
- Georgia SouthernSept. 13
- at North TexasSept. 20
- 20321 game: 1 away, non-conference only
- at IllinoisSept. 4
- 20331 game: 1 home, non-conference only
- Florida InternationalSept. 10
- 20341 game: 1 away, non-conference only
- at Georgia SouthernSept. 23
Western Michigan’s announced games beyond the seasons on our schedule, as its Wikipedia article lists them (announced schedules as of September 22, 2026). Schedules change; a season shows only the games named so far, and many articles list non-conference games only. Future schedules: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
On the 2026 team
- Broc Lowry1,044 passing yards, 8 TD (leads Western Michigan in passing yards)
- Jalen Buckley542 rushing yards, 7 TD (leads Western Michigan in rushing yards)
- Dillon Moore43 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT
- Justyce Betts52 tackles (leads Western Michigan in tackles)
- Domanick Moon43 tackles, 1 sack
- Aveion Chenault22 catches, 326 yards, 1 TD (leads Western Michigan in receiving yards)
Program greats See all
Heisman finalists, College Football Hall of Famers, consensus All-Americans, national award winners and first-round picks, for what they did at Western Michigan.
Corey DavisConsensus All-American, 2016
Tim Hiller2009 Wuerffel
Zach Terrell2016 William V. Campbell- Jon Wassink2019 Wuerffel
- Addison WestConsensus All-American, 2024
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licenses; credits on each player’s page.
Around the program
- Apparel
- Adidas · Official source
- Western Michigan University Athletics; read 2026-10-10
- NIL collective
- Broncos Will Reign · Official source
- Western Michigan University Athletics; read 2026-10-10
Found by several AI researchers searching the web, then kept only where the page loads and says so in words naming the program; every quote is checked again each time the data is rebuilt. Official source: the school’s own page. All of them.
The apparel deal
Adidas. Extended in June 2021.
- WMU Athletics, Jun 22, 2021: Partnership extended
Apparel deals: Field Drip. Terms as the outlets reported them; checked Oct 3, 2026.
Program strength since 1917
Best seasons everMore coverage
- Central Michigan seeks response, rivalry win against Western Michigan, macombdaily.com,
- Lowry's 3TDs pace Western Michigan to another win over Kent State 38-7, winnipegfreepress.com,
- Kent State faces defending champion Western Michigan after 13-10 loss — Kent State Vs Wmu, el-balad.com,
- Western Michigan University set for Homecoming weekend with Broncopalooza tailgate, more, wwmt.com,
Found through the GDELT Project, which indexes news sites worldwide. Each link opens the story on the outlet’s own site; each picture is that outlet’s own preview of its story, shown from its site and credited to it.
Head coaches
| Coach | Years | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Lance Taylor | 2023–2026 | 25–21 |
| Tim Lester | 2017–2022 | 37–32 |
 P.J. Fleck | 2013–2016 | 30–22 |
| Bill Cubit | 2005–2012 | 51–47 |
| Gary Darnell | 1997–2004 | 46–46 |
| Al Molde | 1987–1996 | 62–47–2 |
 Jack Harbaugh | 1982–1986 | 25–27–3 |
| Elliot Uzelac | 1975–1981 | 38–39 |
 Bill Doolittle | 1964–1974 | 58–49–2 |
| Merle Schlosser | 1959–1963 | 7–15 |
Most-played series
All rivalries- Toledo
24–39 in 63
- 2015 W 35–30
- 2016 W 55–35
- 2017 L 10–37
- 2018 L 24–51
- 2019 L 24–31
- 2020 W 41–38
- 2021 L 15–34
- 2022 W 20–14
- 2023 L 31–49
- 2025 W 14–13
Won the last one.
Next: Oct 24
- Central Michigan
28–32–1 in 61
- 2017 L 28–35
- 2018 W 35–10
- 2019 W 31–15
- 2020 W 52–44
- 2021 L 30–42
- 2022 W 12–10
- 2023 W 38–28
- 2024 L 14–16
- 2025 W 24–21
- 2026 W 21–14
Won the last two; holds the Victory Cannon.
- Ball State
30–22 in 52
- 2016 W 52–20
- 2017 W 55–3
- 2018 L 41–42
- 2019 W 35–31
- 2020 L 27–30
- 2021 L 20–45
- 2022 W 37–30
- 2023 W 42–24
- 2024 W 45–42
- 2025 W 42–0
Won the last four.
| Opponent | Games | WMU record |
|---|---|---|
| Toledo | 63 | 24–39 |
| Central Michigan | 61 | 28–32–1 |
| Ball State | 52 | 30–22 |
| Eastern Michigan | 51 | 33–17–1 |
| Northern Illinois | 50 | 27–23 |
| Bowling Green | 50 | 19–29–2 |
| Ohio | 49 | 31–18 |
| Kent State | 48 | 35–12–1 |
Rivals the program names: Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Toledo.
The trophy it holds: Victory Cannon (Central Michigan, since 2025). Who holds each comes from the games on file; the trophies from Wikipedia.
Every opponent (102)
Every program Western Michigan has played, A to Z, with Western Michigan’s record against it. Each links to the series, game by game.
- Air Force 0–1
- Akron 16–4
- Arkansas State 1–1
- Army 1–1
- Auburn 0–1
- Ball State 30–22
- Bethune-Cookman 1–0
- Boise State 0–1
- Bowling Green 19–29–2
- Buffalo 10–2
- BYU 2–4
- Central Connecticut 1–0
- Central Michigan 28–32–1
- Chicago 0–1
- Cincinnati 0–1
- Delaware State 1–0
- Detroit Mercy 0–9
- Eastern Illinois 1–1
- Eastern Michigan 33–17–1
- Florida 0–1
- Florida State 0–1 †
- Fresno State 0–2
- Georgia Southern 1–1
- Georgia State 2–0
- Grand Valley State 2–0
- Great Lakes Navy 0–3
- Hofstra 1–0
- Idaho 4–1
- Illinois 2–5
- Illinois State 8–1
- Indiana 0–5
- Indiana State 2–0
- Iowa 2–1 †
- Iowa State 1–1
- Kennesaw State 1–0
- Kent State 35–12–1
- Lamar 1–0
- Long Beach State 2–2
- Louisiana 0–1
- Louisiana Tech 2–0
- Louisville 2–2
- Marshall 18–9
- Maryland 0–1
- Massachusetts 3–0
- Miami (OH) 21–24–1
- Michigan 0–9
- Michigan State 0–13 †
- Middle Tennessee 1–0
- Minnesota 0–4
- Mississippi State 0–1
- Missouri 0–2
- Monmouth 2–0
- Montana 1–0
- Murray State 2–0
- Nebraska 0–1
- Nevada 1–0
- New Hampshire 1–0
- New Mexico 0–1
- Nicholls 2–1
- North Carolina Central 1–0
- North Texas 0–1
- Northern Illinois 27–23
- Northwestern 1–1
- Notre Dame 0–3
- Ohio 31–18
- Ohio State 0–2
- Pacific 1–1
- Pittsburgh 1–1
- Purdue 0–4
- Rhode Island 1–0
- Rice 1–1
- Saint Francis 1–0
- San José State 1–1
- South Alabama 0–1
- South Carolina 0–1
- Southern Illinois 1–0
- Syracuse 0–3
- TCU 0–0–1
- Temple 6–1
- Tennessee Tech 1–0
- Texas–Arlington 2–2
- Toledo 24–39
- UCF 0–1
- UConn 2–1
- UL Monroe 2–0
- USC 0–1
- UT Martin 1–0
- Utah State 0–1
- Vanderbilt 1–0
- Virginia 1–2
- Virginia Tech 0–4
- Wagner 1–0
- Weber State 1–0
- West Texas 1–3
- West Virginia 0–2
- Western Illinois 1–0
- Western Kentucky 0–1
- William & Mary 1–0
- Wisconsin 1–5
- Wyoming 0–1
- Xavier 1–1
- Youngstown State 1–1
Official records. † Without wins the NCAA vacated, or with forfeits counted. ‡ The rivalry’s own count, where it differs from the games on file.
Conference titles
5, counting shared titles- Michigan Collegiate Conference 1
- 1929 (shared)
As the program counts them in its Wikipedia article, shared titles included, and listed under each conference’s current name (a Western Conference title of the 1900s counts as a Big Ten title); season pages use the name the conference had that year. A title the article files under a conference the team wasn’t in that season is listed under the one it was. Division titles include years the team tied for its division.
Conferences
- Independent 1906–1925
- Michigan Collegiate Conference 1926–1931
- Independent 1932–1947
- Mid-American Conference since 1948
Western Michigan’s football conferences by season, from CollegeFootballData.com’s memberships (renamed conferences keep the name of the time).
National award winners
All awards| 2019 | Jon Wassink QB | Wuerffel |
| 2016 | Zach Terrell QB | Campbell Trophy |
| 2009 | Tim Hiller QB | Wuerffel |
Consensus All-Americans 2
| 2024 | Addison West OL |
| 2016 | Corey Davis WR |
Led the nation 5
| 2020 | D’Wayne Eskridge yards per catch (23.1) |
| 2019 | LeVante Bellamy rushing touchdowns (23 TD) |
| 2014 | Jarvion Franklin points (150 pts) |
| 2011 | Jordan White receptions (140 catches), receiving yards (1,911 yds) |
| 2005 | Greg Jennings receptions (98 catches) |
The NCAA’s official national leaders since 1937, from Wikipedia’s yearly leader lists.
In the draft
By college- NFL picks, rounds 1–7
- 33 since 1962
- First-round picks
- 2
- AFL picks
- 1 1963
| 2017 | Corey Davis WR | No. 5, Tennessee Titans |
| 2004 | Jason Babin LB | No. 27, Houston Texans |
Who came and went in the 2026 transfer portal, and every portal year.
The school
Western Michigan University- Enrollment
- 16,744 13,027 undergraduates, fall 2024
- Where
- Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Public or private
- Public Research 2
- Founded
- 1903
- Graduates’ median earnings
- $53,562 10 years after starting
Enrollment, place and Carnegie research tier from the National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS, public domain). Earnings from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard (CC BY 4.0): the median for students who received federal aid and were working, not in school. Founding year from Wikidata. Every school’s in the data.
Official accounts
- Football
- X @WMU_FootballInstagram @WMU_FootballFacebook wmufootball
Official accounts: the schools’ athletics websites: the ones wmubroncos.com lists for its football program, as of Oct 12, 2026.
Season by season
National champions| Season | Record | Conf. | AP pre | AP final | Coach | Elo | SP+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5–2 | 3–0 | Lance Taylor | 1590 | -3.2 | ||
| 2025 | 10–4 | 7–1 | Lance Taylor | 1599 | -1.4 | ||
| 2024 | 6–7 | 5–3 | Lance Taylor | 1415 | -10.2 | ||
| 2023 | 4–8 | 3–5 | Lance Taylor | 1403 | -15.9 | ||
| 2022 | 5–7 | 4–4 | Tim Lester | 1446 | -17.3 | ||
| 2021 | 8–5 | 4–4 | Tim Lester | 1561 | 0.6 | ||
| 2020 | 4–2 | 4–2 | Tim Lester | 1501 | 0.6 | ||
| 2019 | 7–6 | 5–3 | Tim Lester | 1494 | -4.9 | ||
| 2018 | 7–6 | 5–3 | Tim Lester | 1451 | -10.7 | ||
| 2017 | 6–6 | 4–4 | Tim Lester | 1559 | -2.4 | ||
| 2016 | 13–1 | 8–0 | 15 | P.J. Fleck | 1723 | 11.5 | |
| 2015 | 8–5 | 6–2 | P.J. Fleck | 1567 | 4.9 | ||
| 2014 | 8–5 | 6–2 | P.J. Fleck | 1476 | -0.8 | ||
| 2013 | 1–11 | 1–7 | P.J. Fleck | 1264 | -25.5 | ||
| 2012 | 4–8 | 2–6 | Bill Cubit | 1392 | -9.8 | ||
| 2011 | 7–6 | 5–3 | Bill Cubit | 1499 | -0.3 | ||
| 2010 | 6–6 | 5–3 | Bill Cubit | 1478 | -4.5 | ||
| 2009 | 5–7 | 4–4 | Bill Cubit | 1428 | -12.0 | ||
| 2008 | 9–4 | 6–2 | Bill Cubit | 1515 | -3.1 | ||
| 2007 | 5–7 | 3–4 | Bill Cubit | 1475 | -12.1 | ||
| 2006 | 8–5 | 6–2 | Bill Cubit | 1516 | -7.1 | ||
| 2005 | 7–4 | 5–3 | Bill Cubit | 1475 | -13.9 | ||
| 2004 | 1–10 | 0–8 | Gary Darnell | 1292 | -21.7 | ||
| 2003 | 5–7 | 4–4 | Gary Darnell | 1419 | -10.2 | ||
| 2002 | 4–8 | 3–5 | Gary Darnell | 1430 | -6.8 |
Every season back to 1917 (58 more)
| Season | Record | Conf. | AP pre | AP final | Coach | Elo | SP+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 5–6 | 4–4 | Gary Darnell | 1496 | -1.4 | ||
| 2000 | 9–3 | 7–1 | Gary Darnell | 1595 | 13.4 | ||
| 1999 | 7–5 | 6–2 | Gary Darnell | 1505 | -1.2 | ||
| 1998 | 7–4 | 5–3 | Gary Darnell | 1512 | -11.3 | ||
| 1997 | 8–3 | 6–2 | Gary Darnell | 1496 | -4.0 | ||
| 1996 | 2–9 | 2–6 | Al Molde | 1354 | -15.7 | ||
| 1995 | 7–4 | 6–2 | Al Molde | 1551 | -3.5 | ||
| 1994 | 7–4 | 5–3 | Al Molde | 1524 | -4.7 | ||
| 1993 | 7–3–1 | 6–1–1 | Al Molde | 1554 | -2.9 | ||
| 1992 | 7–3–1 | 6–3 | Al Molde | 1514 | -3.1 | ||
| 1991 | 6–5 | 4–4 | Al Molde | 1462 | -6.1 | ||
| 1990 | 7–4 | 5–3 | Al Molde | 1507 | -3.4 | ||
| 1989 | 5–6 | 3–5 | Al Molde | 1485 | -10.3 | ||
| 1988 | 9–3 | 7–1 | Al Molde | 1535 | 5.1 | ||
| 1987 | 5–6 | 4–4 | Al Molde | 1410 | -6.8 | ||
| 1986 | 3–8 | 3–5 | Jack Harbaugh | 1403 | -12.1 | ||
| 1985 | 4–6–1 | 4–4–1 | Jack Harbaugh | 1452 | -3.1 | ||
| 1984 | 5–6 | 3–6 | Jack Harbaugh | 1428 | -6.7 | ||
| 1983 | 6–5 | 4–5 | Jack Harbaugh | 1473 | -6.3 | ||
| 1982 | 7–2–2 | 5–2–2 | Jack Harbaugh | 1558 | 6.1 | ||
| 1981 | 6–5 | 5–4 | Elliot Uzelac | 1477 | -1.7 | ||
| 1980 | 7–4 | 6–3 | Elliot Uzelac | 1510 | 2.8 | ||
| 1979 | 6–5 | 5–4 | Elliot Uzelac | 1513 | 4.4 | ||
| 1978 | 7–4 | 5–4 | Elliot Uzelac | 1486 | 1.2 | ||
| 1977 | 4–7 | 3–5 | Elliot Uzelac | 1424 | -2.1 | ||
| 1976 | 7–4 | 6–3 | Elliot Uzelac | 1459 | 3.2 | ||
| 1975 | 1–10 | 0–7 | Elliot Uzelac | 1219 | -16.3 | ||
| 1974 | 3–8 | 0–5 | Bill Doolittle | 1324 | -10.2 | ||
| 1973 | 6–5 | 2–4 | Bill Doolittle | 1424 | -5.1 | ||
| 1972 | 7–3–1 | 2–2–1 | Bill Doolittle | 1532 | -3.4 | ||
| 1971 | 7–3 | 2–3 | Bill Doolittle | 1568 | 11.1 | ||
| 1970 | 7–3 | 2–3 | Bill Doolittle | 1566 | 14.2 | ||
| 1969 | 4–6 | 1–4 | Bill Doolittle | 1414 | |||
| 1968 | 3–6 | 2–4 | Bill Doolittle | 1428 | |||
| 1967 | 5–4 | 4–2 | Bill Doolittle | 1467 | |||
| 1966 | 7–3 | 5–1 | Bill Doolittle | 1446 | |||
| 1965 | 6–2–1 | 3–2–1 | Bill Doolittle | 1420 | |||
| 1964 | 3–6 | 2–4 | Bill Doolittle | 1300 | |||
| 1963 | 2–7 | 2–4 | Merle Schlosser | 1309 | |||
| 1962 | 5–4 | 3–3 | Merle Schlosser | 1389 | |||
| 1961 | 0–3 | Merle Schlosser | 1204 | ||||
| 1959 | 0–1 | Merle Schlosser | 1084 | ||||
| 1947 | 0–1 | 1088 | |||||
| 1945 | 0–1 | 1085 | |||||
| 1944 | 0–1 | 1091 | |||||
| 1943 | 0–2 | 1089 | |||||
| 1939 | 0–1 | 1093 | |||||
| 1938 | 0–1 | 1093 | |||||
| 1937 | 0–1 | 1092 | |||||
| 1936 | 0–1 | 1091 | |||||
| 1935 | 0–1 | 1091 | |||||
| 1934 | 0–1 | 1093 | |||||
| 1933 | 0–1 | 1093 | |||||
| 1931 | 0–1 | 1092 | |||||
| 1920 | 0–1 | 1094 | |||||
| 1919few games on file | 0–1 | 1095 | |||||
| 1918few games on file | 0–1 | 1096 | |||||
| 1917few games on file | 0–1 | 1098 |
Officially 613–492–24 since 1906 (per Wikipedia, rechecked weekly); game by game here, 379–362–7 (748 of its 1,129 games are on file). Our file starts in 1917; the program began in 1906. Some games are missing from our source.
No season on file for 1921–30, 1932, 1940–42, 1946, 1948–58, 1960: the program may not have played, or our source may be missing them.
Records are computed from every game on file at CollegeFootballData.com, whose coverage of the earliest seasons can be incomplete. Elo is this site’s own rating; see how it works on the records page.