CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1974 Western Michigan

3–⁠8 (0–⁠5 Mid-American Conference), coached by Bill Doolittle.

Schedule and results

Western Michigan in 1974, game by game: won vs. Texas–Arlington 33–6; lost at Eastern Michigan 19–20; won at Northern Illinois 30–13; lost vs. Bowling Green 13–21; lost at Kent State 6–28; lost vs. Toledo 24–31; won at Marshall 20–17; lost vs. Ohio 3–26; lost at No. 16 Miami (OH) 0–31; lost vs. Central Michigan 6–42; lost at Long Beach State 33–34+27−36Won 33–6 vs. Texas–Arlington+27Texas–ArlingtonLost 19–20 at Eastern Michigan-1Eastern MichiganWon 30–13 at Northern Illinois+17Northern Illino…Lost 13–21 vs. Bowling Green-8Bowling GreenLost 6–28 at Kent State-22Kent StateLost 24–31 vs. Toledo-7ToledoWon 20–17 at Marshall+3MarshallLost 3–26 vs. Ohio-23OhioLost 0–31 at No. 16 Miami (OH)-31No. 16 Miami (OH)Lost 6–42 vs. Central Michigan-36Central MichiganLost 33–34 at Long Beach State-1Long Beach State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 7vsTexas–ArlingtonW 33–⁠668%
Sep 14atEastern MichiganL 19–⁠2085%
Sep 21atNorthern IllinoisW 30–⁠1344%
Sep 28vsBowling GreenL 13–⁠2153%
Oct 5atKent StateL 6–⁠2831%
Oct 12vsToledoL 24–⁠3161%
Oct 19atMarshallW 20–⁠1756%
Oct 26vsOhioL 3–⁠2653%
Nov 2at16Miami (OH)L 0–⁠3110%
Nov 9vsCentral MichiganL 6–⁠4280%
Nov 16atLong Beach StateL 33–⁠3438%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Long Beach State 34–⁠33; unranked in the final AP poll; 6th in the Mid-American Conference.

In program history: The 60th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 83 on file).

Record
3–⁠8
Conference
0–⁠5 6th in Mid-American Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
187–⁠269
Coach
Bill Doolittle
Elo
1324 −126 this season
SP+ rating
-10.2 No. 97 of 124; offense No. 89, defense No. 95
SRS
−11.6 No. 102 of 129 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Captains
Greg Crowser and Paul Jorgensen
Most valuable player
Dan Matthews

1974 Mid-American Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Miami (OH)5–⁠010–⁠0–⁠110
Toledo3–⁠26–⁠5
Ohio3–⁠26–⁠5
Kent State2–⁠37–⁠4
Bowling Green2–⁠36–⁠4–⁠1
Ball State0–⁠02–⁠0
Western Michigan0–⁠53–⁠8

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.