2023 Western Michigan Broncos football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record4–8 (3–5 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBilly Cosh (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorLou Esposito (7th season)
Home stadiumWaldo Stadium
2023 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
Miami (OH) xy$  7 –1   11 –3  
Ohio  6 –2   10 –3  
Bowling Green  5 –3   7 –6  
Buffalo  3 –5   3 –9  
Akron  1 –7   2 –10  
Kent State  0 –8   1 –11  
West Division
Toledo xy  8 –0   11 –3  
Northern Illinois  5 –3   7 –6  
Eastern Michigan  4 –4   6 –7  
Central Michigan  3 –5   5 –7  
Ball State  3 –5   4 –8  
Western Michigan  3 –5   4 –8  
Championship: Miami (OH) 23, Toledo 14
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant

The 2023 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Broncos played their home games at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and competed in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).[1] They were led by first-year head coach Lance Taylor who was the offensive coordinator for Louisville in 2022.[2] They finished the season 4–8 and 3–5 in conference play[3]

Preseason

Preseason polls

Coaches Poll

On July 20, the MAC announced the preseason coaches poll. Western Michigan was picked to finish last in the West.[4]

East
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Ohio 63 (9)
2 Miami 52 (2)
3 Buffalo 51 (1)
4 Bowling Green 35
5 Akron 26
6 Kent State 19
West
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Toledo 66 (11)
2 Eastern Michigan 55 (1)
3 Northern Illinois 38
4 Central Michigan 37
5 Ball State 27
6 Western Michigan 23
Coaches poll (MAC Championship)
Rank Team Votes
1Toledo7
2Ohio4
3Buffalo1

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 31 7:00 p.m. Saint Francis (PA)*
ESPN+ W 35–17 19,432
September 9 3:30 p.m. at Syracuse*
ACCNX/ESPN+ L 7–48 32,637
September 16 3:30 p.m. at No. 25 Iowa*
BTN L 10–41 69,250
September 23 1:30 p.m. at Toledo
ESPN+ L 31–49 19,068
September 30 3:30 p.m. Ball State
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
 ESPN+ W 42–2421,880
October 7 12:00 p.m. at Mississippi State*
SECN L 28–41 47,158
October 14 3:30 p.m. Miami (OH)dagger
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
 ESPN+ L 21–34 20,039
October 21 12:00 p.m. at Ohio
CBSSN L 17–20 16,048
October 28 1:00 p.m. at Eastern Michigan
ESPN+ W 45–21 16,297
November 7 7:00 p.m. Central Michigan
ESPNU W 38–28 17,841
November 14 7:00 p.m. at Northern Illinois
ESPNU L 0–246,417
November 21 7:00 p.m. Bowling Green
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
 ESPNU L 10–34 8,901
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[5][6]

Game summaries

Saint Francis (PA)

at Syracuse

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 7 0 0 0 7
Orange 17 28 3 0 48

at No. 25 Iowa

Western Michigan at No. 25 Iowa
1 234Total
Broncos 7 300 10
• No. 25 Hawkeyes 0 141710 41
  • Date: September 16
  • Location:
    Kinnick Stadium
    Iowa City, IA
  • Game start: 2:40 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:51
  • Game attendance: 69,250
  • Game weather: 78 °F (26 °C), Cloudy, Wind NW 6 mph (9.7 km/h)
  • Referee: Gregory Blum
  • TV announcers (BTN): Lisa Byington (play-by-play), Anthony Herron (analyst), and Shane Sparks (sidelines)
     
Scoring summary
15:40WMUAnthony Sambucci 64-yard pass from Treyson Bourguet (Palmer Domschke kick)WMU 7–0
28:26IowaDiante Vines 3-yard pass from Cade McNamara (Drew Stevens kick)Tied 7–7
4:45WMUPalmer Domschke 27-yard field goalWMU 10–7
1:29IowaLeshon Williams 25-yard pass from Cade McNamara (Drew Stevens kick)Iowa 14–10
37:30IowaSafety, blocked punt through the end zoneIowa 16–10
4:02IowaKamari Moulton 3-yard run (Erick All pass from Cade McNamara)Iowa 24–10
2:10IowaKamari Moulton 1-yard run (Drew Stevens kick)Iowa 31–10
45:20IowaDrew Stevens 31-yard field goalIowa 34–10
0:30IowaMax White 2-yard run (Drew Stevens kick)Iowa 41–10
StatisticsWMUIOWA
First downs819
Total yards239387
Rushing yards117254
Passing yards122133
Turnovers12
Time of possession26:0733:53
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Western MichiganPassingTreyson Bourguet5/16, 124 yards, TD
RushingTreyson Bourguet8 carries, 32 yards
ReceivingKenneth Womack2 receptions, 11 yards
IowaPassingCade McNamara9/19, 103 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
RushingLeshon Williams12 carries, 145 yards
ReceivingSteven Stilianos2 receptions, 29 yards

at Toledo

Ball State

at Mississippi State

Game Six – Western Michigan Broncos (2-3) at Mississippi State Bulldogs (2–3) – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Western Michigan 0 7 14728
Mississippi State 10 7 141041

at Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, MS

  • Date: Saturday, October 7, 2023
  • Game time: 11:00 a.m. CST
  • Game weather: Sunny, 62 °F (17 °C)
  • Game attendance: 47,158
  • Referee: Scott Walker
  • TV announcers (SECN/ESPN+): Lowell Galindo (play-by-play), Derek Mason (analyst), Taylor Davis (sideline)
Game information
First quarter
  • (10:09) MSST – Kyle Ferrie 31-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 34 yards, 2:45; Mississippi State 3-0)
  • (6:04) MSST – Jordan Mosley 15-yard pass from Will Rogers (Kyle Ferrie kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 54 yards, 2:30; Mississippi State 10-0)
Second quarter
  • (4:03) MSST – Creed Whittemore 16-yard pass from Will Rogers (Kyle Ferrie kick) (Drive: 6 plays, 53 yards, 3:03; Mississippi State 17-0)
  • (0:52) WMU – Austin Hence 10-yard pass from Hayden Wolff (Palmer Dornschke kick) (Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 3:11; Mississippi State 17-7)
Third quarter
  • (12:18) MSST – Mike Wright 3-yard run (Kyle Ferrie kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 2:41; Mississippi State 24-7)
  • (8:57) WMU – Blake Bosma 23-yard pass from Hayden Wolff (Palmer Dornschke kick) (Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 3:21; Mississippi State 24-14)
  • (6:44) MSST – Seth Davis 5-yard run (Nick Barr-Mira kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 51 yards, 2:12; Mississippi State 31-14)
  • (3:23) WMU – Zahir Abdus-Salaam 11-yard run (Palmer Dornschke kick) (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:21; Mississippi State 31-21)
Fourth quarter
  • (12:31) MSST – Freddie Roberson 36-yard pass from Will Rogers (Nick Barr-Mira kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 59 yards, 1:44; Mississippi State 38-21)
  • (10:48) WMU – Leroy Thomas 25-yard pass from Hayden Wolff (Palmer Dornschke kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:43; Mississippi State 38-28)
  • (4:12) MSST – Nick Barr-Mira 49-yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 26 yards, 2:07; Mississippi State 41-28)
StatisticsWMUMSST
First downs2125
Total yards77–41365–440
Rushing yards32–11633–194
Passing yards297246
Passing: Comp–Att–Int33–45–123–32–0
Time of possession28:4631:14
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Western MichiganPassingHayden Wolff27/35, 262 yards, 3 TD, INT
RushingZahir Abdus-Salaam18 carries, 60 yards, TD
ReceivingKenneth Womack12 receptions, 113 yards
Mississippi StatePassingWill Rogers16/22, 189 yards, 3 TD
RushingSeth Davis10 carries, 65 yards, TD
ReceivingFreddie Roberson5 receptions, 68 yards, TD

Miami (OH)

at Ohio

Western Michigan Broncos (2–5) vs. Ohio Bobcats (5–2)
Period 1 2 34Total
Western Michigan 0 0 10717
Ohio 3 3 7720

at Peden Stadium • Athens, OH

  • Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: sunny
  • Game attendance: 16,048
  • Referee: William Williams
  • TV announcers (CBSSN): Jason Knapp, Russ Tucker
  • Pregame line: Ohio -16.5; O/U 52.0 • Ohio notes, boxscore
Game information
First Quarter
  • (08:49) OHIO - Gianni Spetic 28 yd FG 13 plays, 57 yards, TOP 04:51 (OHIO 3–0)
Second Quarter
  • (00:02) OHIO - Gianni Spetic 19 yd FG 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 00:37 (OHIO 6–0)
Third Quarter
  • (07:07) WMU - Palmer Domschk 43 yd FG 6 plays, 52 yards, TOP 02:29 (OHIO 6–3)
  • (02:36) OHIO - Sieh Bangura 1 yd run (Gianni Spetic kick) 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:31 (OHIO 13–3)
  • (00:18) WMU - Hayden Wolff 3 yd run (Palmer Domschk kick) 5 plays, 41 yards, TOP 02:07 (OHIO 13–10)
Fourth Quarter
  • (04:36) OHIO - Sam Wiglusz 7 yd pass from Kurtis Rourke (Gianni Spetic kick) 8 plays, 78 yards, TOP 05:05 (OHIO 20–10)
  • (00:18) WMU - Kenneth Womack 8 yd pass from Hayden Wolff (Palmer Domschke Kick) 8 plays, 68 yards, TOP 02:09 (OHIO 20–17)
StatisticsWestern MichiganOhio
First downs2128
Total yards369460
Rushes/yards22/7939/185
Passing yards290275
Passing: Comp–Att–Int30–42–124–39–0
Time of possession24:2535:35
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Western MichiganPassingHayden Wolff30/42, 290 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
RushingCJ Hester5 rushes, 26 yards
ReceivingKenneth Womack14 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD
OhioPassingKurtis Rourke24/39, 275 yards, 1 TD
RushingSieh Bangura15 rushes, 86 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingSam Wiglusz10 receptions, 155 yards, 1 TD

at Eastern Michigan

Central Michigan

at Northern Illinois

Bowling Green

References

  1. ↑ "Football Ticket, Game Day & Waldo Stadium Information". Western Michigan Athletics.
  2. ↑ "Western Michigan hires Louisville OC Lance Taylor as coach". ESPN.
  3. ↑ "MAC College Football Standings - 2023". espn.com. ESPN. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  4. ↑ "MAC football preseason poll: Toledo picked to win conference championship; BGSU tabbed to finish fourth in MAC East". wtol.com. WTOL 11. July 20, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  5. ↑ "2023 Western Michigan Football Schedule".
  6. ↑ "Western Michigan Broncos Schedule 2023/season/2023". ESPN.
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