Western Michigan Broncos
| First season |
2021 |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | |
| Stadium |
Waldo Stadium (capacity: 36,361) |
| Field |
Stafford-Smith Field |
| Location |
Kalamazoo, Michigan |
| NCAA Division |
Division I FBS |
| Conference |
Mid-American Conference |
| All-time record |
46-21 |
| Bowl record |
3-2 |
| Playoff appearances |
2 (2022, 2025) |
| Conference Championships |
1 (2025) |
| National Championships |
0 |
Western Michigan Broncos
The Western Michigan Broncos compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Western Division of the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos are currently coached by Jieret.
History
Jieret Era (2021-present)
2021 Season
Western Michigan's inaugural season was a good one, yet most Bronco observers view it as a disappointment. Most preseason polls saw them as one of the top teams in the MAC and a division title was the expectation, if not the conference. However, some uneven performances in conference play led to some unexpected losses, and a week 13 defeat to Central Michigan Chippewas pushed the Broncos into a three way tie with CMU and Ball State Cardinals for the division title. Tiebreakers propelled the Cardinals into the MAC Championship Game despite a sub-.500 record.
The Broncos faced and defeated the Troy Trojans in the Lending Tree Bowl 23-21, but the team admitted afterwards that the missed opportunities to win the MAC conference title still bothered them.
2022 Season
With Theo Scribner leading the team, Western Michigan fielded a lethal passing attack. The Broncos finished the regular season 11-2 and made the College Football Playoffs as the #4 seed. They defeated the #5 Louisville Cardinals 27-10 in the quarterfinal game played at the Fiesta Bowl and the #8 Tennessee Volunteers 34-26 in the semifinals at the Rose Bowl, making the National Championship Game. Unfortunately the high-powered offense sputtered in the championship game, falling to the Alabama Crimson Tide 14-7. Scribner won several awards, including the Heisman Trophy and First-Team All-American honors. WR Durham Simmons joined him on the All-American First Team, while WR Andy Anderson and DT Paul Reed were named to the All-American Second Team.
2023 Season
The big question for the Broncos was at quarterback, where redshirt junior OG Torres was set to take the reins from graduated Heisman winner Theo Scribner. Unfortunately Torres struggled, only throwing 19 touchdowns and completing just over 50% of his passes despite throwing 657 times.
A strong defense couldn't carry the offense, and the Broncos ended up missing Bowl season for the first time in school history. If there was any consolation for Broncos fans, it lay in the future as the Broncos signed the #2 recruiting class in the country, headlined by three five-star players: OT Curtis Davis (#4 overall prospect), SS Timothy Khan (#7 overall prospect), and OG William Radosta (#33 overall prospect).
2024 Season
With a full year of starting under his belt and in a scheme better suited to his talent, Torres rebounded from his disastrous 2023 season. Combined with Western's first-ever 1000+ yard rushing season courtesy of QB/RB David Ponce de Leon, the Broncos offense pulled their weight enough to return to a bowl game, playing Colorado State Rams in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and losing 26-34.
2025 Season
Season-by-Season Records
| Year | Coach | Games | Wins | Losses | Pct. | Bowl | Final Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Jieret | 13 | 8 | 5 | .615 | Lending Tree Bowl (W 23-21) | NR |
| 2022 | Jieret | 15 | 12 | 3 | .800 | CFB National Championship Game (L 7-14) | 2 |
| 2023 | Jieret | 12 | 5 | 7 | .417 | None | NR |
| 2024 | Jieret | 13 | 8 | 5 | .615 | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (L 26-34) | NR |
| 2025 | Jieret | 14 | 13 | 1 | .923 | ||
| 5 Seasons | 67 | 46 | 21 | .687 | |||
All-time record vs. MAC opponents
| School | Total Games | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Diff | First Year | Last Year | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron Zips | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 74 | 16 | 58 | 2021 | 2024 | W3 |
| Ball State | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 189 | 105 | 84 | 2021 | 2025 | W6 |
| Bowling Green Falcons | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 14 | 31 | -17 | 2022 | 2022 | L1 |
| Buffalo Bulls | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 97 | 83 | 14 | 2021 | 2025 | W1 |
| Central Michigan | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 135 | 131 | 4 | 2021 | 2025 | W1 |
| Eastern Michigan Eagles | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 158 | 27 | 131 | 2021 | 2025 | W5 |
| Kent State Golden Flashes | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 126 | 46 | 80 | 2021 | 2025 | W4 |
| Miami (Ohio) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 96 | 32 | 64 | 2022 | 2024 | W2 |
| Northern Illinois Huskies | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.500 | 99 | 37 | 62 | 2021 | 2025 | W1 |
| Ohio Bobcats | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 79 | 3 | 76 | 2022 | 2024 | W2 |
| Toledo Rockets | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0.800 | 161 | 54 | 97 | 2021 | 2025 | W2 |
| Massachusetts Minutemen | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 32 | 17 | 15 | 2025 | 2025 | W1 |
| 12 Opponents | 42 | 31 | 11 | 0 | 0.738 | - | |||||
All-time record vs. non-conference opponents
| School | Total Games | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Diff | First Year | Last Year | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Crimson Tide | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 7 | 14 | -7 | 2022 | 2022 | L1 |
| Clemson Tigers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 71 | 14 | 57 | 2021 | 2024 | W2 |
| Colorado State Rams | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 26 | 34 | -8 | 2024 | 2024 | L1 |
| Georgia Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 15 | 24 | -9 | 2024 | 2024 | L1 |
| Jacksonville State Gamecocks football | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 24 | 6 | 18 | 2024 | 2024 | W1 |
| Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 45 | 0 | 45 | 2025 | 2025 | W1 |
| Louisville Cardinals | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 27 | 10 | 17 | 2022 | 2022 | W1 |
| Minnesota Golden Gophers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 49 | 23 | 26 | 2021 | 2022 | W2 |
| Northwestern Wildcats | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 28 | 10 | 18 | 2022 | 2022 | W1 |
| Ohio State Buckeyes | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 53 | 23 | 30 | 2025 | 2025 | W1 |
| Ole Miss Rebels | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 13 | 21 | -8 | 2023 | 2023 | L1 |
| Penn State Nittany Lions | 1 | - | - | 0 | -.000 | - | - | - | 2025 | 2025 | -1 |
| Rice Owls | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 38 | 9 | 29 | 2025 | 2025 | W1 |
| San Jose State Spartans | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 24 | -24 | 2023 | 2023 | L1 |
| Southern Illinois Salukis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 41 | 10 | 31 | 2023 | 2023 | W1 |
| Tennessee Volunteers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 | 62 | 87 | -25 | 2022 | 2025 | L1 |
| Temple Owls | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 23 | -23 | 2023 | 2023 | L1 |
| Troy Trojans | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 23 | 21 | 2 | 2021 | 2021 | W1 |
| Central Florida Knights | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 28 | 30 | -2 | 2021 | 2021 | L1 |
| UCLA Bruins | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 | 37 | 57 | -20 | 2021 | 2022 | W1 |
| Washington Huskies | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 38 | 10 | 28 | 2022 | 2022 | W1 |
| Wisconsin Badgers | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 15 | 25 | -10 | 2024 | 2024 | L1 |
| 22 Opponents | 2- | 15 | 9 | 0 | 0.625 | - | |||||
Rivalries
Michigan MAC Trophy
Main Article: Michigan MAC Trophy
School Records
Accomplishments and Recognition
Championships
- Mid-American Conference
Bowl Games
| Year | Bowl | Score | Opponent | Stadium | Location | Game Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Lending Tree Bowl | W 23-21 | Troy | Ladd-Peebles Stadium | Mobile, AL | Game |
| 2022 | Fiesta Bowl (CFP Quarterfinals) | W 27-10 | Louisville | State Farm Stadium | Glendale, AZ | Game |
| 2022 | Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinals) | W 34-26 | Tennessee | Rose Bowl | Pasadena, CA | Game |
| 2022 | National Championship Game | L 7-14 | Alabama | SoFi Stadium | Inglewood, CA | Game |
| 2024 | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | L 26-34 | Colorado State | Albertsons Stadium | Boise, ID |
Individual Recognition
All-Americans
2022
First-team All-American:QB Theo Scribner
WR Durham Simmons
Second-team All-American
Award Winners
2021:
Second Team All-MAC:
2022:
MAC Offensive Player of the Year: QB Theo Scribner
MAC Defensive Player of the Year: DT Paul Reed
MAC QB of the Year: Theo Scribner
MAC WR of the Year: Durham Simmons
MAC Defensive Lineman of the Year: DT Paul Reed
First-team All-MAC:
Second-team All-MAC:
Third-team All-MAC:
2023:
First-team All-MAC:
Second-team All-MAC:
Third-team All-MAC:
2024:
First-team All-MAC:DE Will Lee
ILB Robertson Moore
Second-team All-MAC:WR Lorenzo Whalen
CB Omari Stanley
Third-team All-MAC:RB (QB) David Ponce de Leon