Western Michigan may have ended up with a losing record in 2022, but the Broncos finished the season strong and went .500 against MAC opponents. That included a victory over Toledo, the eventual conference champ, in WMU’s season finale.
So can the Broncos keep that momentum going into 2023 under first-year head coach Lance Taylor? Or will they face a drop off as the program transitions into a new era?
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Western Michigan Football’s MAC Title Odds
Western Michigan’s MAC title odds are +5000, via BetMGM.
Western Michigan Football’s Over/Under Win Total
WMU’s win total Over/Under is 3.5, with Under 3.5 at +120 and Over 3.5 at -140.
Western Michigan Football’s Schedule
8/31 vs Saint Francis
9/9 at Syracuse
9/16 at Iowa
9/23 at Toledo
9/30 vs Ball State
10/7 at Mississippi State
10/14 vs Miami (Ohio)
10/21 at Ohio
10/28 at Eastern Michigan
11/7 vs Central Michigan
11/14 at Northern Illinois
11/21 vs Bowling Green
Bold indicates MAC contests.
Key Western Michigan Football Returners
2022 All-MAC 3rd Team
DB Keni-H Lovely
Western Michigan’s Offense Looking For Breakout Stars
Western Michigan was last in the MAC with 19 points and 301.9 yards per game. The Broncos can only go up from there.
But questions remain about WMU’s quarterback situation.
Jack Salopek led the team with 1,285 yards passing while throwing seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions as a redshirt freshman. Treyson Bourguet, as a true freshman, threw for 601 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception but only started four games and therefore redshirted. Mareyohn Hrabowski also made a start and threw for 56 yards in 2022. Former Old Dominion quarterback Hayden Wolff transferred to Western Michigan this offseason after starting a collective 22 games and throwing for 5,578 yards and 30 touchdowns.
All of those passers could be in the mix to be WMU’s Day 1 starter.
Corey Crooms, who tallied a team-high 814 receiving yards in 2022, is now gone. But wide receivers Jehlani Galloway and Anthony Sambucci as well as tight end Blake Bosma all were in the top four in receiving yards for the team and return.
With an offensive line featuring guard Addison West and center Jacob Gideon, Western Michigan should be fairly strong up front. The Broncos are aiming to protect their quarterback more consistently, as they allowed the second-most sacks in the MAC with 42, and create more running lanes in the ground game, as they averaged the third-fewest rushing yards per game at 136.3.
Sean Tyler, who rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2022, transferred to play in the Big Ten for Minnesota. But the Broncos brought in C.J. Hester, a transfer from Wyoming who’s a former three-star prospect, and could see other backs on the roster step up as the season develops.
Keni-H Lovely Stands Out On Western Michigan’s Defense
The Broncos are looking for a fresh start on defense.
Their top seven tacklers in 2022 have moved on from the program. They helped Western Michigan finish with the second-best defense in the MAC in points allowed (24.1 per game) and yards allowed (352.3 per game).
Keni-H Lovely is the only returning all-conference player on the roster. But he was exceptional, as the redshirt senior cornerback tallied 48 tackles, four interceptions, and two pass breakups last year.
Defensive end Marshawn Kneeland is an up-and-coming player who should make a considerable difference in 2023. The redshirt sophomore tallied 10 tackles for loss and five quarterback hurries to go with 38 tackles in 2022.
With Lou Esposito back as Western Michigan’s defensive coordinator, the Broncos are also hoping some of their newcomers like Michigan State safety Tate Hallock and former Indiana State cornerback Bilhal Kone make some immediate impacts.
Western Michigan Football Season Prediction
WMU isn’t going to win the MAC this year, and even reaching four victories is going to be difficult because of its non-conference slate.
The Broncos play at Power Five opponents Syracuse, Iowa, and Mississippi State in 2023. They also have to face Toledo and Ohio, two of the top favorites to win the MAC, on the road.
The Broncos do get to play Saint Francis of the FCS to begin the year, and they host Ball State, Bowling Green, and Central Michigan, which are all in the bottom half of the league in MAC Championship odds.
But that’s assuming Western Michigan wins every single one of those games, and it doesn’t appear the roster has enough to play consistently.
This may not be a successful season, but it could be one that head coach Lance Taylor will use to help this program get on the right track.
