Western Michigan may be the most efficient offense in college football after two games. This isn't a program that is talked about often, but a quick look at offensive statistics proves the Broncos are capitalizing on almost every opportunity they get.
In the season opener against Northwestern, Western Michigan quarterback Zach Terrell posted 218 passing yards and a touchdown. Running back Jamauri Bogan tacked on another 103 rushing yards while finding the end zone as well. This success came over Northwestern defense that finished ranked No. 13 in the country in 2015. The Broncos went on to claim a 22-21 win.
Last week, Western Michigan cruised past North Carolina Central, 70-21. In that game, Terrell had 255 yards and four touchdowns. Bogan added 131 yards on the ground and another touchdown. Naysayers will chalk this one up to a huge victory over a overmatched FCS team. But North Carolina Central isn't some inexperienced opponent. It's a team that finished (8-3) in 2015, and closed out last season with seven straight wins. A win by such a large margin says a lot more about Western Michigan than it does about North Carolina Central.
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The Western Michigan offensive numbers are impressive, but not eye-catching. But it isn't about what the Broncos are doing when they have the football. It's about how they are doing it.
P.J. Fleck's squad has converted all 10 of its trips to the red zone. Eight of those trips resulted in touchdowns, good enough for 6th in the country.
| Team | Attempts | Scores | TDs | FGs | Score % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Tech | 14 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 100.00 |
| Arizona State | 11 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 100.00 |
| Mississippi | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Iowa | 10 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 100.00 |
| Western Michigan | 10 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 100.00 |
And it doesn't stop there. Fleck has shown a knack for gambling. And it has paid off every time. Western Michigan leads the country in fourth down conversions.
| Team | Red Zone Attempts | Conversions |
|---|---|---|
| Western Michigan | 5 | 5 |
| Army | 4 | 4 |
| Marshall | 3 | 3 |
| Texas | 3 | 3 |
| Georgia Tech | 3 | 3 |
These results don't happen if offenses don't have the ball. Is it a shock Western Michigan ranks in the top 10 in time of possession?
| Rank |
Team |
Total Time | Time Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air Force | 79:42 | 39:51:00 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 77:49 | 38:54:50 |
| 3 | Ohio | 77:06 | 38:33:00 |
| 4 | Army | 76:00 | 38:00:00 |
| 5 | Houston | 113:08 (3 games) | 37:42:67 |
| 6 | Southern Miss. | 75:04 | 37:32:00 |
| 7 | Western Michigan | 73:54 | 36:57:00 |
| 8 | Georgia Southern | 73:32 | 36:46:00 |
| 9 | Florida State | 72:58 | 36:29:00 |
| 10 | Ohio State | 72:28 | 36:14:00 |
While those are three main categories of offensive consistency, the Broncos are still relevant in other areas. They rank No. 20 in the country in scoring offense at 46 points per game, No. 13 in rushing offense at 279 yards per game and No. 14 in third down conversions at 54.84 percent.
These numbers shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Western Michigan finished No. 17 in the nation in total offense a year ago, averaging 491.1 yards per game, and return seven offensive starters this year including three on the offensive line. The Broncos put up competitive performances against powerhouses Michigan State and Ohio State last season and capped off the campaign with a victory over Middle Tennessee in the Popyes Bahamas Bowl.
Western Michigan will not get the chance at a Top 25 school this season, at least until bowl season, but they do get Illinois out of the Big Ten this weekend and take on Oklahoma State buster Central Michigan in two weeks.
