Bronco Radio Updates
Western Michigan opens the 2006 football season on the road at Indiana on Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. The Broncos are looking to continue the success of a year ago after going 7-4 and posting a 5-3 mark in the Mid-American Conference.
WMU and the Hoosiers have met on the field of play only twice before with IU taking both meetings in the late 1990's. Head coach Bill Cubit was a member of the Brown & Gold coaching staff when Western Michigan traveled to Bloomington, Ind., in 1998.
Indiana head coach Terry Hoeppner is also in his second year in Bloomington after 19 seasons, six as the head coach, at MAC rival Miami. Hoeppner coached the Redhawks to a pair of victories over the Broncos during his tenure as head coach in Oxford, Ohio.
THE GAME ? Western Michigan enters this game batting .500 in season openers over the past decade. The Broncos last captured a win in a season opener in 2004 with a 42-0 victory over Div. I-AA opponent Tennessee-Martin. To find a ?W' in a season-opening game on the road, you will need to go back to 1994 when WMU defeated Miami, 28-25, in Oxford, Ohio.
TELEVISION ? This game will not be televised.
RADIO ? This and all Western Michigan football games will be broadcast live on the Bronco Radio Network and its flagship station, WFAT - 96.5 FM. Robin Hook (play-by-play) and Monty Porter (analysis) will have the call as they have together for the past eight seasons.
WEB SITE ? All home WMU football games can be seen and heard live via the official athletics web site (www.wmubroncos.com) by subscribing to Bronco Insider, which can be found on the home page of the site. Live Stats are available for FREE for all Bronco home games by clicking the link atop the home football page. Today's game be can followed for free through GameTracker via Indiana's athletic site (www.iuhoosiers.com).
SERIES IN BRIEF ? This is only the third meeting between Western Michigan and the Hoosiers. Indiana holds a two-game edge in the series, having taken the only two meetings, 24-10, in 1995 and, 45-30, in 1998.
THE COACHES ? Bill Cubit (Delaware, 1975) begins his second season as the head coach of Western Michigan. The Sharon Hill, Pa., native led the Broncos to the biggest turnaround in Mid-American Conference history with five conference wins a year ago. Cubit served as offensive coordinator for WMU from 1997-99.
Terry Hoeppner (Franklin, 1969) also begins his second season at the helm of the Hoosier after going 4-7 at IU in 2005. Hoeppner has ties to the MAC as well. He headed the Miami program for six seasons taking them to back-to-back MAC East Division titles.
UP NEXT ? Western Michigan unveils its new Field Turf playing surface when the Broncos welcome 2005 MAC West co-champion Toledo to Waldo Stadium at 7 p.m. on Sept. 9 for CommUniverCity Night.
