Football | October 16, 2018

Western Michigan (5-2, 3-0 MAC)
at Central Michigan (1-6, 0-3 MAC)
Oct. 20 2018 • 3 PM ET
Kelly/Shorts Stadium (30,255) • Mount Pleasant, Mich.

TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Radio: Bronco Radio Network - 96.5 FM

COACHING FACTS
WMU Head Coach: Tim Lester (Western Michigan, 2000)
Record at Western Michigan: 11-8 (2nd Season)
Career Record: 51-31 (8th season)

CMU Head Coach: John Bonamego (Central Michigan, 1987)
Record at CMU: 22–24 (4th season)
Career Record: Same

CLICK HERE FOR TROPHIES & FACTS BEHIND THE WMU-CMU RIVALRY

STORYLINES
• After starting the season with Power 5 losses to Syracuse and then ranked No. 21 Michigan, the Broncos have rebounded to win their last five games in a row, defeating Delaware State (68-0), Georgia State (34-15), Miami (40-39), Eastern Michigan (27-24) and Bowling Green (42-35).

•  WMU scored five second half touchdowns to overcome a 21-7 halftime deficit, defeating Bowling Green on the road, 42-35. Running backs Jamauri Bogan and LeVante Bellamy led the WMU ground game which totaled 194 of its 277 yards rushing in the second half. Bogan ran for 75 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries while Bellamy ran for a season-high 145 yards on 24 carries, coming four yards shy of his career high for yards. Quarterback Jon Wassink completed 22 passes on 37 attempts, totaling 271 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for a career-high 40 yards. Defensively, Justin Tranquill had a team-high nine tackles, a PBU and QBH. Junior CB Anton Curtis intercepted two passes at the end of the game, while Najee Clayton and Corvin Moment each forced fumbles.

• WMU has had to come back from second half deficits in all three MAC wins this season. Of those three games, Western Michigan has only led once at the half (14-10) vs. Eastern Michigan.

• Tim Lester is in his second season as head coach at WMU and is one of 22 FBS coaches leading their alma mater. Lester was an All-MAC quarterback for the Broncos, playing from 1996-99. He was the 1996 MAC Freshman of the Year and led WMU to the 1999 MAC Championship game. Lester threw for 11,299 yards and 87 career TDs. This will be his 83rd game as a head coach, also coaching at the Division II and III levels. Lester was an assistant coach at Western Michigan from 2005-06.

THE MAC GRIND
Saturday's game against Central Michigan marks the first of three games over a 13-day stretch. The Broncos have a short five-day turnaround after Saturday and will host Toledo on Thursday. Oct. 25. The Broncos return a week later to host Ohio on Thursday, Nov. 1. After the CMU game, Western Michigan plays three of its final four games at home.

BOGAN NAMED OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jamauri Bogan was named the MAC West Offensive Player of the Week after his performance at Bowling Green (4 TDs, 75 yards rushing). Through the first seven weeks of the season, WMU has had five different players recognized as conference players of the week - wide receivers D'Wayne Eskridge and Jayden Reed both were named both Offensive POTW and kicker Gavin Peddie earned Special Teams POTW. Additionally, quarterback Jon Wassink has twice been named MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week.

STRENGTH OF OFFENSE
• WMU has racked up over 500 yards of total offense in 5 of 7 games this year, including a season-high 621 yards vs. Syracuse. Junior QB Jon Wassink's 439 yards passing at Miami are a conference  high this season, as are D'Wayne Eskridge's 240 yards receiving vs. Syracuse.

• WMU has one game with two 100-yards receivers and a 100-yard rusher (Syracuse), as well as a game with two 100-yard rushers and one 100-yard receiver (Georgia State). Freshman WR Jayden Reed has a MAC-best three 100-yard receiving games, while junior D'Wayne Eskridge has two. Junior RB LeVante Bellamy has a MAC-best three 100-yard rushing games, senior Jamauri Bogan has one.

STAT RANKINGS
WMU is at the top of the MAC and the national rankings in several statistical categories.
• Punt Return Yards - 322 - 1st MAC, 1st FBS
• Punt Return Average - 24.77 - 1st MAC,  2nd FBS
• Total Offense - 483.0 - 1st MAC, 17th FBS
• Time of Possession - 32:49 - 1st MAC, 18th FBS
• Rushing Offense - 208.1 - 1st MAC, 35th FBS
• 3rd Down Conversion-Defense - .333 - 1st MAC, 31st FBS
• Fumbles Recovered - 8 - 2nd MAC, 3rd FBS
• Sacks Allowed Per Game - 0.57 - 2nd MAC, 4th FBS
• First Downs - Offense - 179 - 2nd MAC, 6th FBS
• Passing Offense - 274.9 - 2nd MAC, 28th FBS
• Scoring Offense - 36.6 - 2nd MAC, 28th FBS
• Team TFL Per Game - 7.0 - 2nd MAC, 38th FBS
• TFL Allowed - 4.29 - 3rd MAC, 15th FBS

LeVante Bellamy
    Rushing Yards - 676 - 1st MAC, 14th FBS
    Rushing YPG - 96.6 - 1st MAC, 23rd FBS
    Yards Per Carry - 6.56 - 1st MAC, 16th FBS        
    All Purpose - 139.57 - 1st MAC, 15th FBS

Jon Wassink
    Passing Yards - 1,924 - 1st MAC, 8th FBS
    Passing YPG - 274.9 - 1st  MAC, 17th FBS
    Total Offense PG - 292.7 - 1st MAC, 17th FBS
    Quarterback Rating - 75.6 -  3rd MAC, 23rd FBS
    Points Responsible For - 114 - 3rd MAC, 12th FBS
    
Jayden Reed    
    Punt Return Average - 21.6 - 1st MAC, 1st FBS
    Receiving TDs - 6 - 1st MAC, 14th FBS
    Total TDs - 7 - 2nd MAC, 29th FBS

Najee Clayton & Ali Fayad    
    Forced Fumbles PG - .543 - 2nd MAC,  9th FBS

SCOUTING CENTRAL MICHIGAN
• Central Michigan is led by fourth-year head coach John Bonamego. Bonamego played at Central Michigan in the mid-80's, as a quarterback and wide receiver. The Chippewas enter week eight of competition with a record of 1-6 overall and 0-3 in the MAC, most recently falling 24-23 to Ball State. Three of the Chippewas' losses have come at the hands of Power 5 conference members including #14 Kentucky (35-20), Kansas (31-7), and #24 Michigan State (31-20). CMU's lone win this season was over FCS opponent Maine (17-5, Sept 22).

• CMU is averaging 18.1 points per game, which ranks last in the MAC and 124th in the FBS. Meanwhile, the Chippewas are allowing 26.3 points per game. CMU started sophomore Tony Poljan at quarterback the first three games of the season and then switched to junior Tommy Lazzaro, who has led the team for the last four games. Lazzaro has proved to be CMU's most potent weapon, throwing for 607 yards and five TDs, while rushing for a team-high 343 yards and three TDs. Lazzaro has had trouble staying on target however with eight interceptions in a total of five games played. Senior linebacker Malik Fountain paces the defense with 83 tackles and has one interception on the season.

• Central Michigan is most recently coming off a 24-23 loss at home to Ball State, a game in which the Chippewas led 20-7 at halftime. CMU's other two MAC losses are to Northern Illinois (24-16) and Buffalo (34-24).

LOOKING AHEAD
After the CMU contest, Western Michigan is home for two-straight Thursday games, hosting Toledo on Oct. 25 and Ohio on Nov. 1. Tickets start at $16 and are available at wmubroncos.com/tickets.