Football | October 29, 2018

Western Michigan (6-3, 4-1 MAC)
vs. Ohio (5-3, 3-1 MAC)
Nov. 1, 2018 • 7 PM ET
Waldo Stadium (30,200) • Kalamazoo, Mich.

TV: ESPNU
TV Talent: Radio: Bronco Radio Network - 96.5 FM

COACHING FACTS
WMU Head Coach: Tim Lester (Western Michigan, 2000)
Record at Western Michigan: 12-9 (2nd Season)
Career Record: 52-32 (8th season)

Head Coach: Frank Solich (Nebraska, 1966)
Record at Ohio: 102–74 (14th season)
Career Record: 160–93 (20th season)

STORYLINES
•  After starting the season with Power 5 losses to Syracuse and then ranked No. 21 Michigan, the Broncos won six games in a row, defeating Delaware State (68-0), Georgia State (34-15), Miami (40-39), Eastern Michigan (27-24), Bowling Green (42-35) and Central Michigan (35-10). The Broncos had the wining streak snapped last Thursday against Toledo (51-24), suffering their first MAC loss of the season.

•  The Broncos are bowl eligible for a program-record fifth straight season. WMU is currently second in the MAC West with a 4-1 record, behind Northern Illinois at 4-0.

•  Western Michigan is in a stretch of games where the team plays three games over a 13-day span.

•   WMU came back from second half deficits in the first three MAC wins this season. WMU has only led in two of the five MAC games at the half - vs. Eastern Michigan (14-10), Central Michigan (21-0).

•  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 85th 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.

FRESHMEN MAKING THEIR MARK
•  Freshman quarterback Kaleb Eleby made his debut last Thursday against Toledo, replacing injured junior Jon Wassink in the first quarter. Eleby threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns on 23 of 28 passing. Freshman wide receiver Jayden Reed caught two touchdowns against the Rockets, giving him eight receiving TDs for the season, which ranks second most in the MAC. Reed totaled 103 yards for his fourth 100-yard game this season.

WASSINK OUT WITH INJURY
WMU head coach Tim Lester has announced QB Jon Wassink will have surgery on his right foot this week, an injury sustained in the first quarter against Toledo. His timetable for recovery is still TBD. True freshman Kaleb Eleby will be WMU starting QB moving forward. In 2017, Wassink suffered a season-ending injury with a broken collarbone in Game 8 at Eastern Michigan.

STAT RANKINGS
WMU is at the top of the MAC and the national rankings in several statistical categories.
• Punt Return Yards - 341 - 1st MAC, 1st FBS
• Punt Return Average - 22.73 - 1st MAC, 2nd FBS
• 3rd Down Conversion-Defense - .310 - 1st MAC, 14th FBS
• First Downs - Offense - 212 - 2nd MAC, 8th FBS
• Fumbles Recovered - 9 - 2nd MAC, 10th FBS
• Time of Possession -  32:49 -  2nd MAC, 17th FBS
• Total Offense - 463.2 - 2nd MAC, 23rd FBS
• TFL Allowed - 4.56 - 2nd MAC, 21st FBS
• Rushing Offense - 209.1 - 2nd MAC, 34th FBS
•Team TFL Per Game - 6.9 - 2nd MAC, 34th FBS
• Sacks Allowed Per Game - 1.0 - 3rd MAC, 11th FBS
• Scoring Offense -  35.0 - 3rd  MAC, 30th FBS

LeVante Bellamy
    Rushing Yards - 865 - 1st MAC, 10th FBS
    Yards Per Carry - 6.6 - 1st MAC, 11th FBS
    All Purpose - 138.56 - 1st MAC, 15th FBS
    Rushing YPG -  96.1 - 1st MAC,  27th FBS

MIDWEEK MACTION
WMU plays midweek games for its final four games of the season, playing two Thursday contests, followed by two Tuesday night contests. The Broncos are home for three of its last four games (home vs. Toledo, Ohio, NIU; at Ball State).

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 63rd all-time meeting between WMU and Ohio, with the Broncos leading in the all-time series, 33-28-1. Ohio was picked to win the MAC East and currently sits second in the division behind Buffalo (4-0). Western Michigan and Ohio last met in the 2016 MAC Championship game, with the Broncos winning, 29-26. WMU has won the last four meetings against Ohio, dating back to 2008. The last time they faced one another in Kalamazoo was in 2014, a 42-21 Bronco victory. Ohio (233.5) and WMU (209.1) are first and second in the league in rushing offense. They also rank second and third for scoring offense.

SCOUTING OHIO
•  Ohio is led by head coach Frank Solich, in his 14th season with the Bobcats and 20th season overall as a head coach. Solich formerly coached at his alma ma-ter, Nebraska from 1998-2003.

•  Ohio is 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the MAC. The Bobcats' three losses are to Virginia (45-31), Cincinnati (34-30) and Northern Illinois (24-21).

•   The Bobcats rank first in the MAC for rushing offense (233.5) and total offense (468.6), second for scoring offense (38.2) and fifth for passing offense (235.1). Ohio's defense has produced 17 takeaways through the first eight games of the 2018 season, which is good for second in the MAC and 17th in the country.

•  Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke is one of the top passers in the MAC and was a Second Team All-MAC performer last season. He leads Ohio's offense which is ranked first in the conference in passing ef-ficiency (161.9). Rourke ranks first in the MAC in total offense, accounting for 273.6 yards per game. He is the team's leading passer (1,620 yards, 14 TDs) and rusher (569 yards, 6 TDs).

LOOKING AHEAD
Following the Ohio contest, Western Michigan will have a bye week. The Broncos are at Ball State on Tuesday, Nov. 13 which is a 6 p.m. kickoff on ESPN2. WMU hosts Northern Illinois in the final regular season game on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. TV for that game is still TBA.