Football | November 18, 2018

Western Michigan (6-5, 4-3 MAC)
vs. Northern Illinois (7-4, 6-1 MAC)
Nov. 20, 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: 12-11 (2nd Season)
Career Record: 52-34 (8th season)

Head Coach: Rod Carey (Indiana, 1994)
Record at NIU: 51–28 (6th season)
Career Record: same

STORYLINES
• After starting the season with Power 5 losses to Syracuse and then ranked No. 21 Michigan, the Broncos rattled off six-straight wins and opened MAC play 4-0. Redshirt junior quarterback Jon Wassink was injured in the first quarter against Toledo (Game 9) and the Broncos (6-5, 4-3 MAC) have lost three straight in his absence, falling to Toledo, Ohio and Ball State. It is the second-straight year Wassink has suffered a season-ending injury. Last year he broke his collarbone in Week 8 at Eastern Michigan.

• True freshman quarterback Kaleb Eleby made his debut against Toledo on Oct. 25, replacing injured junior Jon Wassink in the first quarter. Eleby threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns on 23 of 28 passing. Eleby made his first career start against Ohio on Nov. 1. He completed 10-of-19 passes for 152 yards and had one touchdown throw and two interceptions. Eleby was 20-for-29 for 187 yards with one touchdown passing, one touchdown rushing and no interceptions at Ball State.

• 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 87th 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 Broncos are bowl eligible for a program-record fifth straight season.

• The Broncos have 18 scoring drives of 10 plays of more this season, resulting in 13 touchdowns and five field goals. WMU has nine scoring drives of three plays or less, all resulting in TDs.

BIG GAMES FROM BELLAMY & BOGAN
• Junior running back LeVante Bellamy and redshirt senior Jamauri Bogan combined for 318 of WMU's 361 yards on the ground at Ball State last week. Bellamy rushed for 213 yards on 35 carries (both career highs) and one touchdown. Bogan went for 105 yards on 25 attempts with two touchdowns. Bellamy's 200-plus yards put him over 1,000 for the season for the first time in his career. With 1,120 yards to date, it marked the fifth-straight season WMU has had a 1,000-yard running back. Bogan's two touchdowns gave him 40 for his career, as he passed WMU Hall of Famer Jerome Persell (39), moving into second place all-time at Western Michigan for career rushing TDs. Jarvion Franklin, who played his final season last year, holds the school rushing TD record with 52.

• LeVante Bellamy's 1,120 rushing yards leads the MAC this season, as does his 101.8 yards per game and 1,502 all-purpose yards. He has five 100-yard rushing games this season.  Jamauri Bogan has 13 TDs this season, which leads all touchdown scorers in the MAC (rushing and receiving). Bogan had a career-high 16 TDs as a freshman.

BIRD IS THE WORD
Freshman wide receiver Jayden "Bird" Reed has eight touchdown receptions and four 100-yard receiving games. Reed also has one punt return for a TD.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 44th all-time meeting between Western Michigan and Northern Illinois, with the Broncos holding a 24-19 advantage in the series. Western Michigan defeated Northern Illinois the last time the two met in Kalamazoo in 2016, 45-30. It was the Broncos' first win over the Huskies since 2008. Northern Illinois defeated WMU last year in DeKalb, 35-31.

SENIOR SALUTE
Tuesday will be the final game at Waldo Stadium for the team's 10 seniors (9 active). The group is center John Keenoy, tight end Odell Miller, running back Jamauri Bogan, running back/special teams captain Leo Ekwoge, wide receiver Drake Harris, defensive lineman Eric Assoua, defensive lineman Ken Finley, offensive lineman Curtis Doyle, offensive lineman Zach Novoselsky, and defensive lineman Steven Clark, who missed the season because of medical reasons. The 2018 senior class will be honored prior to the game.

SCOUTING NIU
• The Huskies are led by Rod Carey in his sixth season as head coach. He has led NIU to a 51–28 overall and 38–9 MAC record in his six seasons. He arrived to NIU in 2011 and served as the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator before being promoted to head coach.

• NIU is 7-4 overall and 6-1 in the MAC. The Huskies lost their last game, falling at home against Miami on Wednesday, 13-7. The team is 4-2 when playing on the road this season. NIU has clinched the MAC West division title and will play in the MAC Championship game versus the East division winner at Ford Field.

• Northern Illinois has the best rushing defense in the MAC, only allowing 108.2 yards rushing per game. The Huskies also rank first overall in points allowed, only giving up 20.3 ppg.

• Northern Illinois offensively is averaging 19.87 points per game and 323.1 yards of total offense. Quarterback Marcus Childers has thrown for 1,540 total yards (140.0 ypg) and 10 touchdowns. Six different players have caught a touchdown pass, D.J. Brown has a team-high three TD receptions.

• NIU running back Tre Harbison ranks third in the MAC with 907 rushing yards. Defensive end Sutton Smith ranks first in the conference with nine sacks.