Football | August 28, 2018

Western Michigan (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
vs. Syracuse (0-0, 0-0 ACC)
Aug. 31, 2018 • 6 PM ET
Waldo Stadium (30,200) • Kalamazoo, Mich.

TV: CBS Sports Network
TV Talent: Radio: Bronco Radio Network - 96.5 FM

COACHING FACTS
WMU Head Coach: Tim Lester (Western Michigan, 2000)
Record at Western Michigan: 6-6 (2nd Season)
Career Record: 46-29 (8th season)

Syracuse Head Coach: Dino Babers (Hawaii, 1984)
Record at Syracuse: 8-16 (3rd season)
Career Record: 45-32 (7th season)

STORYLINES
• Friday is the first ever meeting between Western Michigan and Syracuse, after the two schools agreed to play a home & home series last season. WMU will make the return trip to Syracuse on Sept. 21, 2019.

• This is the second time in the last four years Western Michigan has hosted a Power 5 school to open the season. The Broncos hosted then No. 5 ranked Michigan State at Waldo Stadium in 2015. WMU has played a Power 5 school in its opening game every season dating back to 2005.

• 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 76th 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.

• Western Michigan is coming off a 6-6 overall record in 2017, and went 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos won four of their first six games, with the two losses coming at No. 4 ranked USC and at Michigan State in the first two weeks of the season, but the Broncos struggled down the stretch as injuries took their toll on the team. Western Michigan had 21 season-ending injuries in 2017, among them starting quarterback Jon Wassink, as well as five running backs, five wide receivers and five defensive backs.

• This will be the eighth time in school history WMU goes up against an ACC opponent. The Broncos' lone win over an ACC foe was in 2006, defeating Virginia on the road, 17-10.

BACK IN THE SADDLE
Junior quarterback Jon Wassink returns in 2018 after suffering a season-ending injury (broken collarbone) at Eastern Michigan in Game 8 of last season. Wassink completed 124 passes for 1,411 yards in his shortened 2017 season, his first under center. He threw 14 touchdowns, ran for three and caught two.

• At the time of his injury, Wassink led the MAC in completion percentage (.642) and ranked second for pass efficiency (145.4) - those numbers also stacked up nationally, ranking 27th for completion percentage and 33rd for pass efficiency, while coming in at 29th in points responsible for.

RUNNING GAME CONTINUES AT STRENGTH
WMU has been known for its running game, and it will continue to be a strength in 2018. Lost to graduation and the NFL is all-time leading rusher Jarvion Franklin, who set school records for career rushing yards and touchdowns. WMU returns three experienced backs however, and all three are healthy after going down with season-ending injuries last year. Redshirt senior Jamauri Bogan enters 2018 ranked No. 8 in career rushing at WMU with 2,563 yards and fourth with 27 career rushing touchdowns. Junior LeVante Bellamy (6 career TDs, 1,020 yards) has been one of WMU's most explosive backs, but has had the last two seasons cut short by injury. Also back in the mix is junior Davon Tucker (7 career TDs, 353 yards).


LESTER TO PLAY CALL in 2018
Western Michigan head coach Tim Lester will call the Broncos' plays in 2018. Former Bronco offensive coordinator Kevin Johns play-called in Lester's first season at WMU in 2017. Johns left Western Michigan in January 2018 to become the offensive coordinator at Texas Tech. Lester is entering his eighth season overall as a head coach, last year was the first time in his career he did not play call.


SYRACUSE TIES
• Western Michigan has several ties to Syracuse, as head coach Tim Lester (2013-15), offensive coordinator Jake Moreland (2015) and defensive coordinator Tim Daoust (2011-15) all spent time as assistants on the Orange staff under former 'Cuse head coach Scott Shafer (who was a former WMU offensive coordinator). WMU's current chief of football staff and operations, Drew Robinson, is a Syracuse graduate. Current Syracuse assistant Vinson Reynolds coached WMU's defensive line from 2013-15.

• WMU has also had transfers from Syracuse the last two seasons. Defensive lineman Steven Clark played at WMU last year after playing his first two seasons at Syracuse. Clark has been medically DQ'ed by both Syracuse and WMU due to a genetic blood disorder.

• Cornerback Juwan Dowels arrived to Western Michigan as a graduate transfer after completing his degree at Syracuse. Dowels has one year of eligibility at WMU.


HARRIS EXPECTED TO MAKE AN IMPACT
Juwan Dowels is not the only transfer expected to make an impact for Western Michigan this season. Arriving to Kalamazoo as a graduate transfer is wide receiver Drake Harris, who obtained his undergraduate degree at Michigan. Harris is originally from Grand Rapids, where he was a standout prep for Grand Rapids Christian.

IMPORTANT DATES
The Broncos travel to Michigan in week two (Sept. 8) and return home to host Delaware State Saturday, Sept. 15, for the Broncos' annual CommUniverCity game (7 p.m. kickoff). WMU begins its MAC schedule Saturday, Sept. 29, at Miami University. The Broncos' first home conference game is against Eastern Michigan, Saturday Oct. 6 (Noon kickoff), which will be WMU's 95th annual Homecoming game, as well as Youth Day and Family Weekend.

SCOUTING SYRACUSE
• Syracuse is coached by Dino Babers in his third season. Babers is no stranger to the Mid-American Conference, having led Bowling Green in the 2014 & 2015 seasons. Babers took the Falcons to back-to-back MAC title game appearances and won the MAC Championship over Northern Illinois in 2015. Babers also spent two years as a head coach at Eastern Illinois in 2012 & 2013, where he coached future NFL quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

• Syracuse is coming off a 4-8 overall record with a 2-6 mark in the ACC. The Orange stunned then No. 2 ranked Clemson on Oct. 13, defeating the Tigers 27-24. Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns in the game. Following the Clemson win, Syracuse dropped its final five games of the season.

• Dungey suffered a season-ending injury at Florida State in the ninth game of the year and missed the final three games, which resulted in lopsided losses for the Orange. Dungey unquestionably was the key to Syracuse's success last season, throwing for 2,495 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 595 yards and nine touchdowns.

• Syracuse returns four players on its offensive and defensive line, but lost its top two wide receivers and its entire linebacker unit. Overall, Syracuse returns 42 lettermen and 15 starters.