Football | September 18, 2018

Western Michigan (1-2, 0-0 MAC)
at Georgia State (1-2, 0-0 SUN BELT)
Sept. 22, 2018 • Georgia State Stadium (25,000) • Atlanta, Ga.
2 PM ET • ESPN+ • 96.5 FM

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: 7-8 (2nd Season)
Career Record: 47-31 (8th season)

GSU Head Coach: Shawn Elliot (Appalachian State, 1996)
Record at GSU: 8-7 (2nd season)
Career Record: 9-12 (3rd season)

STORYLINES
• After starting the season with Power 5 losses to Syracuse and No. 21 Michigan, the Broncos are coming off their first win of the season, blowing out FCS opponent Delaware State, 68-0, this past Saturday. It was the Broncos' largest margin of victory in the modern football era.

• The Sept. 22, 2018 matchup will be the first ever meeting between Western Michigan and Georgia State. The Panthers make a return trip to Kalamazoo on Sept. 14, 2019, as part of a home-and-home contract. Located in Atlanta, Georgia State is a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The Panthers play their home games in what was formerly known as Turner Field, which served as the home ball park of the Atlanta Braves from 1997–2016. WMU is 2-1 all-time against the Sun Belt, while GSU is 1-1 against the Mid-American Conference. It is the final non-conference game for the Broncos.

• Seven different Broncos registered a touchdown vs. Delaware State. On WMU's first offensive play of the game, junior RB LeVante Bellamy raced 40 yards for a touchdown. Junior TE Giovanni Ricci registered his first touchdowns (two) of his career. WMU returned two punt returns for TDs, a 93-yarder by freshman Jayden Reed and a 76-yarder by sophomore Tyron Arnett. Reed's 93-yard return tied for the second longest in school history, sixth longest in Mid-American Conference history, and was the longest in the FBS this season. Freshman kicker Gavin Peddie saw his first action, connecting on two field goals (24, 25) and 6 of 7 PATs.

• WMU's defense held Delaware State to just eight yards passing and 127 yards of total offense. The Broncos forced three fumbles, recovering two, one for a touchdown (freshman Patrick Lupro).

•  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 79th 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.

WMU IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
As of September 17, 2018 compiled by NCAA and ESPN statistics

TEAM
1st - punt return yards (283)
1st - one of 15 teams that have not lost a fumble
3rd - forced fumbles (.67)
4th - defense - passing ypg (125.7 yards)
4th - punt return average (31.44 yards)
11th – passing defense (377 yards)
17th - fumbles recovered (3)
21st - sacks allowed (1.0)

PLAYER
• Tyron Arnett (4-128=32.0 YPR) and Jayden Reed (5-155=31.0 YPR) rank 2nd & 3rd nationally for yards per punt return.
• Jayden Reed (155 yards) ranked 2nd, Tyron Arnett 9th (128) total punt return yards. Both each have a punt return TD.
• WR D'Wayne Eskridge ranked 6th in average yards per reception (26.0)
• RB LeVante Bellamy ranked 7th in yards per carry (29-268=9.2 YPC)
• QB Jon Wassink ranked 30th in total yards passing (750 yards)

FRESHMEN IMPACT PLAYERS
• Freshman wide receiver Jayden "Bird" Reed made seven catches for 121 yards, with one touchdown in the season-opener vs. Syracuse. In game three, he returned a 93-yard punt return for a touchdown. tied for the second longest in school history, sixth longest in Mid-American Conference history, and was the longest in the FBS this season.

• Freshman running back Chase Brown is second on the team with 122 yards, averaging 7.2 yards per carry and 40.7 yards per game. Brown also has fielded kickoffs, as well as made a special teams tackle on the kickoff cover team.

KICKING CORPS YOUNGEST IN THE NATION
Western Michigan is one of just two FBS schools that has played a true freshman long snapper (Bryce Bouwens), holder (Nick Mahalic), kicker (Gavin Peddie) and punter (Nick Mahalic). The other school with true freshmen in those four positions is Texas.

SCOUTING GEORGIA STATE
• Georgia State is coached by Shawn Elliott in his second season at the helm of the program. In 21 seasons as a Division I coach, Elliot has been a part of 20 winning seasons and helped coach 17 teams to the NCAA playoffs or a bowl game. In his first year as head coach, Elliot guided the program to its second bowl appearance in school history and first ever bowl win at the AutoNation Cure Bowl beating Western Kentucky by a score of 27-17. Prior to coming to Georgia State, Elliot worked seven seasons (2010-2016) at the University of South Carolina.

• The Panthers have opened their 2018 campaign 1-3, most recently falling 22-59 to the University of Memphis. In their season opener against Kennesaw State, the Panthers put together a come-from-behind win with 41 seconds left on the clock by throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to win by a score of 24-20.

• Georgia State, a member of the Sun Belt Conference, is coming off a 7-5 overall record in 2017 and was selected to finish 5th (tie with South Alabama) out of 10 teams in the conference preseason poll. The Panthers football program is currently in its ninth season and fifth of full Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) play. Georgia State has appeared in two bowls and currently holds an all-time bowl record of 1-1

• The Panther's first-year starting quarterback Dan Ellington opened his GSU career by leading a 24-20 season-opening victory over Kennesaw State. He threw three touchdown passes, was 20-28 for 187 yards, and rushed for 77 yards on 18 attempts. The Panthers feature one of the nation's top receivers in junior Penny Hart, a Preseason All-American who led the Sun Belt Conference in 2017 with a school-record 74 receptions for 1,121 yards and eight touchdowns. Brandon Wright leads the nation with an average of 53.0 yards per punt, which allows Georgia State to stand 12th nationally in punting at 42.6. Georgia State's roster includes 52 first or second-year players and 15 seniors.

LOOKING AHEAD
WMU begins its MAC schedule Saturday, Sept. 29, at Miami University at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+. 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.