Football | September 25, 2018

Western Michigan (2-2, 0-0 MAC)
at Miami (1-3, 1-0 MAC)
Sept. 29, 2018 •  Yager Stadium (24,286) • Oxford, Ohio
3:30 PM ET • ESPN+ • 96.5 FM

TV: ESPN+
TV Talent:
COACHING FACTS
WMU Head Coach: Tim Lester (Western Michigan, 2000)
Record at Western Michigan: 8-8 (2nd Season)
Career Record: 48-31 (8th season)

Miami Head Coach: Chuck Martin (Millikin University, 1990
Record at Miami: 17–36 (5th season)
Career Record: 91–43 (11th season)

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 two games in a row, defeating Delaware State (68-0) and Georgia State (34-15). Saturday marks the first Mid-American Conference game for the Broncos. Miami opened the season with losses to Marshall, Cincinnati and Minnesota, before beating Bowling Green this past week in the RedHawks' MAC opener, 38-23.

• This will be the 60th all-time meeting between Western Michigan and Miami. WMU trails in the all-time series, 21-37-1, however has won the last five meetings since 2006. The last time the two teams met was in 2015, WMU posting a 35-13 win at home. The last time the Broncos and RedHawks met in Oxford was in 2014, Western Michigan claiming a 42-10 victory.

• Through four games, the Broncos lead the MAC and rank 37th in the nation in total offense, averaging 471.0 yards per game. The Broncos are also first in the MAC and 29th in the nation with 225.0 yards rushing a game, as well as first in the conference, averaging 24.2 first downs per game.

• WMU is one of five teams left nationally who has not lost a fumble. The Broncos rank 9th for fumbles recovered with five.

• Junior QB Jon Wassink completed 20-of-25 passes for 234 yards and three TDs vs. Georgia State. The Broncos had two 100 yard rushers in redshirt senior Jamauri Bogan (126 yards/15 carries/1 TD) and junior LeVante Bellamy (121 yards/21 carries). Freshman WR Jayden Reed had a game-high 101 yards receiving on seven catches and hauled in a 40-yard TD. The offense combined for 528 total yards. The Bronco defense forced three fumbles, recovering two, and recorded one interception on the day, along with four sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Junior LB Drake Spears had a game-high nine tackles, along with two sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble. sophomore DB A.J. Thomas had seven tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception.

• 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 80th 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 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. In game four at Georgia State he had a game-high 101 yards receiving on seven catches and hauled in a 40-yard TD.

• Freshman running back Chase Brown is third on the team with 156 yards, averaging 6.8 yards per carry and 39.0 yards per game. Brown also has fielded kickoffs, as well as made a special teams tackle on the kickoff cover team.

• Freshman kicker Gavin Peddie took overthe role in game three vs. Delaware State. In his debut, he made two field goals and was 6 of 7 in PAT attempts. A week later, Peddie was named MAC Specialist of the Week following his performance at Georgia State. Peddie was 2-for-2 in field goal attempts and 4-for-4 on PATs, accounting for 10 of WMU's 34 points.

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.

BOGAN MOVING UP IN THE RECORD BOOKS
Redshirt senior running back Jamauri Bogan ran for 126 yards with a 71-yard touchdown in the Broncos' win over Georgia State. It was the 30th rushing touchdown of his career, moving him into a tie for third place all-time at WMU with Bronco Hall of Famer Robert Sanford. Bogan has 2,083 career yards rushing, ranking seventh in school history.

HOMECOMING / YOUTH DAY ON THE HORIZON
Following the Miami game, Western Michigan returns home and will host Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 6 at noon. It will be the Broncos' 95th annual Homecoming game, as well as Arbor Financial Youth Day. The Youth Day special Includes a Bronco Football game ticket and food voucher for $14 with pregame activities in the Seelye Center. Fans can use the promo code YOUTHDAY and purchase tickets today at wmubroncos.com/tickets.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
• Miami is led by head coach Chuck Martin, in his fifth season at the helm of the program. Martin was the head coach at Grand Valley State University from 2004-09, leading the Lakers to a 74-7 overall record and two Division II National Championships. Martin was an offensive coordinator at Notre Dame before taking over at Miami.

• Miami is coming off a 5-7 overall record and 4-4 MAC record. In the conference preseason poll, Miami was selected to finish fifth of twelve teams overall.

• Redshirt senior quarterback Gus Ragland led the RedHawks to a 38-23 Mid-American Conference opener victory over Bowling Green. He threw two touchdown passes, ran for one one-yard touchdown, was 10-15 for 119 yards, and rushed for 40 yards on six attempts. Redshirt senior running back Alonzo Smith received Mid-American Conference East Division Offensive Player of the Week honors following his efforts versus Bowling Green. Smith recorded a career-best 164 yards on 19 carries on the ground, helping Miami to their win over the Falcons. Senior defensive back De'Andre Montgomery leads the team with 38 tackles.