Football | October 09, 2019

Miami (Ohio) (2-3, 1-0 MAC) at Western Michigan (3-3, 1-1 MAC)

Waldo Stadium (30,200) • Kalamazoo, Mich.
Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019 • 12 noon
Television: ESPNU
Radio: Bronco Radio Network

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Coach Lester & Treshaun Hayward Press Conference | Watch Replay

Bronco Review Radio Show | Listen to Replay

Bronco Updates | Listen to Replays

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Western Michigan returns to Kalamazoo for its Homecoming tilt, welcoming Miami (Ohio) with a 12 noon kickoff on ESPNU ... "Go for Gold" is the University-wide theme for the 96th annual Homecoming ... WMU will also celebrate its Family Weekend.
• Last Saturday, the Broncos fell 31-24 at Toledo while the RedHawks were open.
• Miami (Ohio) leads the all-time series 37-22-1, but Western Michigan has won all six meetings since 2006.
• The Broncos are looking for their second consecutive Homecoming victory, and fourth in the last five years ... The only Homecoming loss in the span was 14-13 to Akron on October 15, 2017.
• Western Michigan is aiming for its fifth consecutive year starting Mid-American Conference play at 2-1 or better ... The 2013 campaign that started with an 0-4 league record was the last in which the Broncos did not take at least two of the first three MAC games.
• WMU enters the weekend looking for its first 4-0 home start since 2016, and just the seventh 4-0 beginning to the home campaign since 2000: 2000 (5-0), 2001 (4-0), 2006 (5-0), 2008 (6-0), 2011 (5-0) and 2016 (6-0).
• The Broncos have been turnover creating machines in the last five games, forcing 12 TOs during the stretch with at least two per contest ... WMU ranks tied for eighth nationally in turnovers gained this fall.
• In three home games this fall, Western Michigan has scored 136 points for an average of 45.33 per tilt ... Defensively, the Broncos have allowed just 15 points during the last seven quarters inside Waldo Stadium ... WMU is outscoring its opponents by an average of 32.67 points per home game this season.

WESTERN MICHIGAN vs. MIAMI (OHIO)

• The Broncos and RedHawks will meet for the 61st time Saturday. Miami leads the all-time series, 37-22-1, but WMU has won the last six meetings, all since 2006.
• Last year in Oxford, Western Michigan earned a 40-39 victory as Jon Wassink scored on a two-yard rush with 2:53 remaining in the game.
• The last time the two met in Kalamazoo was a 35-13 Bronco win on October 24, 2015. Zach Terrell threw for three TDs and Jamauri Bogan ran for two.

Series vs. Miami (Ohio): Miami (Ohio) leads 37-22-1
Series Streak: Western Michigan won 6
Last Meeting: 2018 (Western Michigan, 40-39)
Last Western Michigan Win: 2018

TELEVISION COVERAGE

• ESPNU will broadcast the game to a national audience. Mike Couzens (play-by-play) and Kirk Morrison (analyst) will call the game.

GAME NOTE NUGGETS

• Senior RB LeVante Bellamy has rushed for 629 yards this fall, the third most by a Bronco through the first six games of a campaign since 2000 ... Bellamy is tied for second nationally in rushes of 30+ yards with six and tied for third nationally in rushes of 40+ yards with four.
• Senior TE Giovanni Ricci owns a TD catch in three consecutive games, the longest streak for a Bronco since Keishawn Watson with three straight games from Sept. 23 – Oct. 7, 2017.
• True freshman WR Skyy Moore had his best performance of the year at Toledo with career highs in receptions (seven) and yards (101) ... Moore is the third Bronco to reach the 100-yard plateau this year ... Within the MAC, Moore stands fourth in receptions and leads all rookies with his 25 grabs.
• Senior C Luke Juriga has started 45 consecutive games, every contest of his career ... He is tied for the most consecutive starts among all FBS players.
• With senior D'Wayne Eskridge out for the year due to injury, sophomore Patrick Lupro has made his first two career starts and registered his first career interception against Central Michigan ... In three games since the Eskridge injury, Lupro owns 16 tackles, 0.5 tackle for lost yardage, one fumble recovery and the pick.
• Junior LB Treshaun Hayward has turned in five consecutive strong performances in the middle for the Broncos ... The Ypsilanti, Mich., native owns a team-high 67 tackles ... He added a career-high 2.0 tackles for lost yardage at Toledo and owns 5.0 TFL in the last four games ... Hayward is tied for seventh in the MAC with his 5.0 TFL and eighth with 26 yards lost on tackles behind the line.
• After leading all MAC underclassmen in TFL in 2018, junior DE Ali Fayad is back at it in 2019, ranking sixth in the MAC with 5.5 tackles for lost yards and tied for 10th with his 2.5 sacks.
• Since the MAC split into East and West divisions in 1997, Western Michigan has gone 44-18 (.710 winning percentage) against East Division foes.