THIS WEEK
Western Michigan welcomes No. 6/7 (FCS) Rhode Island to Waldo Stadium on Saturday for the first-ever meeting between the programs. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and WMU will be hosting its annual CommUniverCity festivities before the game. 

ABOUT LAST WEEK
- Western Michigan had its best defensive output of the season in Saturday's win over the Rockets. The Broncos held the MAC's top offense to just 13 points and 280 total yards. UT had been averaging 40.3 points per gamer and 464.7 yards of offense prior to the loss to WMU. 

- Saturday was the first time the Broncos have had a MAC-opener at home under head coach Lane Taylor. Taylor is now 2-1 in MAC-openers overall. 

- The Broncos were only flagged twice during the game for 20 total penalty yards, a season low. It's the first time since WMU has had two or fewer penalties since last season's loss against Northern Illinois on Nov. 6. 

- Both of WMU's touchdowns came in the final minute of a quarter. Broc Lowry's 6-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 14-6 was scored with 48 seconds to play in the third quarter. Lowry's touchdown to get the Broncos within two before the go-ahead 2-point conversion, was scored with 52 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

SCOUTING THE RAMS
Rhode Island (4-0, 2-0 CAA) heads into Saturday ranked No. 7 in the FCS Coaches Poll, slipping one spot from the previous week. The Rams are coming off a 28-7 win over Long Island, a team that beat Eastern Michigan earlier in the season, for their second conference win of the season. 

Junior quarterback Devin Farrell leads an offense that has averaged 24.8 points per game so far this season and averaging 398.5 yards per game. Farrell has completed 76-of-131 (58.0%) of his passes for 1,055 yards and six touchdowns. Running back Antwain Littleton Jr. leads the team in rushing with 420 yards, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and has four touchdowns. Marquis Buchanan, a 6-foot-4 wide receiver, leads the team with 23 catches for 425 yards and three touchdowns. 

URI's defense has allowed just 12.75 points per game and allowed 301.0 yards per game. The group has only allowed six touchdowns on the season, including just one through the air. The Rams defense has also produced five turnovers in four games. 

BROC-TOBERFEST
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Broc Lowry made his first collegiate start in Saturday's win over Toledo, coincidentally the same day as the beginning of Oktoberfest. Lowry, a native of Canfield, Ohio, had career-highs nearly across the board with 18 carries, 16 completions and 201 passing yards. It was the second time this season he has rushed for a career-high two touchdowns in a game.

The Bronco offense has scored five touchdowns so far this season and Lowry is responsible for all five. He has four rushing touchdowns and the one passing touchdown, a 17-yard throw to Jalen Buckley. 

DOUBLE YOUR FUN
The Western Michigan defense had two interceptions in the win over Toledo. Redshirt sophomore Joey Pope earned his first career interception in the first quarter, picking off Tucker Gleason at the WMU 20. In the second quarter, true freshmen cornerback John Peters stepped in front of a pass at the WMU 9-yard line for his first career interception. 

The win over the Rockets was the first time the Broncos have had two interceptions in a game since its 52-21 win over Kent State back on Oct. 26, 2024. It's also the second-straight meeting in which Western Michigan has recorded two interceptions, with Tate Hallock twice picking off Dequan Finn back on Sept. 23, 2023. 

KICKER TACKLE
After Western Michigan converted its two-point attempt to take a 14-13 lead over Toledo, the Rockets were going to get the ball back with 52 seconds to play. Graduate transfer kicker Hunter Smith put the kickoff on the goal line and Trayvon Rudolph returned it. Rudolph had space ahead and took the ball down the left sideline before finally being tripped up by Smith at the UT 33. Rudolph had more space in front of him had he avoided WMU's kicker. 

The tackle was the second for Smith this season, who has also had five of his 11 kickoffs go for touchbacks.