DATE | Oct. 17, 2026
TIME | 1:30 PM ET
LOCATION | Mount Pleasant, Mich.
VENUE | Kelly/Shorts Stadium
TV | ESPN+
RADIO | Bronco Media Network
LIVE STATS | CMUChippewas.com

THIS WEEK
Western Michigan heads to Central Michigan for the Battle for the Victory Cannon on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. The game can be watched live on ESPN+ and heard live on the Bronco Media Network.

THE SERIES
Saturday is the 97th all-time meeting between the Broncos and the Chippewas. Western Michigan leads the all-time series 54-40-2. After loosing five-straight games to Central Michigan from 2006-10, the Broncos have won 11 of the last 15 games. Six of those 11 wins came at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. WMU hosted CMU last season, coming away with a 24-21 victory thanks to fourth-down touchdown pass from Broc Lowry to with 2:08 left to Taliq Williams. WMU head coach Lance Taylor is 2-1 against the Chippewas.

THE VICTORY CANNON
The Victory Cannon Trophy was created back in 2008 to represent both Western Michigan and Central Michigan's ROTC programs that shoot off a cannon any time the Broncos or Chippewas score. WMU has held the 11 times compared to CMU's seven.

TWO TROPHIES, ONE GAME
Saturday also begins WMU's quest for the Michigan MAC Trophy. The Michigan MAC Trophy was created in 2005 by the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, given to the winner of the series between WMU, CMU and EMU. Western Michigan has won the trophy 10 times and retained it last season after beating both Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan. 

SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS
Central Michigan (3-3, 1-1 MAC) suffered its first loss in MAC play at Ohio last weekend, 31-14. The Bobcats had a 31-0 lead at the half, before CMU added touchdowns in the third and fourth quarter. The Chippewa's MAC win was against Akron, 41-17. All three of CMU's wins have come at home this season. 

The Chippewas average 17.0 points per game this season, but that jumps up to 26.0 per game at home. Senior quarterback Angel Flores leads Central Michigan and the MAC in rushing with 501 yards and also has four touchdowns. As a team, CMU averages 188.7 yards per game on the ground and 12 of its 14 touchdowns have come on running plays. Senior Jayden Clerveaux has 239 yards on the ground on 41 carries. The Holy Cross transfer also has two rushing touchdowns. 

Defensively, Central Michigan allows 26.33 points per game, with it shrinking to 12.33 at home. CMU also allows 373 yards per game. The Chippewas have a penchant for taking the ball away, recording six interceptions so far this season. Senior defensive back Justin Taylor has two of them, along with four pass breakups and 34 tackles. Mayson Hitchens, Brett McCalla and Xavier White are all tie for the team lead with 41 tackles. Defensive lineman Jaxon Cherry has leads the team in sacks (3.0) and tackles for loss (4.0). 

LAST WEEK
- Saturday the Broncos held Kent State to just 7 points. It's the third time WMU has held a MAC opponent to 10 or fewer points under head coach Lance Taylor. It's also the eighth time they have held a MAC opponent to 20 points or fewer.
- Tight end Adam Parks caught the first two touchdown passes of his career against the Golden Flashes. His first, a 42-yard catch and run, gave the Broncos a 7-0 lead on the game's opening drive. His second came early in the fourth quarter, putting WMU ahead 31-7.
- Broc Lowry matched a career-high with three touchdown passes and set a new career-high with 257 yards passing. 

THIS NOTE GOES TO 11
In the win over Kent State, Jalen Buckley rushed for 100 yards for the 11th time in his career. Buckley now ranks ninth in program history in 100-yard rushing games. The performance against the Golden Flashes also saw Buckley surpassing Jimmy Vackaro (1992-95) on the all-time rushing list. Buckley has 3,108 yards heading into Saturday's clash with Central Michigan, currently putting him seventh all-time. Buckley needs 220 more yards to surpass Jamauri Bogan (2015-18). 

BROCtober
Since earning the starting job, the month of October BROCtober has been a special one for redshirt junior quarterback Broc Lowry. The Broncos are 4-1 with Lowry as the starter in BROCtober. His combined stats for the month: 94-for-130 passing, 72.3 completion percentage, 1,045 yards passing, 7 touchdown passes, 0 interceptions, 71 carries, 402 yards rushing, 4 rushing touchdowns. 

Last season, Lowry quarterbacked the Broncos to wins over UMASS, Ball State and Central Michigan during the month. This season, WMU has wins over Buffalo and Kent State. The lone loss came last season at Miami (Ohio).  

KICKER TACKLE
Against Kent State, WMU got its first kicker tackle of the season. Palmer Domschke made a tackle on his own kickoff after the Broncos went up 14-0 early in the second quarter. That is the second tackle of Domschke's career. Kicker/Punter tackles are important and will always be celebrated. 

ONE...  IS NOT THE LONELIEST NUMBER WHEN YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE AMOUNT OF OFFENSIVE TURNOVERS YOU'VE COMMITTED
Heading into game seven, the Broncos have just one offensive turnover: an interception throw against Boise State. Western Michigan officially has two turnovers on the season, the other was a fumbled kickoff against Rice.