DATE | Sept. 26, 2026
TIME | 3:30 PM ET
LOCATION | Kalamazoo, Mich.
VENUE | Stafford-Smith Field at Waldo Stadium
TV | ESPN2
RADIO | Bronco Media Network
LIVE STATS | WMU.Statbroadcast.com

THIS WEEK
The Western Michigan Broncos and the Boise State Broncos meet for the first time in program history on Saturday at Stafford-Smith Field at Waldo Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. live on ESPN2 and on the Bronco Media Network.

THE SERIES
- First meeting.
- WMU has played at Boise State twice in the 2014 Potato Bowl against Air Force and the 2018 Potato Bowl against BYU.
- Western Michigan wide receiver Baylin Brooks has played against Boise State before. The San Diego State transfer had five catches for 117 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman against BSU back on Sept. 22, 2003. His yardage still remains a career high.

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS (them, not us)
- Boise State enters Saturday with a 2-1 record. The team's only loss came narrowly at No. 2 Oregon, 34-27. Last week the Broncos defeated South Dakota 34-28 and also have a 38-20 win against Memphis. 
- Fifth-year senior Maddux Madsen is in his third year as the starting quarterback and leads an offense that averages 461.7 yards per game. He has 7.196 yards passing and 56 touchdown passes in his career with BSU. This season he has 610 yards, with six touchdowns and no interceptions. The Broncos have the 15th-ranked rushing offense in the nation, averaging 258.3 yards per game and led by junior running back Dylan Riley. Riley ranks third in the nation in rushing yards per game with 151.3. Riley had 208 yards against Memphis and 198 and two touchdowns in last week's win over South Dakota. True freshman wide receiver Rasean Jones has more than double the catches of anyone on the team with 15 so far. His biggest game came last week against SDU, with eight catches for 95 yards and his first collegiate touchdown.
- Boise State's defense has given up 26.0 points per game and has allowed 431.7 yards per game through week three. Junior linebacker Boen Phelps leads the team with 21 tackles and has one of the teams sacks. Defensive back Travis Anderson has 18 tackles so far and all three of the Broncos' interceptions. 

LAST WEEK
- Western Michigan picked up the program's first win in the state of Texas after defeating Rice 28-21.
- Jalen Buckley had the team's longest play so far this season, a 66-yard run late in the first quarter to set up WMU's first touchdown of the game. Buckley also reached 100 yards rushing for the 10th time in his career. He heads into the Boise State game with 2,923 career rushing yards, currently eight all-time in program history. He needs just 122 more to move up to seventh.
- Sophomore wide receiver Aveion Chenault had three catches for 62 yards and a touchdown. He now has a team-high 13 through the first three games. Chenault just needs 10 more catches to match his season total from his freshman year. 
- The Bronco defense stopped Rice on 9-of-10 third down conversion attempts. Opponents are just 14-for-40 (37.50%).
- Junior safety Daeh McCullough had a career-high seven tackles in his first career start. 
- Texas native Zavian Tibbs also had a career-high seven tackles. Tibbs transferred to WMU from Houston in the Spring. 
- Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Ahmed Tounkara had four tackles a sack and a key pass breakup that led to a turnover on downs. 

LOOOOOOOOOONG DRIVES
- Against Rice, WMU had another long scoring drive. A 16-play, 72-yard drive that ate up 8:27 was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run by Jalen Buckley. 
- Additionally, the Broncos have scoring drives of 20/70/13:40 against Michigan and 14/86/7:52 against Monmouth. 
- Under head coach Lance Taylor, Western Michigan has had 24 scoring drives that have been at least 12 plays, with nine of those being at least 15. Scoring drives of 8:00+ have happened five times. 

SPIDER-MAN MEME
- The similarities between Western Michigan and Boise State don't end with the Broncos. Both mascots are named Buster. 
- Both teams are among the nation's best when it comes to time of possession. Boise State leads the nation, averaging 37:24 per game. Western Michigan averages 33:43, ranking 15th in the nation and first in the Mid-American Conference. 
- Both teams are receiving significant votes in the Associated Press Poll. BSU with 48 and WMU with 27.

21 AND UNDER
- WMU held Rice to 21 points in its win last week. The Broncos have also allowed 14 to Monmouth and 13 to Michigan. This makes nine-straight games that WMU's defense has not allowed opponents to go beyond 21 points. The last time it happened was a 26-17 loss at Miami on Oct. 25, last season. 
- During that 9-game stretch the Broncos have allowed just 15.6 points per game.