The 2025 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Broncos were led by Lance Taylor in his third-year as the head coach and the Broncos played their home games at Waldo Stadium, located in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The Broncos claimed the team's fourth football league championship and became the first team in program history to win both a conference championship and a bowl game in the same season. With the program's third overall bowl victory, they reached 10 wins for just the second time.
The Western Michigan Broncos drew an average home attendance of 20,194, the 96th-highest of all NCAA Division I FBS football teams.
Preseason
The MAC Football Kickoff was held on Thursday, July 24, 2025 at the Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan from 9:00 am EDT to 1:30 pm EDT.
Preseason polls
Coaches Poll On July 24 the MAC announced the preseason coaches' poll.
MAC Coaches poll 1 Toledo 135 (7) 2 Miami 131 (3) 3 Ohio 123 (3) 4 Buffalo 115 5 Northern Illinois 94 6 Bowling Green 81 7 Western Michigan 71 8 Eastern Michigan 68 9 Central Michigan 65 10 Ball State 41 T11 Akron 39 T11 Massachusetts 39 13 Kent State 12
Coaches poll (MAC Championship) 1 Toledo 6 2 Miami 4 3 Ohio 3
Schedule
Game summaries
at Michigan State
Statistics WMUMSU First downs 10 20 Plays–yards 57–217 65–341 Rushes–yards 24–29 41–186 Passing yards 188 155 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–33–1 17–24–1 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 23:13 36:47 Team Category Player Statistics Western Michigan Passing Brady Jones 11/23, 97 yards, INT Rushing Jalen Buckley 9 carries, 21 yards Receiving Baylin Brooks 3 receptions, 85 yards Michigan State Passing Aidan Chiles 17/23, 155 yards, TD Rushing Makhi Frazier 14 carries, 103 yards, TD Receiving Omari Kelly 7 receptions, 75 yards
vs North Texas
Statistics UNTWMU First downs 25 18 Plays–yards 71-406 63-303 Rushes–yards 30-182 57-216 Passing yards 224 87 Passing: comp–att–int 18-33-0 7-14-0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 23:22 36:38 Team Category Player Statistics North Texas Passing Drew Mestemaker 18/33, 224 yards, 2 TD Rushing Makenzie McGill II 16 carries, 102 yards, TD Receiving Wyatt Young 4 receptions, 59 yards Western Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 5/10, 75 yards, TD Rushing Jalen Buckley 30 carries, 112 yards, TD Receiving Jalen Buckley 2 receptions, 51 yards
at No. 9 Illinois
Statistics WMUILL First downs 12 20 Plays–yards 58–204 63–358 Rushes–yards 34-113 37-162 Passing yards 91 196 Passing: –– 13-24-0 17-26-0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 28:27 31:33 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 10/16, 78 yards Rushing Ofa Mataele 8 carries, 46 yards Receiving Baylin Brooks 3 receptions, 24 yardsIllinois Passing Luke Altmyer 17/26, 196 yards, 2 TD Rushing Kaden Feagin 20 carries, 100 yards, TD Receiving Hank Beatty 6 receptions, 53 yards, TD
Toledo
Statistics TOL WMU First downs 16 17 Plays–yards 72–280 70–291 Rushes–yards 42–191 37–90 Passing yards 89 201 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–30–2 16–33–1 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 29:42 30:18 Team Category Player StatisticsToledo Passing Tucker Gleason 15/30, 89 yards, 2 INT Rushing Chip Trayanum 26 carries, 153 yards, TD Receiving Terrell Crosby Jr. 3 receptions, 34 yardsWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 16/33, 201 yards, INT Rushing Broc Lowry 18 carries, 50 yards, 2 TD Receiving Talique Williams 4 receptions, 112 yards
No. 6 (FCS) Rhode Island
Statistics URI WMU First downs 16 25 Plays–yards 51–251 77–372 Rushes–yards 23–(-5) 53–216 Passing yards 256 156 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19–28–1 17–24–1 Turnovers 4 2 Time of possession 20:35 39:25 Team Category Player StatisticsRhode Island Passing Devin Farrell 16/24, 229 yards, TD, INT Rushing Antwain Littleton Jr. 12 carries, 35 yards, TD Receiving Marquis Buchanan 7 receptions, 141 yardsWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 15/20, 143 yards, TD Rushing Ofa Mataele 10 carries, 60 yards, 2 TD Receiving Baylin Brooks 2 receptions, 32 yards
at UMass
Statistics WMU MASS First downs 23 14 Plays–yards 67–380 64–260 Rushes–yards 42–217 29–57 Passing yards 163 203 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–25–0 20–35–1 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 32:26 27:34 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 18/25, 163 yards, TD Rushing Broc Lowry 15 carries, 92 yards, TD Receiving Aveion Chenault 2 receptions, 51 yardsUMass Passing AJ Hairston 11/18, 131 yards, INT Rushing Juwaun Price 6 carries, 54 yards Receiving Jacquon Gibson 6 receptions, 70 yards
Ball State
Statistics BALL WMU First downs 5 25 Plays–yards 50–88 73–461 Rushes–yards 27–20 44–219 Passing yards 68 242 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–23–0 24–29–1 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 24:23 35:37 Team Category Player StatisticsBall State Passing Kiael Kelly 13/22, 68 yards Rushing Qua Ashley 6 carries, 17 yards Receiving Qian Magwood 3 receptions, 26 yardsWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 23/27, 241 yards, 2 TD Rushing Broc Lowry 13 carries, 108 yards, TD Receiving Talique Williams 5 receptions, 55 yards
at Miami (OH)
Statistics WMU M-OH First downs 17 19 Plays–yards 68–316 62–408 Rushes–yards 39–144 32–148 Passing yards 172 260 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–29–0 18–30–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 29:21 30:39 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 16/28, 172 yards, TD Rushing Broc Lowry 20 carries, 82 yards Receiving Tailique Williams 5 receptions, 71 yards, TDMiami (OH) Passing Dequan Finn 18/30, 260 yards, TD Rushing Jordan Brunson 13 carries, 90 yards Receiving Kam Perry 4 receptions, 98 yards
Central Michigan (rivalry)
Statistics CMU WMU First downs 13 23 Plays–yards 47–240 68–327 Rushes–yards 35–55 44–177 Passing yards 185 150 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 9-12-1 17-24-0 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 26:18 33:42 Team Category Player StatisticsCentral Michigan Passing Joe Labas 8/11, 152 yards, TD, INT Rushing Brock Townsend 9 carries, 26 yards Receiving Langston Lewis 4 receptions, 111 yards, TDWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 17/24, 150 yards, TD Rushing Broc Lowry 22 carries, 82 yards, TD Receiving Talique Williams 7 receptions, 48 yards, TD
Ohio
Statistics OHIO WMU First downs 15 16 Plays–yards 58–287 56–336 Rushes–yards 39–217 42–210 Passing yards 70 126 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 8–19–1 9–14–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 28:46 31:14 Team Category Player StatisticsOhio Passing Parker Navarro 8/19, 70 yards, INT Rushing Parker Navarro 18 carries, 105 yards, TD Receiving Mason Williams 2 receptions, 20 yardsWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 9/14, 126 yards Rushing Broc Lowry 18 carries, 92 yards, TD Receiving Talique Williams 1 receptions, 71 yards
at Northern Illinois
Statistics WMU NIU First downs 25 13 Plays–yards 68–393 58–252 Rushes–yards 59–361 43–174 Passing yards 32 78 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 5–9–1 6–15–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 33:49 26:11 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 5/9, 32 yards, INT Rushing Jalen Buckley 24 carries, 133 yards, 2 TD Receiving Christian Leary 2 receptions, 17 yardsNorthern Illinois Passing Brady Davidson 5/8, 73 yards, TD Rushing Chavon Wright 21 carries, 92 yards Receiving Rickey Taylor Jr. 3 receptions, 53 yards, TD
at Eastern Michigan (Michigan MAC Trophy)
Statistics WMU EMU First downs 13 21 Plays–yards 64–378 64–461 Rushes–yards 49–278 23–134 Passing yards 100 327 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 7–15–0 24–41–3 Turnovers 0 5 Time of possession 32:21 27:39 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 7/14, 100 yards Rushing Broc Lowry 18 carries, 92 yards, 2 TD Receiving Blake Bosma 3 receptions, 38 yardsEastern Michigan Passing Noah Kim 24/41, 327 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing Dontae McMillan 11 carries, 111 yards, TD Receiving Dontae McMillan 4 receptions, 126 yards, TD
vs Miami (OH) (MAC Football Championship Game)
Statistics M-OH WMU First downs 18 18 Plays–yards 69–272 69–397 Rushes–yards 31–73 56–286 Passing yards 199 111 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–38–0 8–13–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 24:43 35:17 Team Category Player StatisticsMiami (OH) Passing Henry Hesson 17/20, 120 yards, TD Rushing Jordan Brunson 14 carries, 59 yards, TD Receiving Kam Perry 7 receptions, 101 yardsWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 8/13, 111 yards Rushing Jalen Buckley 19 carries, 193 yards, 2 TD Receiving Michael Brescia 2 receptions, 47 yards
vs Kennesaw State (Myrtle Beach Bowl)
Statistics KENNWMU First downs 18 18 Plays–yards 70–378 62–423 Rushes–yards 34–169 43–303 Passing yards 209 120 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–36–2 12–19–1 Turnovers 4 2 Time of possession 25:44 34:16 Team Category Player StatisticsKennesaw State Passing Amari Odom 18/35, 209 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Chase Belcher 16 carries, 148 yards Receiving Javon Rogers 3 receptions, 111 yards, TDWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 12/19, 120 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jalen Buckley 8 carries, 174 yards, TD Receiving Blake Bosma 5 receptions, 44 yards, TD
References