| Western Michigan Broncos football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
_logo.svg){kind=logo} | |||
| First season | 1906; 118 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Dan Bartholome | ||
| Head coach | Lance Taylor 2nd season, 9–11 (.450) | ||
| Stadium | Waldo Stadium (capacity: 36,361) | ||
| Field surface | FieldTurf | ||
| Location | Kalamazoo, Michigan | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | Mid-American | ||
| Division | West | ||
| All-time record | 602–484–24 (.553) | ||
| Bowl record | 2–9 (.182) | ||
| Conference titles | 4 | ||
| Division titles | 4 | ||
| Rivalries | Central Michigan (rivalry) Eastern Michigan (rivalry) | ||
| Consensus All-Americans | 1 | ||
| Colors | Brown and gold[1] | ||
| Mascot | Buster Bronco | ||
| Marching band | Bronco Marching Band | ||
| Website | WMUBroncos.com | ||
The Western Michigan Broncos football program represents Western Michigan University in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I and the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Western Michigan has competed in football since 1906, when they played three games in their inaugural season. In 1927, WMU joined four other schools (Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Ferris State University, and Wayne State University) to form the Michigan Collegiate Conference. Western Michigan then moved to its present conference in 1948. Prior to 1939, Western Michigan's athletic teams were known as the Hilltoppers.
WMU's main rival is the Central Michigan University Chippewas, and they play for the Victory Cannon. As of 2022, the Broncos own a 52–39–2 advantage in the series. In 2022, Western Michigan defeated Central Michigan 12-10 on a snowy Wednesday night in Mt. Pleasant. The win was the sixth in a row for the Broncos at Kelly Shorts Stadium and gave them a 9-3 series advantage over that twelve year period.
Western Michigan University has played in 11 bowl games in 3 different nations over the course of the programs history, including the inaugural International Bowl in 2007 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Broncos' first bowl victory came when they defeated Middle Tennessee, 45–31, in the 2015 Bahamas Bowl. In 2017, the Broncos became the first MAC representative in the legendary Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX after completing the 2016 regular season undefeated as MAC champions (13–0, 8–0).
- ^ Western Michigan Athletics Brand Guide (PDF). July 1, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.