Western Michigan
Western Michigan is 7-3 and No. 78 of 138 in the machine's ratings, 3.9 points below an average FBS team. Last game: won 42-14 at Akron in Week 11.
Why Western Michigan is No. 78
- Western Michigan's rating is −3.9: the machine's estimate that Western Michigan is 3.9 points worse than an average FBS team on a neutral field. That is No. 78 of 138. For scale, 0 is an average FBS team: right now the closest to it is No. 68 Arizona State (0.2).
- It started the season at −4.0, ESPN's preseason Football Power Index from July. Its results since have moved it up 0.1.
- The biggest weekly moves: +3.1 after Week 1 (L 12-13 at Michigan) and −2.3 after Week 4 (L 7-32 vs Boise State).
- Its record is 7-3. The 3 losses were to No. 34 Boise State, No. 36 Michigan, No. 89 Toledo, by 11.0 points on average. The 7 wins came by 17.7 points on average; the best was over No. 109 Buffalo. The rating weighs how much a team won or lost by and against whom, not just the win-loss count.
- Its FBS opponents so far average No. 100 in the machine's ratings.
- Just above is No. 77 UTSA (−3.5); just below is No. 79 Georgia Southern (−3.9).
The rating, week by week
Strengths and weak spots
Head coach
Lance Taylor is in his 4th season at Western Michigan (since 2023). This season: 7-3. At Western Michigan overall: 27-22, counting this season.
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Team stats
Season totals and averages over 10 games, each with its national rank among 138 FBS teams (No. 1 = best). The game-by-game story is in the season, week by week.
Passing
| Completions-attempts | 148-227 |
|---|---|
| Passing yards | 1662 |
| Touchdowns-interceptions | 15-3 |
| Yards per attempt* | 7.4No. 77 of 138 |
| Explosive pass rate | 9.4%No. 94 of 138 |
| Sacks allowed (rate) | 4.7%No. 53 of 138 |
Rushing
| Carries-yards | 390-1847 |
|---|---|
| Yards per carry | 4.7No. 50 of 138 |
| 10-plus-yard runs (rate) | 12.7%No. 96 of 138 |
| Stuffed at or behind the line (rate) | 15.4%No. 43 of 138 |
Scoring
| Points per game | 27.8No. 73 of 138 |
|---|---|
| Yards per play | 5.79No. 77 of 138 |
| Third-down rate | 45.4%No. 28 of 138 |
| Red-zone TD rate | 65.7%No. 45 of 138 |
| Giveaways | 8No. 35 of 138 |
Defense
| Points allowed per game | 18.7No. 23 of 138 |
|---|---|
| Yards per play allowed | 5.33No. 49 of 138 |
| Yards per pass attempt allowed | 7.2No. 77 of 138 |
| Yards per carry allowed | 3.8No. 54 of 138 |
| Sack rate | 6.6%No. 47 of 138 |
| Takeaways | 12No. 64 of 138 |
| Third-down rate allowed | 38.5%No. 69 of 138 |
Totals are the official box score. * Yards per attempt and the rates come from the play-by-play, where passing yards count on completions only, so they can differ from the box score by a play or two.
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Player leaders
The top 3 in each category over the same games. Passing yards count every completion (official box score).
Passing
- Broc Lowry136-209, 1546 yds, 12 TD, 3 INT
- Trey Petty5-8, 59 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT
- Mason Reynolds7-8, 57 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT
Rushing
- Jalen Buckley167 carries, 832 yds, 10 TD
- Broc Lowry91 carries, 255 yds, 4 TD
- Cole Cabana28 carries, 237 yds, 3 TD
Receiving
- Aveion Chenault35 catches, 566 yds, 2 TD
- Baylin Brooks28 catches, 297 yds, 4 TD
- Nathan Levicki17 catches, 187 yds, 3 TD
Tackles
- Justyce Betts66
- Domanick Moon53
- Dillon Moore52
Sacks
- Scoop Gardner Jr.5.5
- Austin Alexander5
- DeJuan Echoles3.5
Interceptions
- Daeh McCullough2
- Dillon Moore2
- Amarian Louis1
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Who's playing
Based on who has actually played this season, from the box scores, not the team's published depth chart. Each bar is that player's share of the team's attempts, carries (quarterbacks left out), catches or tackles. The box score lists no positions, so there is no offensive line here.
Throwing
- Broc LowryMost passes in the last game10 games209 attempts93%
- Mason Reynolds1 game8 attempts4%
- Trey Petty3 games8 attempts4%
Carrying
- Jalen Buckley10 games167 carries57%
- Ofa Mataele8 games53 carries18%
- Cole Cabana6 games28 carries10%
- Trey Petty3 games10 carries3%
Catching
- Aveion Chenault9 games35 catches24%
- Baylin Brooks9 games28 catches19%
- Egypt Nelson8 games17 catches11%
- Nathan Levicki8 games17 catches11%
Tackling
- Justyce Betts9 games66 tackles9%
- Domanick Moon10 games53 tackles7%
- Dillon Moore10 games52 tackles7%
- Daeh McCullough9 games46 tackles7%
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
The season, week by week
- Week 1 L 12–13 at Michigan. The passing game struggled: 4.2 yards an attempt, 1.9 less than Michigan usually allows. Won the turnover battle by 3.
- Week 2 W 49–14 vs Monmouth. Monmouth is an FCS team, so there is no FBS baseline to grade this one against. Won the turnover battle by 2.
- Week 3 W 28–21 at Rice. The passing game struggled: 6.0 yards an attempt, 1.8 less than Rice usually allows. The most yards a carry it has allowed all season.
- Week 4 L 7–32 vs Boise State. The passing game struggled: 3.8 yards an attempt, 4.8 less than Boise State usually allows. Its fewest yards an attempt of the season.
- Week 5 W 20–17 at Buffalo. The pass defense gave ground: Buffalo got 9.4 yards an attempt, 3.9 over what it usually gains.
- Week 6 W 38–7 vs Kent State. The run game was the strength: 5.4 yards a carry, 1.4 more than Kent State usually allows. Its most yards an attempt of the season.
- Week 7 W 21–14 at Central Michigan. No unit was far from the usual. The biggest gap was the run defense: Central Michigan got 4.0 yards a carry, 0.5 under what it usually gains.
- Week 8 L 38–45 at Toledo. The pass defense gave ground: Toledo got 9.6 yards an attempt, 1.8 over what it usually gains.
- Week 9 W 23–10 vs Bowling Green. The pass defense was the strength: Bowling Green got 4.7 yards an attempt, 2.3 under what it usually gains. The fewest yards an attempt it has allowed all season.
- Week 11 W 42–14 at Akron. The pass defense gave ground: Akron got 9.6 yards an attempt, 3.2 over what it usually gains. Its most yards a carry of the season.