2015 Western Michigan Broncos football team

Last updated

2015 Western Michigan Broncos football
Western Michigan Broncos text logo.svg
MAC West Division co-champion
Bahamas Bowl champion
Conference Mid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record8–5 (6–2 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca (3rd season)
Offensive scheme Spread
Defensive coordinator Ed Pinkham (3rd season)
Base defense 4–3
Home stadium Waldo Stadium
Seasons
←  2014
2016  →
2015 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
Bowling Green x$  7 –1   10 –4  
Ohio  5 –3   8 –5  
Akron  5 –3   8 –5  
Buffalo  3 –5   5 –7  
Kent State  2 –6   3 –9  
Miami (OH)  2 –6   3 –9  
UMass  2 –6   3 –9  
West Division
Northern Illinois xy  6 –2   8 –6  
Western Michigan x  6 –2   8 –5  
Toledo x  6 –2   10 –2  
Central Michigan x  6 –2   7 –6  
Ball State  2 –6   3 –9  
Eastern Michigan  0 –8   1 –11  
Championship: Bowling Green 34, Northern Illinois 14
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant

The 2015 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University (WMU) in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by third-year head coach P. J. Fleck and played their home games at Waldo Stadium as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

Contents

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 47:00 pmNo. 5 Michigan State *
 ESPNU L 24–3730,885 [1]
September 126:00 pmat Georgia Southern *
 ESPN3 L 17–4323,520 [2]
September 197:00 pm Murray State *
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
ESPN3W 52–2020,543 [3]
September 263:30 pmat No. 1 Ohio State *
 ABC/ESPN2 [4] L 12–38106,123 [5]
October 10Noon Central Michigan
ESPN3W 41–3920,201 [6]
October 17Noonat Ohio
ASN [7] W 49–1422,825 [8]
October 242:00 pm Miami (OH) Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
ESPN3 [9] W 35–1318,523 [10]
October 297:30 pmat Eastern Michigan
CBSSN [11] W 58–283,534 [12]
November 57:30 pm Ball State
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
CBSSN [13] W 54–712,058 [14]
November 118:00 pm Bowling Green
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
 ESPN2 [15] L 27–4114,436
November 188:00 pmat Northern Illinois
ESPN2 [16] L 19–2710,194 [17]
November 27Noonat No. 24 Toledo
CBSSNW 35–3016,151
December 24Noonvs. Middle Tennessee *
ESPNW 45–3113,123
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game
  • All times are in Eastern time
Schedule source: [18]

Game summaries

Ball State

WMU defeated Ball State 54–7 in a mid-week MACtion game nationally televised on CBS Sports Network. In the game, the Broncos gained a school-record 711 yards of total offense. [19] Western Michigan with a 5–0 in conference games were in first place in the West Division.

Awards

Conference Players of the Week

Four WMU football players have won five conference player of the week awards. Sophomore kickoff returner Darius Phillips has won two, and redshirt freshman running back Jamauri Bogan, sophomore linebacker Robert Spillane and junior quarterback Zach Terrell have each won one.

Jamauri Bogan

Bogan won the MAC West Offensive Player of the Week award for Week 7. He ran the ball nine times for 135 yards and two touchdowns in a 49–14 win over Ohio. In the game, WMU as a team rushed for 430 yards, with 404 of those coming in the second half. [20]

Darius Phillips

Phillips was named MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 1 and 6. In Week 1, he returned four kickoffs for 185 yards, including a touchdown on a 100-yard kick off return in a loss to No. 5 Michigan State University. [21] In Week 6. Phillips had two kick returns for 101 yards in WMU's 41–39 victory over rival Central Michigan. [22]

Robert Spillane

Spillane was named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week for Week 8. Spillane had 9 total tackles and 31⁄2 for loss (including 11⁄2 sacks) in a 35–13 win over Miami (Ohio). [23]

Zach Terrell

Zach Terrell was named MAC West Offensive Player of the Week for Week 9. He was 17 of 23 passing for 252 yards and ran for a team-high 71 yards in a 58–28 win over Eastern Michigan. He also rushed for one touchdown. The 71 yards rushing were a career-high. [24]

Coaching staff

The following table lists the team's coaching staff. [25]

NamePositionYear at WMUAlma mater
P. J. Fleck Head coach 3rd Northern Illinois (2004)
Kirk Ciarrocca Offensive coordinator 3rd Temple (1990)
Ed Pinkham Defensive coordinator, Defensive backs 3rd Allegheny (1975)
Brian Callahan Offensive line 3rd Eastern Illinois (1992)
Mike Hart Running backs 2nd Michigan (2008)
Bill Kenney Tight ends, Offensive tackles 3rd Norwich (1982)
Tim McGarigle Linebackers 4th Northwestern (2006)
Vinson Reynolds Defensive line 3rdNorthern Illinois (2004)
Matt Simon Wide receivers 2ndNorthern Illinois (2004)
Rob Wenger Special teams, Defensive ends 3rd Colgate (2008)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Western Michigan Broncos football team</span> American college football season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Western Michigan Broncos football team</span> American college football season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013–14 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Western Michigan Broncos football team</span> American college football season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Michigan Broncos football statistical leaders</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Western Michigan Broncos football team</span> American college football season

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References

  1. ↑ "Michigan St vs Western Michigan Game Summary". ESPN. September 4, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Georgia Southern vs Western Michigan Game Summary". ESPN. September 12, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Terrell throws for 4 TDs, W. Michigan tops Murray St., 52-20". ESPN. September 19, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Week 4 schedule for 2015". mattsarzsports.com.
  5. ↑ "Cardale Jones improves, gets help from defense in win over Broncos". ESPN. September 26, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Western Michigan outlasts Central Michigan 41-39". ESPN. October 10, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Week 7 schedule for 2015". mattsarzsports.com.
  8. ↑ "Terrell's 4 TDs help Western Michigan beat Ohio 49-14". ESPN. October 17, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Week 8 schedule for 2015". mattsarzsports.com.
  10. ↑ "Western Michigan rolls over Miami (Ohio) 35-13". ESPN. October 24, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Week 9 schedule for 2015". mattsarzsports.com.
  12. ↑ "Western Michigan scores 21 straight; beats Eastern Michigan". ESPN. October 29, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Week 10 schedule for 2015". mattsarzsports.com.
  14. ↑ "Ball State vs. Western Michigan - Game Summary - November 5, 2015 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  15. ↑ "Week 11 schedule for 2015". mattsarzsports.com.
  16. ↑ "Week 12 schedule for 2015". mattsarzsports.com.
  17. ↑ "Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois - Game Summary - November 18, 2015 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  18. ↑ "2015 Western Michigan Broncos Football Schedule". FBS Schedules. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Ball State vs. Western Michigan - Game Recap - November 5, 2015 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  20. ↑ "MAC Names Week Seven Football Players of the Week". getsomemaction.com.
  21. ↑ "MAC Announces East and West Division Football Players of the Week". getsomemaction.com.
  22. ↑ "MAC Names Week Six Football Players of the Week". getsomemaction.com.
  23. ↑ "MAC Names Week Eight Football Players of the Week". getsomemaction.com.
  24. ↑ "MAC Names Week Nine Football Players of the Week". getsomemaction.com.
  25. ↑ "Football –Coaches". Archived from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
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