Scouting Western Michigan

What you need to know about Syracuse football's week two opponent.

Syracuse, N.Y.-- Looking to build off their season-opening win against Colgate, Syracuse hosts Western Michigan in week two at the JMA Wireless Dome. One program will pick up their first loss of the campaign, as the Broncos pulled away from Saint Francis (PA) last week in the second half for the 35-17 victory.

Here is what you need to know. 

THE BASICS

Western Michigan is a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) that features 12 schools in two separate divisions. Historically, Western Michigan is one of the better programs in the conference, but is looking to prove doubters wrong in 2023.

Coming off a 5-7 season the Broncos have had drastic turnover in the program losing a lot of talent, which placed them last in the West Division in the MAC Preseason Poll. They have six players that were named on the All-MAC Preseason team that included CB Keni-H Lovely (2nd), C Jacob Gideon (3rd), G Addison West (3rd), and DE Marshawn Kneeland (3rd).

Western Michigan has a first-year head coach in Lance Taylor, who spent a season as offensive coordinator at Louisville after three years at Notre Dame’s running backs coach. The former Alabama WR also spent time mentoring Christian McCaffrey at Stanford and followed him to the Carolina Panthers as an assitant.

In a competitive mid-major conference like the MAC, Western Michigan has exemplified stability and poise in an ever-changing college football landscape. Over the last decade, Western Michigan has played in six bowl games and won two MAC Divsional Championships in 2015 and 2016. They have 11 former players currently in the NFL, highlighted by Kansas City Chiefs and Super Bowl Champion WR Skyy Moore.

MATCHUP vs. CUSE

There have only been two matchups all-time between Syracuse and Western Michigan, both occurring in the last five years. The Orange opened up the 2018 season in Kalamazoo and picked up a 55-42 victory. In 2019, Syracuse won in another offensive onslaught 52-33 over Western Michigan in the Dome.

Syracuse head coach Dino Babers is 3-2 lifetime against Western Michigan lifetime, playing the Broncos at Bowling Green and Eastern Illinois. During his time with Bowling Green, the two MAC schools were heavyweights in the conference battling it out in 2014 and 2015. Western Michigan won 26-14 against Baber’s Falcons on the road, but Bowling Green got the last laugh winning 41-27 a year later on their rivals senior night.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

RB Jalen Buckley: The redshirt freshman flew under the radar entering the season, but put the MAC on notice with his performance in week one. The Aurora, Illinois native played in just four games in 2022 before missing the rest of the season due to injury, finshing with nine carries for 27 yards. Buckley was named MAC West Co-Offensive Player of the Week for putting up a career-high 194 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries.

DE Marshawn Kneeland: One of the leaders of this team now in his fifth year with Western Michigan. The 6’3” 275 pound defensive lineman had an impressive 2022 season, racking up a career-high 38 tackles in nine games. A member of the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List had three tackles and half a sack in week one. Kneeland even picked up a rushing touchdown on the goaline in last week’s win over Saint Francis (PA).

INTERESTING STATS

-Western Michigan had 339 rushing yards against Saint Francis (PA), setting the tone that they will be a run-heavy offense in 2023. Last year the Broncos averaged 136 rushing yards per game, nearly as much as their passing offense (166 per game).

-Coach Taylor wants to play the best of the best when crafting his non-conference schedule. Western Michigan is playing three Power V programs this season all of the road against Syracuse, Iowa, and Mississippi State. It is the first time that the program has done that since 2013 when they played Iowa, Michigan State, and Northwestern.

-Western Michigan showed that they are a second-half team against Saint Francis (PA). Up 21-3 early in the game, Saint Francis (PA) scored 14 unanswered to make it a four-point game. Western Michigan shut out the Red Flash for the remainder of the game and went on a 14-0 run of their own. In 2022, the Broncos outscored their opponents 75-45 in the third quarter.

-Saint Francis (PA) is no push-over FCS opponent either. The Red Flash went 9-3 last season appearing the FCS playoffs and are the favorites to win the Northeast Conference.

HOW TO WATCH

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the JMA Dome on Saturday. You can watch on ACC Network Xtra or listen on WAER locally. With on-going contract disputes continuing between Spectrum and ESPN, users will not be able to watch the game. 

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