It sure does feel like “go time” this Saturday for a number of teams in the Mid-American Conference.
Two of those teams looking to make statements play one another this Saturday, as the Western Michigan Broncos (0-3) take on the Toledo Rockets (2-1) in another early sampling of league play.
The Broncos, who are set to host a game for the first time since taking a shocking overtime loss to the North Texas Mean Green, are looking to stop a monumental slide. Dating back to Nov. 6, 2024, the Broncos are 1-7
in their last eight games, with a losing streak of four games heading into Saturday’s matchup with a team considered to be a favorite in the MAC title race.
The Rockets, meanwhile, seek to make sure the calibrations they’ve slowly made over the first three weeks of the season keep steady. Toledo pasted Morgan State last week to the tune of a 60-0 victory, and walloped a Western Kentucky team which had been considered a potential Conference USA contender as well in a 45-21 blowout. Their only blemish on the record is a competitive loss to Kentucky to start the season— one which forced the Wildcats to reconsider their starting quarterback the next week.
A lot is on the line in a game neither side can particularly afford to lose.
Game notes
- Time and date: Saturday, September 20th, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time
- Location: Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan
- TV network options: The game will be streamed exclusively on ESPN+; a valid subscription is required for viewing. Coverage by Ted Emrich (play-by-play) and Marcus Ray (color analyst).
- Radio options: Robin Hook (play-by-play) and John Creek (color) will provide the WMU call for Jack 106.5 FM, while Mark Baier (play-by-play) and Jack Mewhort (color) will provide the Toledo call for the Rockets Radio Network.
- Gambling considerations: Toledo favored by 13.5 points, with an over/under of 48.5, per FanDuel.
- All-Time Series: Toledo holds the 46-32 lead in the series, with the last meeting— also a league opener— taking place at the Glass Bowl in 2023. The Rockets won by a final score of 49-31.
About the Western Michigan Broncos
Through three games, Western Michigan has proven to be a bit of an up-and-down program, to put it kindly.
The offense was shutout against Michigan State in a game where the Broncos rotated between quarterbacks Broc Lowry and Brady Jones— but roared back to life the next week against North Texas, leading by as much as 24-10 in the third quarter before losing 33-30. Their game last week against Illinois saw a reversion to the team that couldn’t move the ball vs. MSU, getting shuttered once again in a six-score loss while putting up only 204 total yards of offense in reply.
Most of the issue has been spotty offensive line play; WMU, which is attempting to replace essentially their entire line from last season, is amongst the bottom of the NCAA tally in both sacks and tackles-for-loss allowed, and the rest of the offense has paid for it.
Not helping matters is ineffective play from both quarterbacks. Coach Lance Taylor has insisted both Lowy and Jones will have a plan in the offense, but results have been limited. As a unit, WMU is 36-of-71 for 366 yards, one touchdown and one interception through the air through three games. Lowry does have athletic upside in the run game, collecting 125 net yards and a team-leading two rushing touchdowns, but has been a lowly passing option, completing just 55 percent of his attempts.
San Diego State transfer Baylin Brooks has been a standout addition as one of the few offensive bright spots at receiver, with seven catches for 114 yards to lead the team. Tight end Blake Bosma continues to be a security blanket as well, with six catches for 49 yards.
The offense is more or less centered on halfback Jalen Buckley. The former MAC Freshman of the Year leads the Broncos with 146 rushing yards on 46 carries and six receptions for 58 yards and the team’s lone receiving score. When Buckley needs a break, Ofa Mataele, who was a first-team all-NJCA halfback with 1,351 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2024 for College of San Mateo, is more than capable of carrying the rock.
Defensively, the Broncos are one of the MAC’s best teams at causing havoc, with nine sacks and 19 tackles-for-loss. However, they’ve also proven easy to break, allowing 366.7 total yards per game and 12 touchdowns in a young season. Through three games, opponents average 31.3 points per game on WMU and convert 45 percent of their third-down attempts. WMU’s situational play is especially awful in the redzone, allowing 11 touchdowns and four field goals on 16 visits.
Despite the malaise as a unit, the Broncos have some great individual talents to look out for.
All-MAC safety Tate Hallock is the team’s leader, with 18 total tackles— including 13 solo stops— and a pick-six for WMU. Ferris State transfer Sefa Saipaia has also been an immediate contributor after arriving in the summer, with 18 tackles, a TFL and a sack. Saipaia was a tackling machine in 2024, with 93 tackles, eight TFLs and two sacks in the Bulldogs’ Division II national title run.
Nadame Tucker, a transfer from Houston, has also made his presence felt, accumulating four TFLs, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in three games of work. Rodney McGraw has gotten good work in the interior, with 2.5 TFLs and sacks on the season.
Defensive back Jarvarius Sims, a UConn transfer who started his career with Central Michigan, has found his stride at WMU, immediately taking a starting spot and collecting 15 tackles, two TFLs, a sack and two pass breakups.
Special teams have been a struggle, with Ryan Millmore kicking just above 40 yards per punt and Palmer Domschke 3-of-4 on field goals with a long make of 52 yards.
About the Toledo Rockets
After an uncharacteristic performance against Kentucky to open the season, the Rockets have looked a lot closer to the team they looked to be on paper over the last two weeks.
Toledo has outscored their last two opponents 105-21, while also outpaced their opponents by a margin of 1,065 yards to 389 yards. In that span, Toledo scored 13 touchdowns (including seven rushing and six passing) to just two for opponents (two WKU passing scores.)
Plain and simple, both sides of the ball are executing to their best ability.
Quarterback Tucker Gleason, once a plucky backup behind MAC Player of the Year Dequan Finn, has lead the show for the last two years. Through essentially 2.5 games after being sat early against Morgan State, Gleason has completed 43-of-69 attempts for 599 yards, four touchdowns and an interception while also rushing for 44 pre-sack yards. He’s a dual-threat player and that will absolutely need to be accounted for. If Gleason goes down, John Alan Ricter is an efficient passer, with three touchdowns on 15-of-23 passing for 139 yards.
Junior Vandeross III has been the man to beat in the passing game, and not many defenders have won. Vandeross has 18 receptions for 255 yards and four of Toledo’s seven touchdowns. Trayvon Rudolph, a four-time all-MAC contributor at returner and receiver, transferred over from Northern Illinois in the offseason, and should also figure into the passing game with seven catches for 77 yards so far. Tight end Jacob Petersen, formerly of Holy Cross, has proven to be effective with six catches for 88 yards.
Jason Candle and crew wasted no time replenishing the running back position after a lackluster 2024 campaign on the ground, bringing in Chip Trayanum (Kentucky) and Kenji Christian (North Carolina A&T) to tote the rock. The investment has paid off, as Toledo has gone from amongst the worst teams in the NCAA in rushing offense to 35th of 136 teams, averaging 208.7 yards per game through three contests.
Trayanum has been particularly effective, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and totaling 248 yards on 39 carries, scoring three times. Christian broke out last week vs. Morgan State, and has 139 yards and two scores on 23 carries.
Defensively, it’s a reset on the front seven for Toledo after a bevy of graduations. Despite the ongoing renovations, they’ve posted up some great performances, sitting 13th in the NCAA in total defense with 231.3 yards per game allowed.
K’Von Sherman, a JUCO product out of Hutchinson CC, has stepped up to be a leader for UT, with 23 tackles, four tackles-for-loss and a sack on the young season. Overall, four different Rockets have at least two TFLs to claim, while five players all have a solo sack each. To say Toledo has the luxury of depth is an understatement.
The safety pair of Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Braden Awls will surely be a nightmare matchup as well. McNeil-Warren, who has caught the interest of NFL scouts, sits at 14 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries through three games, while Awls is close behind with 13 tackles and a pass breakup.
Special teams haven’t been tested very much, with Dylan Cunanan 2-of-2 on field goal attempts and Emilio Duran averaging 40.4 net yards per punt on 14 tries.
Final Thoughts
Looking at this contest on paper, Toledo seems to be the major favorite. The betting odds sure seem to support that supposition as well.
WMU is a program which feels like it is walking on a piano wire over the last year-plus, which is not an optimal position to be in for Year 3 of a coaching staff. It gets easier after this week— at least one would hope— with Rhode Island, UMass and Ball State the next three targets, but if the Broncos can’t pull down a good result or otherwise show a sense of growth this week, they are going to have to take a good, long look in the mirror and make some tough assessments.
Toledo is looking at WMU as a chance to establish dominance in the MAC. Buffalo technically leads the league as of publication, but they also had to earn it against a Kent State team in the midst of yet another reset. The Rockets can’t afford 1) to lose or 2) to struggle if they hope to even sniff the chance of a College Football Playoff spot. From this point on, they have to make examples of teams.
Sometimes predicting a result means reading the vibe of a team, and right now, Toledo wins that in spades.
