The Ohio Bobcats (6-3, 4-1 MAC) are set to travel to Western Michigan (5-4, 4-1 MAC) to take on the Broncos as one part of a dream scenario for #MACtion fans. Primetime match-ups of the MAC’s marquee teams over the next three weeks will clear the log jam at the top of the standings— from which two title hopefuls will emerge.
Right now, several teams can stake their claim because the race is so close, with four teams tied for first at 4-1 and three others within striking distance at 3-2.
In this battle,
the ‘Cats and the Broncos have shown the kind of talent and consistency it takes to punch their tickets to Detroit for the title game, as each squad is tied at the top of the MAC standings and have won five of their last six games. However, they both have taken at least one questionable loss, and will have to prove they have the muster to take control of their own destiny.
Who will take a step towards the championship and who will be squeezed towards the fringes of the title race? It’s anyone’s guess right now but we take a look at some things to know before this key matchup begins.
Game notes
- Time and date: Tuesday, November 1, 2025, 8 p.m. Eastern time
- Location: Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan
- TV network options: ESPN2 (a valid subscription is required).
- Radio options: Marty Bannister (play-by-play) and Rob Cornelius (color analyst) will provide the Ohio call for WXTQ-FM 105.5 and Varsity Network while Robin Hook (play-by-play) and John Creek (color) will provide the WMU call for Jack 106.5 FM.
- Gambling considerations: Ohio are 2.5-point road favorites, with an over/under of 47.5, per FanDuel.
- All-Time Series: WMU leads the all-time series by a margin of 34-31, though the Bobcats won the last time these two teams played. Ohio won at home by a margin of 20-17 on Oct. 21, 2023.
About the Western Michigan Broncos
Third-year head coach Lance Taylor has the arrow pointing up for a program in the hunt for a conference title bid.
Last week in front of a home crowd of almost 30,000 attendees, WMU returned the Victory Cannon back to Kalamazoo by rallying in the fourth quarter to take the 24-21 win away from fellow 2025 title contender Central Michigan. WMU looks to duplicate that result against another quality opponent this week.
When looking at the team’s on-paper stats, it’s no wonder the Broncos are contenders. WMU features firepower in all phases of the operation, starting with a defense that is among the very best so far in conference play.
For instance, WMU’s defense showed what they are capable of in holding the top-ranked MAC offense Toledo to just 13 points with the one touchdown coming on an explosive 63-yard run.
A major takeaway from the win over the Rockets was how well-balanced the Broncos can be overall against the run and pass. In the Toledo game, WMU’s defense held the leading rusher to 3.6 yards per carry (outside of the explosive play) while surrendering only 89 yards passing on 30 attempts.
Overall, so far against upper tier MAC competition (Miami, Toledo, CMU), the Broncos are allowing a highly-respectable 17 points per game on average.
The success of the defensive unit starts up front led by personnel like defensive end Nadame Tucker, who has terrorized opponents with 9.5 sacks this year—- the second-most total in the MAC.
Offensively, WMU sits at the middle of the pack offensively, scoring around 23 points per game in five MAC games so far, including a 42-point explosion against Ball State.
Spearheading the offense is a do-it-all quarterback in Broc Lowry, who leads the club with 1,314 yards passing and 561 yards rushing. Some notables about Lowry is he is the primary redzone rushing option, tied for second in the MAC scoring with eight rushing touchdowns. While the Broncos’ signal caller has only seven passing touchdowns over nine games, he has done a phenomenal job in ball security, with just one interception in 193 passing attempts.
How WMU converts in the red zone on the ground could be an interesting matchup, as Ohio in MAC play has stonewalled more than one team trying to run it in from inside the five-yard line.
Unless the home team changes things up in a major way, they have clearly been a run-dominant operation, running about 72 percent of the time this year and possessing the ball. This pays dividends on the complementary football side of things with the defense staying more rested.
Joining Lowry in the backfield are 2023 MAC Freshman of the Year Jalen Buckley and Devin Miles, who have combined for over 500 yards rushing so far.
To date, the passing game tends to center around short and intermediate routes, stretching the defenses horizontally at times, although they can hit the explosive play from time-to-time. The passing game distributes the ball around as needed, but wideout Talique Williams is probably the biggest threat, leading the club with 32 catches for over 400 yards, including five explosive plays of 24 yards or more.
If the redzone rushing is not effective, keep an eye out for seasoned veteran tight end Blake Bosma. The fourth-year player has 93 catches for over 1,000 career yards and nine receiving touchdowns. Although this Bronco has no receiving scores this year, that may change this week.
Finally, if the game is close, keep an eye out for placekicker Palmer Domschke, who has three MAC Special Teams Player of the Week awards under his belt so far this year.
About the Ohio Bobcats
In broad brushstrokes, the Bobcats’ last game was similar to Western’s in that Ohio dispatched its rival (Miami RedHawks) 24-21 with a score late in the game in front of an electric home crowd.
Last weeks”s heroics included a significant contribution from the special teams, who registered 12 of the 24 points. Freshman kicker David Dellenbach was perfect on the day with three extra points and a field goal while the kickoff team scorched the RedHawks with a 97-yard touchdown return courtesy of halfback Sieh Bangura.
Bangura is one of Ohio’s featured players, forming the backbone of one of the MAC’s top rushing offenses. The Ohio runner specializes in physicality and has productivity to match as he leads the conference in rushing touchdowns with 10 and is second in rushing yards with 830.
Adding to Bangura are two players making their own splash in the MAC as halfback Duncan Brune’s six touchdowns is fourth best in the conference while quarterback Parker Navarro’s 5.5 yards per carry average is fifth.
The problem opponent’s face is the running game is complemented with an explosive passing attack, as Navarro is also third in conference this year with 1,987 yards through the air. Navarro’s main partner-in-crime in the passing game is wideout Chase Hendricks, who is eighth nationally with 845 yards receiving and 11th in receptions (60).
As a final offensive note, Ohio’s quarterback is always dangerous because of his improvisational ability. On the ground, he will routinely make plays that turn a three-yard rushing loss into a two-yard gain, or, like last week, float outside the pocket where he hit a clutch schoolyard toss to wideout Rodney Harris II for a 49-yard score.
Turning to the defense, Ohio is uncanny in its consistency in MAC play when it comes to opponent scoring by surrendering 21 points twice and 20 points three times.
Ohio is playing overall sound team defense with players gaining momentum over the season. Freshman linebacker Charlie Christopher has filled in admirably for injured starters, logging 22 tackles the last two weeks. Nickel Jalen Thomeson has come on recently with some splash plays, with an alert 91-yard fumble return against Northern Illinois and a diving interception late in the fourth quarter to seal the win over Miami.
Final Thoughts
Last week, both teams had tough, four-quarter battles on their hands and finished strong. If things go to script, look for the team who finishes strongest to take an important step in the standings when the final whistle blows.
