The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

We only have 2 months left to dissect this matchup.

They're returning their 2 Defensive Tackles but I hope we POUND the ******* rock and wear them down. Their front 7 will be formidable, but let's see what kind of depth they have.

Bogan - 15 rushes for 150 yards
Franklin - 9 rushes for 80 yards
Bellamy - 2 rushes for 51 yards
Flacco - 4 rushes for 40 yards
Terrell - 3 rushes for 20 yards
Tucker - 3 rushes for 9 yards

350 yards should keep our Defense fresh.

61 days

Not soon enough.

Will we take the next step and win this game? Will we be undefeated after week 1 for the first time in 12 years? Or will it be Same Old Broncos?

It will be exciting, but a little nerve-racking. Sort of like when the Lions played the Saints in the playoffs a few years ago.

GO BRONCOS.

(07-07-2016 08:43 AM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  Will we take the next step and win this game? Will we be undefeated after week 1 for the first time in 12 years? Or will it be Same Old Broncos?

It will be exciting, but a little nerve-racking. Sort of like when the Lions played the Saints in the playoffs a few years ago.

GO BRONCOS.

I hope I am wrong, but I don't see WMU beating NU. The Wildcats run a high-precision spread-option and with WMU's youth at LB, the D will struggle. It will be a good learning experience for when the Broncos face similar (if not superior) offenses in the MAC (Toledo & NIU), but the learning curve is too high for the opening game against a good opponent on the road.

WMU will score points and be competitive, but I do not foresee a win in Evanston based on inexperience at key positions on defense.

It might take our defense a few games to settle in. We are replacing some key guys, especially at LB and in the secondary.

Then again, this is the first game of the season and anything can happen. NW is also breaking in some new guys on defense. They lost some very good D-line guys to graduation, and with our whole offense back...we could see Terrell and Co. gelling in game one.

I really don't know what to expect. I could see this going a lot of ways. What makes me optimistic is the Broncos' returning talent on offense and the game being the first of the season for both teams. We certainly have the talent to beat Northwestern. Can we shake off the classic "SOB" first-game blues?

(07-07-2016 09:11 AM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  It might take our defense a few games to settle in. We are replacing some key guys, especially at LB and in the secondary.

Then again, this is the first game of the season and anything can happen. NW is also breaking in some new guys on defense. They lost some very good D-line guys to graduation, and with our whole offense back...we could see Terrell and Co. gelling in game one.

I really don't know what to expect. I could see this going a lot of ways. What makes me optimistic is the Broncos' returning talent on offense and the game being the first of the season for both teams. We certainly have the talent to beat Northwestern. Can we shake off the classic "SOB" first-game blues?

Flacco/Bogan will get us points at-will when needed.

(07-07-2016 09:41 AM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  

(07-07-2016 09:11 AM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  It might take our defense a few games to settle in. We are replacing some key guys, especially at LB and in the secondary.

Then again, this is the first game of the season and anything can happen. NW is also breaking in some new guys on defense. They lost some very good D-line guys to graduation, and with our whole offense back...we could see Terrell and Co. gelling in game one.

I really don't know what to expect. I could see this going a lot of ways. What makes me optimistic is the Broncos' returning talent on offense and the game being the first of the season for both teams. We certainly have the talent to beat Northwestern. Can we shake off the classic "SOB" first-game blues?

Flacco/Bogan will get us points at-will when needed.

I have a feeling that Franklin will put up big this year so as not to play second fiddle.

Also, the new field goal kicker will add points when in the past we would have to leave them on the field.

Certainly an exciting year to look forward to.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id...ames-again

(07-07-2016 08:57 AM)GullLake Wrote:  

(07-07-2016 08:43 AM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  Will we take the next step and win this game? Will we be undefeated after week 1 for the first time in 12 years? Or will it be Same Old Broncos?

It will be exciting, but a little nerve-racking. Sort of like when the Lions played the Saints in the playoffs a few years ago.

GO BRONCOS.

I hope I am wrong, but I don't see WMU beating NU. The Wildcats run a high-precision spread-option and with WMU's youth at LB, the D will struggle. It will be a good learning experience for when the Broncos face similar (if not superior) offenses in the MAC (Toledo & NIU), but the learning curve is too high for the opening game against a good opponent on the road.

WMU will score points and be competitive, but I do not foresee a win in Evanston based on inexperience at key positions on defense.

I hope you are wrong too. Actually, I have a good feeling about this season, and if we can manage a win at Northwestern I am going to have a great feeling about this season. The Wildcats are a legit Big Ten team, and would be the perfect beginning if we are going to have a great year.

Having said that, we could also lose this game big, and I can't disagree with your analysis Gull, but I just have a feeling.....

(07-07-2016 09:11 AM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  It might take our defense a few games to settle in. We are replacing some key guys, especially at LB and in the secondary.

Then again, this is the first game of the season and anything can happen. NW is also breaking in some new guys on defense. They lost some very good D-line guys to graduation, and with our whole offense back...we could see Terrell and Co. gelling in game one.

I really don't know what to expect. I could see this going a lot of ways. What makes me optimistic is the Broncos' returning talent on offense and the game being the first of the season for both teams. We certainly have the talent to beat Northwestern. Can we shake off the classic "SOB" first-game blues?

That first game "anything can happen" idea hasn't been kind to us in a looong time.

Well it's about time then, wouldn't you say??

Northwestern isn't Ohio State or even Michigan State.

If not now, when?

(07-08-2016 08:52 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Northwestern isn't Ohio State or even Michigan State.

If not now, when?

Let's give 'em the Tennessee Martin treatment.

I'm ready to start the season off with a win against the Big 10.

WMU is going to have a very difficult time holding Justin Jackson under 100+ yards. With that said, Clayton Thorson will run the option effectively as N'Western wins the time of possession battle. Randy Walker is a beast on defense but will need help. Game's in Evanston and Pat Fitzgerald's the better coach. N'Western wins the opener.

How do we compare in terms of special teams/big play capability?

From ESPN: Not much trumps experience, and the Wildcats have it at the specialist positions in senior Jack Mitchell, who made 18 of 27 field goals last year, and junior punter Hunter Niswander. Solomon Vault, third-team all-conference as a returner, returned kickoffs for touchdowns last year against Duke and Penn State. The Wildcats allowed just 33 yards last season on punt returns and held foes to an average of less than 2 yards, ranking third nationally.

Northwestern was a pretty unimpressive 10 win team last year, but they were still a 10 win P5 with (as I understand it) quite a bit coming back. I expect us to compete but its hard for me to think we're gonna win after watching so many first game failures.

That said I still see no reason not to expect a MACC, or to beat Illinois.

You find a 10 win season "unimpressive" with wins against Stanford, at Nebraska, at Wisconsin and Penn State? Sure they got chomped in their bowl loss by Tennessee but 10-3 with that resume is a pretty solid football season!