The Broncos clinch bowl eligibility for the first time since 2021 in win or go home rivalry game.
All the chips were on the table in a do or die rivalry game.
Bowl eligibility was at stake. The Michigan MAC Trophy was at stake.
And the Western Michigan Broncos reaped all the rewards in their home base of Kalamazoo, MI. In a battle of 5-6 in-state rivals, they outlasted the Eastern Michigan 26-18 to clinch bowl eligibility for the first time since 2021. Western Michigan also retained the Michigan MAC Trophy, the traveling rivalry trophy that goes to the season head-to-head victor of the three Michigan MAC teams.
The game initiated as a glorified punting practice. The first eight collective possessions of the afternoon featured seven punts and an Eastern Michigan fumble in enemy territory. But the final four minutes completely altered the trajectory of the rivalry.
Eastern Michigan lined up for its third punt of the day, but Western Michigan defensive tackle Anterio Thompson navigated through a spaced out offensive line. Thompson rejected Mitchell Tomasek’s punt back into the end zone, and Tomasek slid to the ball and pushed it backward to prevent a Thompson recovery. The resulting safety registered a 2-0 lead for Western Michigan. Then the Broncos’ offense went nuclear.
Four plays after Eastern Michigan’s safety punt, Western Michigan broke the offensive scoring drought. Quarterback Hayden Wolff sent a halfback screen to Zahir Abdus-Salaam. Set up by excellent blocking, Abdus-Salaam coasted down the sideline en route to a 31-yard touchdown. Eastern Michigan then muffed the ensuing kickoff, sending Wolff and the Western Michigan offense immediately back onto the field.
This time, the Broncos capitalized on a short field as running back Jalen Buckley rushed 15 yards for a touchdown to establish a 16-0 halftime lead — with all three scoring plays transpiring in a 4-minute span.
Every single drive of the third quarter for both Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan resulted in points, but in a 16-0 hole, the Eagles couldn’t afford to situate themselves in a back-and-forth affair. A Delbert Mimms III touchdown and two-point conversion narrowed their deficit to 16-8, but Western Michigan responded with Abdus-Salaam’s second touchdown of the day — a 22-yard breakaway run up the gut. Mimms once again trimmed the margin to one score on his second rushing touchdown of the game, but Eastern Michigan played a step behind the entire second half.
The Eagles possessed the ball down eight twice in the fourth quarter but failed to produce points — or yards — on either drive. Western Michigan’s defense forced a rapid three-and-out in the middle of the fourth quarter. Eastern Michigan’s received a last gasp with 2:18 remaining, but the opportunity was short-lived. Broncos cornerback Bilhal Kone intercepted Cole Snyder on the first play of the series, effectively sealing bowl eligibility for Western Michigan on senior day.
One senior celebrating his last ride in Kalamazoo enjoyed the best game of his Western Michigan tenure. Abdus-Salaam, a fourth-year Bronco, totaled a career-high 135 rushing yards and added 40 receiving yards, contributing two total touchdowns in the victory. Abdus-Salaam also secured the game-sealing first down following Snyder’s interception, sending the seniors off on a high note.
Overall, it was an excellent day of running the football for the brown and gold. Jalen Buckley added 105 yards as the Broncos finished with two 100-yard rushers for the second time this year. Eastern Michigan ran the ball well too as Mimms tallied 127 yards and two touchdowns. But the difference between the teams equal in the standings was the passing game. Wolff finished an efficient 12-of-17, while Snyder was 7-of-22 as Western Michigan’s secondary broke up seven passes.
Eastern Michigan (5-7, 2-6 MAC) misses bowl eligibility for the first full season since 2017. The Eagles started the 2024 campaign in promising fashion at 4-1, and then 5-2, but they missed five consecutive opportunities to clinch bowl eligibility — highlighted by a stunning upset to Akron and a missed two-point conversion to beat Toledo after completing a clock-expiring Hail Mary. The Eagles now have eight seasons of 5+ wins in head coach Chris Creighton’s 11 years, when they only completed eight 5+ win seasons in their pre-Creighton FBS history from 1975-2015.
Western Michigan (6-6, 5-3 MAC) clinches bowl eligibility for the first time under second-year head coach Lance Taylor. The Broncos snapped a three-game losing skid by outlasting Eastern Michigan on Saturday, and now their season extends to December. Western Michigan will wait another week before determining its bowl opponent and destination. But the seniors recognized on senior day earn one final outing in uniform before hanging up the cleats or continuing their careers at the professional level.