Western Michigan Broncos 2024 Team Preview | The College Football Experience

the college football experience Western Michigan Broncos 2024 season preview episode on the sports gamet podcast network is brought to you by Underdog Fantasy Sign up and when you do sign up with the promo code tce s gpn to score up to $1,000 in bonus cash they just introduced college football baseall folks get on over there Underdog fantasy.com promo code TC gpn we're also brought to you by Rhythm get your free 7-Day trial period today by going to sports gambling podcast.com rthm that's rhmm that's Sports gambling podcast.com rthm and remember as always folks to let it ride hey what's up you degenerate gamblers this is Bill Burr and you're listening to S gpn Let It Ride baby [Music] [Music] yes yes yes woo welcome welcome to the college football experience Eastern I'm sorry Western Michigan Broncos 2 24 season preview episode I think it's one of the most uh exciting years in at least like out of past three or four years for the Western Michigan Broncos obviously you had the PJ Fleck row thebat era where hell if you had a 12 team playoff the Western Michigan Broncos they would have been a part of that thing uh maybe they can get back there youtube.com/ theol footb experience as we continue to break down all 134 teams the season starts Western Michigan's got a game Friday night I had to get this one in CU we're almost through there's that we're like three final four I believe uh so gotta get this in before that Friday game as they head to Madison jump around as they're taking on the Wisconsin Badgers um youtube.com theol experience we just dropped our week one preview picks go listen to that our week one DFS slate is out all that good stuff is out we talk college football year round over there uh but I do think it's a great it's a it's a it's an exciting time to be a western Michigan fan Lance Taylor you know I I thought did they they passed the eye test to me for a year one coach they achieved what I thought you know they overachieved what I thought would be you know their season a year ago and I think that's why a lot of people are op optimistic you know I talked to Alex Shear my buddy shout out to Alex Shear who covers the Mac who who's really bullish on Western Michigan I know NC Nick is very bullish on Western Michigan and a few other people I've talked to in the college football Circle seemed to be bullish on Western Michigan and I think I agree with them we'll go through it and talk all about it folks um I'll load up the slides here uh but first you're probably wondering just who the hell you're listening to my name is kby swing at dad to Bas Dad aka pick d d That's not a pick this is a pick he was raised in the land down under where a man thinks on his feet speaks with his fists and lives by his wits happen he was a superstar I'm probably drinking too much and celebrating too much and not sleeping would have killed a normal man but now that's gone medical advice I got from that was was like being hit by lightning pretend it never happened and get on with your life um that's accurate for myself another cocktail talk a little Western Michigan Bronco football what's not the like in life I am excited about this Lance Taylor era though as we dive into it youtube.com thee colge experience and you know I think when you look at this four and eight in his first season and I think you know the first question so many people would have is is uh how how am I bullish on a on a on a guy who was 4 and eight a season ago it was to me they just looked ahead I thought they were going to be a disaster to tell you the truth so I think they pass the eye test despite you know having eight losses uh and and to me they just looked better than I thought they would be I thought they were kind of going to be a train wreck last season and it started really with that St Francis game where they blew him out in in the opener now I know you'll say after that Syracuse beat some 487 IA beat some 4110 but I thought they fared well against a Toledo team that was really good I know they still ended up losing by 18 uh they beat Ball State and to me this is one where they they were in that game with Mississippi State and Starkville late which had me intrigued 13-point loss to the Mac Champion Miami uh Red Hawks there I mean they three-point loss to a double digit win Ohio team they they uh beat a bow Team in western or I'm sorry in Eastern Michigan 4521 they also took down Central Michigan so won both the rivalry games uh and then they did Teeter off towards the final two games of the season with Northern Illinois getting the best of them shutting them out and then Bowling Green sticking it to them so I I could see that argument if you say how the [ __ ] are you this high on them um I just thought they passed the ey test and they were ahead of schedule of where I thought they would be Lance Taylor 4 and8 in year one obv former Alabama wide receiver in the 90s uh so it comes from that that school of Alabama and uh to Me Not only was he a ga there with Nick sain is that he was at appalachin state which you know obviously Alabama has incredible winning culture we know that uh they have just you know from the days of Bear Bryant uh on and on and on uh but App State also has winning culture and then he was when he was at Stanford with David Shaw to when he was at Notre Dame until his final season there at Louisville before he came over it's an impressive resume it really is all those programs were winning while he was there for the most part um now they did go out and hire a new OC in Walt Bell I'm intrigued by that because Walt Bell wasn't the biggest fan of him at uh UMass and a couple other spots we'll see how that works out um defensive coordinator is Scott power uh let's dive into this thing but I mean yeah I I'm intrigued to see he comes from a very good lineage uh of coaching you know what I mean and programs that were very successful while he was a part of them so I think that's very encouraging moving forward with Lance Taylor uh best wins I mean this is a program that you know once again you mentioned the 12 team playoff why fans should be super excited and why alums and and and and everyone should be donating to their nil Collective is because they have a history they would have been in the playoffs had you had had you done the 12 team exercise over the past uh 10 years they would have been in the playoffs one of those years and imagine the impact that could have on cumo now so and look at I mean the proofs in the pting they've beaten Iowa twice no wonder uh Kirk fence is higher and Tim Lester because uh Iowa has gone to kinnick and got it done also uh and this is since the turn of the century by the way since 2000 at Virginia they took down Patty se's Wahoos they also won uh at Northwestern at Illinois at pit when pit won the ACC Championship with Kenny picket just a few years ago so very uh encouraging stuff there and I think this is why if you're a a western Michigan Alum you say why can't it be us this should be us we we should be in the mix for the playoffs year in and year out moving forward um one one I think the most I think the biggest win there's got to be the Iowa one maybe picks they won the ACC Championship one of those two uh folks what a tell you that you are listening to the sports gambling podcast Network part of this part of the uh you know we're we're the college football experience is part of the sports gambling podcast Network and we are celebrating football season this August September uh everything in the merch store is 10% off with the promo code football so go out there and get yourself a pck dund d t-shirt an East Carolina we believe a Mike Lee our dear friend Coach Lee who passed away may he rest easy we have shirts honoring him and honoring the book he wrote swing your sword go check out that um we just have a slew of really cool shirts so get on over there and check them out Sports gambling podcast the BET detective get on over there use that promo code football and remember as always folks too let it ride all right back talk at Western Michigan football I like this Old School logo they got there uh 88th in scoring per game at 23.7 points per game six best in the Mac 78th in yards third best in the Mac 84th in passing uh second best in the mac and 72 in rushing and I think that's that is why I think uh we're all encouraged now obviously this is going to be a different offens coordinator W Bell's coming in but all of those numbers and I think this goes back to why we're high on Lance Taylor all of them charting you know there's 12 teams in the Mac every single St statistic in offensive side of the ball they were on the better half in year one in a year which you know we thought that there was just a lot of changing so so um very impressive numbers in my opinion uh they got nine starters back on the offense laid by led by former old Old Dominion Monarch Hayden wolf also running back Jaylen Buckley ran for over a thousand yards a season ago and I'm intrigued really this whole offense you bring back your three starting wide outs and and Anthony sanuki uh Kenny wack and Malik uh dudan um tight end Blake bosma is back three of five on the offensive line is back this offense Walt Bell you got to answer the call here this offense should be pretty damn good and arguably I think you can make the case since dquan Finn is gone and the entire Toledo offensive line and Penny Boon and with the fact that uh let's take a look around and think about some of the other teams um roor for Ohio and their whole team is gone uh those two offenses I think I know last year Ohio wasn't as good offensively but the year before they were really good so you would tend to think those teams would would be leading the way uh Central Michigan starting quarterback transferred out to Sam Houston State so I mean you definitely lost some guys you know each team took some hits uh Cole Snyder leaves Buffalo now he goes to Eastern but still it's a new offense new team I think this should be among the best offense in the Mac it should be in the mix for top three to me uh if if if W Bell can't achieve this then I would say it's it's somewhat of a failure there um very exciting now they did lose some guys Tron borget heads out to BYU I kind of liked his game we'll see what happens with him at BYU Jack salop Pac goes to Elon uh we'll see how he does there in the FCS and stone henb back which was the former Alabama transfer he hits the portal hasn't landed anywhere yet besides that I mean yeah CJ Hester heads out to UMass uh who will be in the Mac next year here um not a lot of meat on the bone there as far as other losses there um that really impacted this team a season ago so I think they did a good job with the exception of maybe quarterback depth of uh and they went out and look what they did in the portal they brought in Brock La Brock Lowry from Indiana at the quarterback spot what I love is running back Jaden Nixon coming in and then they went out and raided the [ __ ] pack NC State uh Jordan Parker coming in at the wide receiver spot uh I'm sorry I'm sorry uh I'm sorry NC State was Chris total at the at the tight end spot you're going to hear me mention NC State again in a minute uh Jordan Parker the white out coming in from New Mexico state which they won 10 games there with Jerry kill uh and also my favorite wide receiver bugs Mortimer from ULM is uh coming in as well as offensive tackle Quinn Murphy from Notre Dame you you know you got to love it when you get a Notre Dame offensive lineman uh so I really think they won this transfer portal um on the off the side of the ball so to speak um I I I'd say this is why it's super encouraging it's super encouraging to see some of these gets and who are they able to re uh retain so shout out to the chat I see Roo dad in there putting in the hours let's go yeah season's right around the corner got to get these things done you know a few left uh appreciate you youtube.com thee experience hop on over there uh looking at the defensive side of the ball they were this is this is what you got to fix up you know um 106 but this is year one so I like even these were somewhat encouraging to me 106 in scoring per game that was 11th best in the Mac that was second worst in the Mac 84th in yards second worst in the Mac 81st in pass defense second worst in the mac and and eighth in the mac and Rush defense 82nd nationally so to me the rushing number seems all right I the rest you really gotta you really gotta you know improve but for year one I mean this is what I kind of expected you know if anything maybe a little bit better from a rush defense point of view um so I I'm not gonna I just I think they will be better this year and you you look what they got seven starters back this team production-wise you know short of Miami Ohio and them I feel like bringing everybody back you got to be bullish on these two teams in the Mac this season but seven starters back on the defensive side of the ball two on the line of scrimmage Cory Walker and Isaiah green linebackers Jacob Wahlberg and DeMar Robinson back and then three of four in the secondary led by Tate HCK also kicker Palmer Domi is back at the kicker spot if they're in a close game all of this very very encouraging stuff uh but I even think they hit it out of the park again we'll talk about this in a second here but I want to tell you folks out there that the college football experience is brought to you by Underdog fantasy yes Underdog fantasy pick him gives you a chance to win a thousand times the amount of money you enter or you can can play Fantasy Football the right way with best ball yes best ball Manz is live with $15 million in prizes uh we just dropped an episode best ball draft NC Nick moneyline Mac I jump in there for a little bit on this very feed you can go listen to it uh and we just dropped the DFS episode today so go check out that as well uh you can now use spe specials to boost on all Flex entry so hop on over there uh once again sign up and when you do sign up with the promo code TC gpn to claim your special pick plus first time deposit offer up to $1,000 in bonus cash that's Underdog fantasy.com promo code tce s gpn shout out to alien ghosta it's been a big drop off since Row The Boat uh yeah yeah I mean uh you wonder though this is what I would ask and and and the answer is probably he still would have moved along but I do Wonder uh had PJ Fleck had the playoff then he would have qualified for the playoff and they would have went to the playoff one of those years and it would have been the most exciting thing cazu had in a long [ __ ] time probably um and then you never know the nil Collective steps up you see Boise going out buying a five star off of USC's roster um I I do believe access breeds you know uh fandom in a way and fandom a plus b you can see Phantom bleeds Financial you know buying um so you wonder what could be down the road and maybe had had there been that 12 team playoff you know you never know maybe more money comes in you're able to lock him up in a long-term deal maybe he stays there who knows we'll never know but I think it's a different day and age in college football I think it's very exciting uh with this 12 team playoff and I think hopefully they expand it even more so um I I think this is very very though this many players back and look what they did in the portal by the way now they lost a few guys but once again they were able to retain a lot you know okay you lose your punter to Michigan State spy comes in swoops him but other than that Savon Brown to Buffalo a little bit in the secondary okay your Buffalo is is in the conference Anthony romph to Charlotte okay I'll buy into like a little little tiny hits but uh to me look what they brought in papey Williams is a former four-star recruit coming in on the the end projected starter day one from Louisville they also brought in Rodney McGraw another defensive end from Louisville and anio Thompson from Iowa I don't care who you are if you play defensive line in Iowa you're good and you're gonna be good in the Mac uh linebacker Dominic Moon also comes in from Purdue and then a couple you know Ryan raybuck a safety from St ansam and safety Armani Adams from from uh the the FAU in bokeh Ron there I think they knocked the portal out the park and this is why think so many people are encouraged the the year one performance from an ey test especially the offense bringing back this many starters and dominating the portal in my opinion so can Lance Taylor make it all work I think that's the question we're all asking ourselves uh and and seems to be very encouraging though I'd say like if you're a western Michigan you're probably this is probably the most excited you are since that win at pit because I think once you beat pit and pit ended up you know winning the ACC a couple years ago I think you thought you could win the Mac but I think you know obviously that didn't work out Tim Lester's moved along um I think this is a pretty exciting time to to be a Bronco fan let's take a look at that win total uh sitting at six and a half wins even Vegas says this is a bow team this year um plus 6,500 to win the Mac uh plus 20,000 there to win the 12 or to to make the 12 team playoff and uh plus 500,000 to win the national championship now what is encouraging here is Vegas actually the the book that I'm looking at is leaning towards a seven and five season knowing that you play what two power fives out the gate one on this one this Friday Wisconsin and uh another one being Ohio state they're basically saying if you after you take those L's there that uh you know you're G to go seven and three the rest of the year I think is very encouraging because you could be in the mix for a MAC Championship then uh uh let's talk about it but before I do that I want to let the folks know that the college football experience is brought to you by Rhythm have you ever wanted to create your own sports betting model for for football do we even know what a sports betting model is sgp's proud partner rhythm is the number one AI powered sports betting platform it helps uh you know provide betters of all levels the ability to build custom predictive betting models in seconds and get predictions for for uh for betting on money line spreads totals and props and look the Rhythm college football model love Delaware state in the points dund D did as well we cash in on that on the island build your own model and get ready for week one college football claim your free 7-Day trial period today by going to sports gambling podcast.com rthm That's Sports gambling podcast.com rmm That's Sports gambling podcast.com Rhythm all right six and a half the WID total kind of I kind of like it blindly I kind of like it with that much production returning uh let's take a look at this schedule week one like I said this Friday night they're catching 24 I already have a wager on this now I got it at 24 and a half but I think they're gonna give Wisconsin a game in Madison I think they're gonna give him a game in Madison I'm excited to see this one um I see Ryan Hasty in the chat agrees with me I think that's going to I mean I gotta favor Wisconsin obviously but I'm taking that 24 and a half load up on that uh but let's just say 0 and one because it is Madison jump around all that [ __ ] so um and I forgot to power rank these on the right my apologies uh at Ohio State week two uh they'll lose uh home to bethon cookman week three I think they will win that game then they get a bye week four that's a key bye because if they had to you know getting your three of your four non-con games on the road is tricky but I think that Marshall game is winnable now I think got a favor Marshall because it's in Huntington but I think they could win that game Marshall an old Mac foe uh but let's say one and three out the gate there then they're at Ball State it is a tricky back-to-back away there I mean four out of your first five games Road games I'm gonna give them Ball State so if I didn't give them Marshall I'm gonna give them Ball State get that second win there then they are home to akan I misspelled that geez I'm all over the [ __ ] place uh that's a win that'll be a third win there uh if I had to lean that way at Buffalo Pete LMO I like the hire but I think I lean Western Michigan there so that would be a fourth win for me then home to Kent State that' be a fifth win to me they get a byee home to Northern Illinois that'd be a sixth win to me now they do have another set of back-to-back away games at Bowling Green maxtion uh November 12th followed by at Central Michigan November 19th all you need is one win here though to hit that over I think between one of those final three they will hit that over and go seven and five um now this is this schedule in conference is genius you don't play Toledo who went 11 and one last year you don't play Miami Mi Ohio who won the mac and upset Toledo in the championship game who returns Everybody by the way and those are the two you want to avoid you also avoid Ohio who won 10 games a season ago so that's three of the best programs in this in this conference you're missing you're also getting like okay Bowling Green we expect to be good so that's your toughest in-conference Road game Central Michigan M could be fired by then now I tend to think he's going to survive this season but he could be fired by November 19th and then that could be a much more winnable game there Tak it on your rivals in in Mount Pleasant uh love the fact you get Buffalo and Ball State as your other Road spots it's really taking care of at at Waldo Stadium there and shout out to Waldo's bar get those liquor pitches folks but uh it's really taking taking care of home making sure you don't trip up to akan which I do expect Joe Morehead to have them a little more competitive Kent State to me is just an automatic win Northern Illinois though is an interesting team I think if you're not looking Northern Illinois could beat you they could still be a contender in this conference and then Chris kraton at Eastern Michigan will have them it seems like he'll always find a way to get them bowling they got to take care of home field there at at Waldo Stadium I think if they really want to uh contend for a MAC Championship but I do believe your your MAC Championship will probably have a team with three losses in conference this year uh it could be Western Michigan here especially since they don't play I don't know how they'd have to die you know there's no more divisions in the max so the tiebreaker would be very interesting but I think uh they they would have a decent shot of getting there so I like the over it's not a crazy it's not I don't think this is a lock by any means uh they're plus 6,500 to win the Mac though if they get like that schedule could get you to the championship game so uh right then then you're just a one-off away from winning the Mac much like Miami Ohio did last year let's be honest Toledo was the best team in the Mac uh a season ago and I think people you know you could make the case Ohio might have been second before the roor injury but but Miami Ohio was able to sneak in there and then they they won with the backup quarterback might I add against dcoin Finn and the the too Rockets there at that filthy Ford Field that they they got to move that championship game out of that [ __ ] but um I like the over I think they're gonna go seven and five not a lock though I think NY Nick might have locked this thing up but I uh I want to see it w Bell's let me down before at the OC spot we'll see how he does um but yeah I think it's worth the sprinkle though because I have him seven and five but three of your losses are in the noncon at Wisconsin at Ohio State and at Marshall I only have you with two losses in conference and that's what at Bowling Green and probably at in one of the Central or Eastern Michigan so it's a very nice conference schedule I think there's a good shot they're playing for the ma Championship there uh so I say actually instead of me betting the over which I'm going to lean over I think I might just buy a ticket at plus 6500 for them to win the Mac I think that's the way you should bet this thing but uh Lance Taylor and here's the scary part though let's say they do win the Mac if they win the Mac if they play for the MAC Championship and upset I don't know Miami Ohio or Toledo Lance Taylor's like 43 years old you gotta wonder you gotta wonder if someone comes calling I think that's the that's the hard part is like you know does someone come calling there's a school with more resources perhaps or wanting to throw more money in you know he's got he played obviously played aama where's he from like as far as G he's from yeah he's from Alabama too so you wonder I mean I guess if the Trent dord thing went horrible at UAB you know and they decided to pull the plug I think they'd give them a third year probably Troy and South Alabama already already replaced their coaches but you do wor wonder about anyone you know Georgia Southern or something down there um but I'm excited to watch Western Michigan this year I'm all over the 24 and a half against Wisconsin and I'm going to sprinkle that that uh that MAC Championship at 6,500 sprinkle that thing let's go uh that's our show look I got Eastern Michigan coming up next we're going through we're going to power through some of these uh final teams so we get ready for the season here so uh who's the quarterback at Western Michigan Hayden wolf he was the starter last season very was pretty good quarterback I liked him Old Dominion too he's been starting this will be his third year starting college football uh so I I'm intrigued uh by by what's going on there veteran team how many starters I say it's like I don't know 16 starters back I think so MAC Championship sprinkle let's go uh folks uh look I know I was solo tonight that's the way it's got to be sometimes in the final final dog days of summer before the season kicks uh but we break down we talk college football year round here subscribe to the college football experience iTunes Spotify uh but I a big believer in the YouTube uh you know the viewing product of the show as well youtube.com theol experience um and that's the hub for all of our stuff the college basketball experience we talk college basketball year round check that out uh money line Ma's doing all these great interviews with all these coaches and when the season goes live we'll we We'll Be Live every night of the Season talking to college hoops as well and just like we're talking college football pretty much every night of the season I think except for uh Sundays so um yeah subscribe we also have the college baseball experience the FCS college football experience check that all out folks and here's one for you all those come together as one youtube.com thethe colge experience but also check out the stadium heads podcast if you love Wrigley Field or the green monster uh in in in the MLB ranks or Yankee Stadium the the older one but uh well what's great about college football and I don't think it's talked about enough is college football has about uh like 150 or a 100 Cathedrals like that um and they're everywhere they're the biggest to me like it's the most undersold aspect of college football one of the more undersold things your your average American I don't think realizes that uh college football actually goes back further than the MLB a lot of people say well baseball's America's pastime well do your history on that college football was about three or four years before the MLB and a lot of these stadiums are they've been there a long time and then so I highly uh recommend check out the stadium heads podcast where we talk about the history of college football and college football stadiums hop on over there Waldo Stadium we love Waldo Stadium there in Kalamazoo check it all out me and Michael Barker AKA college football campus tour uh give the college football experience a Twitter uh give give him a Twitter a tweet follower uh on Twitter at tce on gpn uh sub follow over there if you're on X if not just check out the YouTube I'm on Twitter the CBD till next time folks I'm gonna be back in like 10 minutes probably less than that talking Eastern Michigan Eagle football dog days of summer we got football coming take the 24 and a half against Wisconsin let's go till next time this is the college football experience Western Michigan Bronco Style buckham you better start thinking about yours and we out of here [Music] make [Music]