Western Michigan beat another Power Five school this weekend, this time Illinois, as the Broncos became the fourth Mid-American Conference team, all time, to beat two Big 10 schools.
“It's kind of like doughnuts on a baseball bat,” coach P.J. Fleck said of beating Power 5 schools. “Being able to keep adding those doughnuts on the bat, and then when you take those doughnuts off, you swing the bat impressively fast.”
For the two games Western Michigan has played against Big 10 schools, it has been paid a combined $1.6 million to go to, and beat, Northwestern and Illinois.
Even though they handily beat Illinois, Fleck knows his team can be better.
“We didn’t play our best game,” he said. “Not even close to it.”
Fleck said his team is a mature group, and this helps them in out-of-conference play.
“We’re 1-0 in the Illini season, and that’s over and done with,” Fleck said. “Now we’re 0-0 as we go into the Georgia Southern week.”
With its performance so far this season, Western Michigan has garnered national attention, getting six votes in the Associated Press poll.
MAC schools getting AP votes
In addition to Western Michigan, two other MAC schools received AP poll votes. Central Michigan got 16 votes, while Toledo collected six.
“All three programs are very deserving,” coach John Bonamego of Central Michigan said. “It speaks a lot to the level of competition, coaching and talent in our conference. It’s good for exposure for our entire league.”
The last MAC school to be ranked was Toledo last season, climbing as high as the No. 19 spot in the AP poll last season, and No. 24 in the College Football Playoff ranking.
Cooper Rush reaches 10,000 yards
Central Michigan quarterback Cooper Rush has now thrown for more than 10,000 yards. He is second in Central Michigan history in passing yards, behind Dan LeFevour.
“He’s played a lot of football here,” Bonamego said of Rush. “He’s playing at a high level; he prepares at a high level. He really grinds on football, he’s a football guy.”
Akron’s big quarter
Going into the second quarter against Marshall, Akron trailed 21-7. Then the Zips scored 34 points in the second quarter while not allowing the Thundering Herd to score at all in the same
“We were able to get points scored by our offense, defense and by our kicking game,” coach Terry Bowden said. “When you win all three of those, you got a chance to win.”
