All articles tagged with #western michigan
The Los Angeles Chargers have hired Western Michigan defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary to be their new defensive coordinator, replacing Jesse Minter. O'Leary previously coached with the Chargers in 2024 and helped WMU to a 10-4 season and MAC title; he has six years at Notre Dame. In his lone season with the Chargers, LA's defense ranked No. 1 in points allowed, and last year they were a top-10 unit in points and yards.
Los Angeles Chargers named Chris O’Leary their new defensive coordinator, highlighting his MAC turnaround at Western Michigan, prior stint coaching safeties for the Chargers, and his Notre Dame and college coaching background, plus past experience as a wide receiver at Indiana State.
Michigan State's football team opened the 2025 season with a 23-6 win over Western Michigan, showcasing a strong defense and a solid performance from quarterback Aidan Chiles, while the backfield and offensive line showed promising signs for the season ahead.
The University of Michigan Football team is in discussions to open the 2026 season with a historic game against Western Michigan in Frankfurt, Germany, at Deutsche Bank Park, marking the first time the Wolverines would play outside North America, offering a unique international experience for players and fans.
Lance Taylor, head coach of Western Michigan, returns to his home state of Alabama for the Salute to Veterans Bowl against South Alabama. Taylor, who has a rich history with Alabama football, began his coaching career under Nick Saban. Both teams, led by Taylor and South Alabama's Major Applewhite, hold 6-6 records this season. The game marks a significant homecoming for Taylor, whose coaching journey has been influenced by his early experiences at Alabama.
The Michigan State hockey team staged a remarkable comeback in the NCAA tournament first round, rallying from a 4-2 deficit to force overtime and ultimately securing a 5-4 victory over Western Michigan. Senior forward Jeremy Davidson's shot deflected off a Western Michigan skater and into the net, propelling the Spartans to the next round. The win sets up a matchup against the winner of North Dakota and Michigan, with the Spartans displaying resilience throughout the game, including a game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation.
Western Michigan's men's basketball team secured a thrilling road victory over Ball State with a jaw-dropping cross-court bounce pass at the buzzer, as Ja'Vaughn Hannah found Anthony Crump for the game-winning shot. The improbable play left fans in awe and capped off an incredible finish for Western Michigan.
Western Michigan's Anthony Crump tipped in a wild full-court pass at the buzzer to lift the Broncos past Ball State 78-76 in overtime, securing one of the wildest buzzer-beaters of the season. With just 1.6 seconds left on the clock, a deep overhead pass from Ja’Vaughn Hannah found Crump, who made an easy layup to avoid a second overtime and spark a wild celebration on the court. The win puts Western Michigan at 11-18 for the season, while Ball State drops to 14-15.
Iowa will hire former Western Michigan coach Tim Lester as its new offensive coordinator, replacing Brian Ferentz. Lester, who also worked as a senior analyst for the Green Bay Packers, brings experience in building successful passing systems and a strong familiarity with the Midwest region. His hiring aims to improve Iowa's struggling offense, which ranked last nationally in total offense last season, and to complement the team's strong defense.
Western Michigan defeats Central Michigan 38-28 in a back-and-forth game, with Hayden Wolff throwing for 333 yards and three touchdowns. Western Michigan reestablished control in the fourth quarter, scoring 17 points and holding Central Michigan scoreless. Jalen Buckley's 52-yard touchdown run tied the game, and a 41-yard scoring pass from Wolff to Leroy Thomas gave Western Michigan the lead. Palmer Domschke's field goal sealed the victory.
Jalen Buckley's two touchdowns and a strong defensive performance by Western Michigan helped the Broncos snap a three-game losing streak and defeat Eastern Michigan 45-21. Buckley ran for 138 yards and scored on two short runs, while the defense contributed with two safeties and a touchdown. Eastern Michigan managed to score late in the second quarter and early in the fourth, but it wasn't enough to overcome Western Michigan's dominant performance.
No. 24 Iowa Hawkeyes (2-0) will face Western Michigan (1-1) in a televised game on the Big Ten Network at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. Iowa's defense, known for consistent production, has only recorded one sack this season despite facing close to 100 passing plays. Jermari Harris, who was suspended for his involvement in a sports-gambling investigation, has returned as the No. 1 right cornerback. The game will take place at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Syracuse football will face off against Western Michigan in their second game of the season, which will be another streaming-only game. The game will air on ACC Network Extra and can be accessed via ESPN.com or associated apps, as well as streamed on ESPN Plus. Spectrum customers will need to find alternative viewing options due to the ongoing blackout of Disney-owned networks on the service. Syracuse opened their season with a dominant win over Colgate, scoring a record-breaking 65-0 victory.
The University of Michigan Athletic Department has announced its non-conference football schedule in 2026 and the addition of a game for the 2029 season. Western Michigan has been added to its home schedule in 2026 and 2029, while UTEP has been added to its 2026 schedule. The location for the scheduled games with the University of Texas has been switched from the original contract.
The No. 5 Boston University men's ice hockey team defeated No. 9/11 Western Michigan 5-1 in the opening round of the Manchester Regional at SNHU Arena. BU will face Cornell in the regional final on Saturday. Freshman Lane Hutson opened the scoring in the first period before his brother, Quinn, and senior Matt Brown scored 88 seconds apart in the second to create a 3-0 cushion. With his goal, Lane surpassed Brian Leetch as the highest-scoring freshman in Hockey East history.