WMU News

Broncos announce 2000 football schedule

Feb. 10, 2000

KALAMAZOO -- Road contests against Wisconsin and Iowa of the Big Ten Conference, a rematch with Marshall and five home dates in Waldo Stadium highlight the 2000 football schedule for Western Michigan. Game times have yet to be finalized.

The Broncos open their 95th season on Saturday, Sept. 2, against Wisconsin in Madison. The Badgers finished fourth in the final USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll and are two-time defending Rose Bowl Champions. Western Michigan defeated Wisconsin in 1988 for its first win against a Big Ten opponent.

Gary Darnell's team travels to Iowa City the following week (Sept. 9) to meet the Iowa Hawkeyes for the first time ever before hosting Gateway Conference member Indiana State on CommUniverCity Night (Sept. 16) - one of southwest Michigan's biggest sporting attractions.

The Mid-American Conference season begins Sept. 23 against Toledo in Waldo Stadium, followed by a home contest versus MAC East opponent Ohio. On Oct. 7, Western Michigan returns to Huntington, W.Va., for a rematch against Marshall. The Thundering Herd placed 10th in the final USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll and edged WMU in last year's MAC Championship Game.

After a bye week, WMU plays host to Northern Illinois on Homecoming weekend (Oct. 21) before hitting the road for MAC encounters against Kent (Oct. 28), Ball State (Nov. 4) and Central Michigan (Nov. 11). The Broncos will be looking for their first win in Mount Pleasant since 1973.

The regular season finale finds Eastern Michigan visiting Waldo Stadium in what has become a high-scoring affair the past few years.

Western Michigan joins Central Michigan as the only MAC schools to play eight conference games, due to an unbalanced divisional alignment. Head-to-head competition will be the first tie-breaker used in determining divisional champions, with conference winning percentage used as the second tie-breaker.

The Broncos captured the MAC West Division crown last year en route to a 7-5 overall record. WMU twice set the MAC single-game attendance mark and established a school season record for home attendance (134,368).

2000 WMU Football Schedule (starting times TBA)

Sept. 2   at Wisconsin
Sept. 9   at Iowa
Sept. 16  INDIANA STATE CommUniverCity Night
Sept. 23  TOLEDO Southwest Fest
Sept. 30  OHIO Family Fest
Oct. 7    at Marshall
Oct. 14   open date
Oct. 21   NORTHERN ILLINOIS Homecoming
Oct. 28   at Kent
Nov. 4    at Ball State
Nov. 11   at Central Michigan
Nov. 18   EASTERN MICHIGAN

Media contact: Daniel Jankowski, 616 387-4122; daniel.jankowski@wmich.edu


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