WMU welcomes their third-ever HBCU opponent into Waldo Stadium when they take on Daytona’s Bethune-Cookman.
The Western Michigan Broncos (0-2) get set to open the gates to Waldo Stadium for the first time in 2024 on Saturday night, when they host the SWAC’s Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (0-2) for an FCS/FBS matchup under the lights.
What can WMU look forward to on what should be a beautiful night for football?
Game notes
- Time and date: Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time
- Location: Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Viewing options: The game will be available exclusively on ESPN+. A valid subscription is required for viewing. Noah Reed (play-by-play) and Taylor McHargue (color) will provide the commentary.
- Radio options: Robin Hook (play-by-play) and John Creek (color) will provide the WMU call for Jack 106.5 FM.
- All-time series: First-ever meeting
Getting to know the Wildcats
Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Bethune-Cookman has had a pretty rough go of it to start the year. The Wildcats have scored five points total over two games, their lowest in a two-game span in program history dating back to 1960. It gets worse from there; the ‘Cats haven’t scored a touchdown in nine-straight quarters, spanning back to last season’s Florida Classic against Florida A&M. That streak is also a program-high dating back to 1960, when the hapless B-CU went 16-straight quarters without a score.
Suffice to say they’re looking to right the ship in Kalamazoo. It’ll be hard to do, as they’ve lost their leading rusher and their top three receivers in the offseason while also acclimating a new starting quarterback.
Cam’Ron Ransom is the man at the controls for B-CU, compiling 222 yards on 22-of-38 passes, with three interceptions on the season, while also adding 44 non-sack yards on the ground. The dynamo of the offense is running back Courtney Reese, a UNLV transfer who had 359 yards and four touchdowns for the Rebels in 2023. Reese currently leads the ‘Cats in both rushing (21 carries, 36 yards) and receptions (six receptions, 15 yards) in 2024 as the team looks to get moving in the right direction. Lorenzo Jenkins (five rec., 53 yards) and Maleek Huggins (three rec., 52 yards) lead in receiving yards, though starter Kobe Stewart did pick up a 50-yard reception as well.
Placekicker Cade Hecter is responsible for the offense’s only points of 2024, and is 1-of-1 on field goals.
Defensively, this unit has given up 79 points to USF (48) and Mercer (31), averaging 443.3 yards of total offense allowed per contest in 2024, with 21 points coming directly off turnovers.
Much like the offense, there are a lot of moving parts, with the defense losing an all-SWAC first team corner Omari Hill-Robinson (graduation) and the team’s leader in tackles-for-loss, QB hurries and sacks in Eddie Walls III (transfer to FIU.)
True sophomore Ejike Brown leads the team in TFLs and sacks (2.5 each) with a total of eight tackles from the EDGE spot, while four different Wildcats all have 11 tackles each. Safety Raymond Woodie III, son of head coach Raymond Woodie Jr., is the team’s leading tackler (14 total) and holds the team’s lone interception after transferring in from Cal via Florida State. Linebacker Dearis Thomas, a pre-season all-SWAC second-teamer, will also be one to watch for with 11 tackles and two TFLs.
Getting to know the Broncos
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
The 0-2 record the Broncos have started with has been a raw one, with two losses to Big Ten squads of opposing fashions. In Week 1 against Wisconsin, they very nearly came away with an upset before a special teams miscue granted the Badgers a lifeline. Can’t really say much about Week 2, as they were blanked by the vastly-talented Ohio State Buckeyes.
It happens to almost everyone, and now Week 3 presents an opportunity for WMU to show themselves at full force.
Hayden Wolff has established himself as the starter at QB after taking over the job midseason in 2023. He’s still looking for his first touchdown of 2024, but last season, he was responsible for 1,505 yards passing with eight touchdowns to five interceptions on a 66.5 percent completion rating.
The strength of the Broncos lies in the run game, with Jacob Gideon (whowas nominated to three offensive lineman award watchlists) manning the center of the line along with an experienced offensive line which also features Shrine Bowl Watchlister Addison West at guard. Last year’s MAC Freshman of the Year Jalen Buckley (1,003 rushing yards) also returns to the backfield, this time alongside Oklahoma State transfer Jaden Nixon (who currently leads the Broncos in total yards with 25 rushing yards, 32 receiving yards and 34 return yards.) Zahir Abdus-Salaam (40 total yards) and Keshawn King (22 rushing yards) are also returning from last season to give WMU excellent depth.
Wide receiver is still a question mark with 2023 leader Kenneth Womack (76 rec., 691 yards, one TD) going back-and-forth with an injury. Anthony Sambucci has been relied upon to carry the receiving load against two extremely talented sides, with five receptions for 53 yards. Malique Dieudonne (21 rec., 209 yards in 2023) and former UL-Monroe via West Virginia receiver Bugs Mortimer (29 catches, 376 yards; 11 carries for 153 yards) could be expected to shoulder the load as well.
Understandably, WMU has one of the worst defenses in the country through two games. They currently rank at 130th of 133 eligible programs, giving up a whopping 535.5 yards per game. The majority of that is through pass yards, where the Broncos give up 301 yards per game (127th), while they also give up 234.5 yards on the ground (125th). That should improve after this week.
Despite the woeful unit numbers, there have been some impressive individual performances. Bilhal Kone has stepped up in the secondary to pace the Broncos defense, with 14 tackles and four pass breakups through two games so far, while linebacker Donald Willis, continues his blistering play from 2023, with 21 tackles (10 vs. Wisconsin, 11 vs. Ohio State) and three pass break-ups in 2024. Last season’s leading tackler, Tate Hallock, sits at 15 tackles currently.