Entering bowl season, the only two perfect records in the FBS belonged to AP Poll No. After skating by Ohio on a Cotton Bowl-clinching interception (more on that later), Western Michigan arrived at bowl season unblemished.
Davis rewrote the history books in a spectacular senior season, and he spent his final days in Kalamazoo receiving MAC Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All- American honors.Īfter downing Toledo, the Broncos qualified for their first conference championship game since 2000 and won the league for the first time since 1988. During the 55-35 victory, wide receiver Corey Davis (5,278 yards upon graduation) surpassed former Nevada wideout Trevor Insley for college football’s all-time receiving yards leader. Several weeks later on Black Friday, Western Michigan clinched the division in a packed Waldo Stadium, despite a downpour. The Broncos notably snapped a 7-game losing streak to division rival Northern Illinois in the midst of usurping the Huskies’ 6-year throne atop the MAC West. Western Michigan picked apart opponent after opponent on the schedule, faring 2-0 against the Big Ten in non-conference play before dismantling all eight MAC opponents. Photo by Daniel Bartel/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Western Michigan took down Northwestern on the road, 22-21, on that opening weekend in September - the last challenge the Broncos would face for three months. Northwestern recovered in the end zone for an apparent touchdown, but Ginwright’s gaffe never happened because he inadvertently stepped out of bounds with possession of the ball. The loose ball rolled toward the sideline in the end zone, but Broncos cornerback Davontae Ginwright tried to throw it back into live play. Upon reaching the 1-yard line, Thorson was stripped by outside linebacker Robert Spillane. With under 3:00 remaining in the game as Western Michigan clung onto a 22-21 lead, Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson faked a handoff on a zone read and sprinted toward the pylon. A Week 1 victory over a solid Northwestern team didn’t come easy. Perhaps a rocky start was what the Broncos needed to gather composure before rattling off 13-straight wins - tying the 2003 Miami RedHawks for the winningest team in MAC history. The 2016 Western Michigan Broncos were a team to remember. Wooden patterns adorned the uniform, oars were emblazoned on the helmets, and by the end of the season, the three words resonated as a chant throughout the “Eighth Wonder of the World” - AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. But when Fleck’s energy and charisma began translating into wins and national prominence in 2016, “Row the Boat” defined the rise of an entire program. Fleck brought his signature “Row the Boat” mantra to Western Michigan from his hiring on December 17, 2012. The compass is the people you surround yourself with and the direction you’re headed.įormer Western Michigan head coach P.J. The boat is the sacrifice you are willing to make. The oar is the energy you bring to your life. The season was headlined by Western Michigan, headed by PJ Fleck, making the unbelievable run towards the Cotton Bowl, but those four months in 2016 featured some of the best stories the Rust Belt has seen this decade.īelow, we chronicle the journey through 2016, reliving and recalling the moments which made it the greatest MAC season yet. It is a year which could arguably be called the most memorable year the conference has ever witnessed.
The 2016 MAC football season had everything.
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