The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545685
122 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Formerly the offensive coordinator at Louisville in 2022, Lance Taylor was hired following a 5-7 campaign from former head coach Tim Lester. It took Taylor a year, but he guided the Broncos to a bowl game in 2024 and broke through in 2025. Last season, Western Michigan won the Mid-American Conference champi- onship for the first time since 2016 with a 26-17 victory over Miami (Ohio), which had handed his team its only conference loss of the regular season. Western Michigan lost its first three games — at Michigan State (23-6), versus North Texas (33-30 in overtime) and at Illinois (38-0) — before winning 10 of its last 11. The Broncos destroyed Kennesaw State in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, 41-6, to put an exclamation point on the season, which featured seven double-digit wins for only the second time in program his- tory. Building momentum off last season, the Broncos landed 10 transfers with Power Four experience and didn't have many notable departures. WMU ran the football on 67.1 percent of its plays last season and has eight starters back on that side of the ball — highlighted by reigning MAC Offensive Player of the Year Broc Lowry, a dual- threat quarterback in his redshirt junior year. A transfer from Indiana (2023), the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 1,803 yards and 9 touchdowns with 3 interceptions. He rushed 203 times for 963 yards and a team-leading 14 touchdowns, forming a two-headed monster in the run game with redshirt senior running back Jalen Buckley, who ran for 1,003 yards with a 174-yard performance in the bowl game. Former Michigan running back Cole Cabana may be in the mix for carries in 2026, after missing all but two outings with injury last year. He scored a 4-yard touchdown in the spring game. Lowry will have his second- and third-leading receivers from last sea- son to throw to in redshirt junior Baylin Brooks (372 yards) and sophomore Aveion Chenault (277). Four starting offensive linemen are back on a team that ranked 16th nation- ally in rushing offense (204.2 yards per game) and allowed only 1.6 sacks per contest (39th). Redshirt senior tackle Chad Schuster was tabbed as the MAC Offensive Lineman of the Year, and he's slated to make the move from right to left tackle. In his first season as coordinator, Greer Martini coached up a unit that finished ninth in the country in scoring defense (17.4 points allowed per game) and 17th in total defense (305.5 yards). The defense returns three starters, none of them in the front seven. The Broncos are tasked with replacing lead- ing pass-rush specialists Nadame Tucker (14.5 sacks) and Rodney McGraw (7). The secondary has experience, and third-team All-MAC selection Joshua Franklin is the headliner. He recorded 54 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks and 10 pass breakups last season, while also serv- ing as a punt returner (13.7 yards per at- tempt). Both starting punter Ryan Millmore (42.4 yards per attempt) and kicker Palmer Domschke (13-of-19 on field goals with a 50-yard long) are back on a special teams unit with a lot of continuity. ❑ WMU Will Bring Its Ground-And- Pound Attack To The Big House GAME 1 • WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS • SEPT. 5 Quarterback Broc Lowry, the reigning MAC Of- fensive Player of the Year, rushed for at least 1 touchdown in each of WMU's seven regular- season conference wins in 2025. PHOTO COURTESY WESTERN MICHIGAN ATHLETICS QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Michigan leads 8-0 First Meeting: U-M 17, WMU 13 (Oct. 10, 1917, in Ann Arbor) Last Meeting: U-M 47, WMU 14 (Sept. 4, 2021, in Ann Arbor) Head Coach: Lance Taylor (20-19 at WMU and overall) 2025 In Review: 10-4 overall, 7-1 MAC Final 2025 Ranking: Unranked Returning Starters: 13 (8 offense, 3 de- fense, 2 specialists) Last Bowl Appearance: 2025 (Myrtle Beach Bowl vs. Kennesaw State, W 41-6) RETURNING LEADERS Passing: Broc Lowry (1,803 yards, 9 TD) Rushing: Jalen Buckley (1,003 yards, 9 TD) Receiving: Baylin Brooks (372 yards) Tackles: Jarvarius Sims (64) Sacks: Joshua Franklin (1.5) Interceptions: Joey Pope (3) 2026 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2025 Result Sept. 5 at Michigan — Sept. 12 MONMOUTH — Sept. 19 at Rice — Sept. 26 BOISE STATE — Oct. 3 at Buffalo — Oct. 10 KENT STATE — Oct. 17 at Central Michigan W, 24-21 Oct. 24 at Toledo W, 14-13 Oct. 31 BOWLING GREEN — Nov. 10 at Akron — Nov. 17 EASTERN MICHIGAN W, 31-21 Nov. 24 MIAMI (Ohio) W, 31-21 REASONS FOR OPTIMISM • Offensive continuity • Dominant run game • Special teams continuity QB Broc Lowry has steps forward to make with his arm, but leaning on a strong run game should be a staple for the Broncos again. REASONS FOR CONCERN • Loss of pass rush production • Need more dimensions on offense to com- pete at higher level • Six road games WMU fielded one of the best Group of Six defenses last season but has a lot of pieces to replace, especially up front.