In securing MAC championship bid, Western Michigan’s defense again led the way
The Broncos have leaned on their defense all season and the group again came up huge in a win to send WMU to the MAC title game.
Ypsilanti — On Tuesday morning, Western Michigan first-year defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary was named as one of 63 assistant coaches in contention for the Broyles Award, given annually to the top assistant coach in college football.
By 11 p.m. that night, O’Leary’s defense once more showed why that’s the case after producing five takeaways that led to 28 points for the Broncos in an eventual 31-21 win to cap the regular season. The win sends Western Michigan to Ford Field with a bid in the MAC championship game.
“I thought it was a great team win defensively,” head coach Lance Taylor said. “I thought they played really well.”
Western Michigan (8-4, 7-1 MAC) is now headed to Detroit on Dec. 6 for a shot at the MAC championship in large part because of a defense that has proven to be one of the best units for any team in the MAC. The Broncos gave up fewer than 300 yards per game in conference play. And along with down-to-down results the Broncos have been a havoc-causing unit, producing 13 takeaways during conference play and 18 sacks.
It’s a defensive season that has O’Leary on the list for a coveted award and, more importantly, the Broncos on the cusp of winning a fourth MAC title in program history.
