2022 Michigan State Spartans #11 Football Schedule Western Michigan

Anticipation of the 2022 calendar continues for the classification state of michiganfootball opponents this coming season. So far, it’s the opponent that I consider the second easiest: the Western Michigan Broncos.

2021 review: 8-5

Western Michigan had a respectable season in 2021, including a September shootout win on the road over eventual ACC champion Pittsburgh, winning 44-41. The Broncos ended the regular season with a blowout road win over eventual MAC champion Northern Illinois, 42-21, and a playoff win over Nevada, 52-24, in the Quick Lane Bowl. However, WMU found themselves tied at three for last place in the MAC West Division at just 4-4 in the league.

Series history

The Spartans will face West Michigan for the 17th time in a series dating back to 1908. MSU is currently riding a 12-game winning streak in the series dating back to 1921 thanks to the most recent victory (a 51-17 blowout) in 2019 at Spartan Stadium. The only series wins by the Broncos came in 1917 and 1919 at East Lansing. Michigan State leads the overall series 14-2.

2022 program outlook

Sixth-year head coach Tim Lester has a lot to replace this season for Western Michigan. Gone is three-year-old starting quarterback Kaleb Eleby, who threw for 3,277 yards last season. Wide receiver Skyy Moore and his 1,292 receiving yards (a second-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2022 NFL Draft), as well as most of the defensive front. However, the inside offensive line and the linebacker corps all seem like a force to be built.

Why #11?

With what the Broncos have lost, one could argue that Akron and his new staff could prove to be a bigger headache to prepare for. However, for the opener under a veteran coaching staff, Western Michigan gets the edge over fellow MAC program Akron for the No. 11 spot on the schedule. As the only other five-man program on the schedule, however, and a far cry from WMU’s 2016 season when the Broncos went 13-1, the 2022 team doesn’t warrant a higher ranking on the difficulty scale.

Prediction

There are actually a few interesting storylines in this season opener on September 3. Payton Thorne — a former West Michigan draftee himself — will face his father’s team, as Jeff Thorne is WMU’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Meanwhile, Jayden Reed, Thorne’s longtime friend and favorite target, spent his first season at WMU.

However, Thorne in the air and the new running corps led by Jarek Broussard, Jalen Berger and others on the ground should make it easier to work against West Michigan’s new defensive front. Expect Michigan State to head into this one to go 1-0 on the season debut.

Find the ranking here:

No. 12 Akron Zips
No. 11 Western Michigan Broncos
#10: Coming Soon