It was a Halloween showdown in Kalamazoo as the Western Michigan Broncos hosted the Bowling Green Falcons in a spooky, scary edition of MACtion. The last time these two teams faced off was during the 2024 season, when Bowling Green came away with a 31-13 victory. Would the Halloween showdown give the 5-3 Broncos treats, or would the 2-6 Falcons play a trick on the reigning MAC champions? It would be Western Michigan coming away with a 23-10 victory over Bowling Green, marking the Broncos’ first win over the Falcons since 2019.
Bowling Green
Adlib Ability
It was the play of quarterback Jay Kastantin, especially when he was on the move and creating with his legs, that gave Bowling Green its best opportunities offensively. Throughout the first quarter, Kastantin was at his best when moving around in the pocket and throwing on the run. On the Falcons’ first drive of the game, it was his ability to ad-lib and make plays with his legs and arm that helped lead to their lone touchdown.
Keeping Up with the Georges
Former Ohio State and Tennessee Titans star Eddie George and his son Eriq George are making their names known at Bowling Green. In the loss to Western Michigan, it was Eriq George’s ability to create pressure on the Broncos’ offense that helped limit their scoring opportunities. It seemed like George was in the backfield on every play, causing havoc for the Western Michigan offense and making life difficult for the Broncos
throughout the game.
Western Michigan
Keeping It a Buck
Running back Jalen Buckley is now the active FBS rushing leader with 3,427 career rushing yards after his 77-yard performance in the win over Bowling Green. While Buckley didn’t reach his usual rushing average in the victory, he didn’t need to. The Broncos found production elsewhere offensively and were able to come away with the win.
Dexter Shows Out
Former Dexter stars showed out in Western Michigan’s win over Bowling Green.
Defensive back Micah Davis returned from injury, and while he didn’t make a huge impact in the box score, you could still tell when he was on the field thanks to his big hits. Davis finished the game with four tackles and broke up one pass in his team’s victory.
Running back Cole Cabana scored the Broncos’ first touchdown of the game when he took it 82 yards for the score. The touchdown sparked what would become Cabana’s best game as a Bronco, as he finished with 110 rushing yards and a touchdown. Considering Cabana entered the game with just 20 rushing yards and a touchdown on the season, it’s safe to say he had a breakout performance in the win.
Defensive Showout
The defensive unit for the Broncos showed out in the win over Bowling Green. The team finished with 68 tackles, including nine tackles for loss. They also recorded four sacks and four quarterback hurries while breaking up four passes. The Broncos came away with two late interceptions that helped ice the game and secure the victory.
Bears Final Take
While Bowling Green didn’t come away with the win, the Falcons showed why they’ve been able to play teams tough all season. They have a tough defense and an offense that has shown it is capable of moving the ball downfield. The 2-7 record they boast might be a little skewed, but this is a team that looks like it’s heading in the right direction.
Western Michigan is now 6-3, but you could make the argument that the Broncos are 7-2, depending on how you view their game against Michigan to open the season. Regardless, they are showing that they can compete. After falling to Toledo last week by a final score of 45-38, the Broncos bounced back thanks to their defense and an offense that can be a double-edged sword.
If Cabana can establish himself as a legitimate threat alongside Buckley, and quarterback Broc Lowry continues to show what he can do with both his arm and legs, the Broncos could be in a good spot moving forward. That is especially true if sophomore Aveion Chenault continues to break out the way he has over the last two games.