WESTERN MICHIGAN FACES WESTERN KENTUCKY IN SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL
2019 SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL
Western Michigan (7-5, 5-3 MAC) vs. Western Kentucky (8-4, 6-2 Conference USA)
Monday, December 30, 2019 • 12:30 pm ET • Dallas, Texas • Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000)
ESPN Announcers: Dave Neal (play-by-play), DJ Shockley (analyst), Dawn Davenport (sideline)
Watch Live
Western Michigan Notes:
• Western Michigan plays in its sixth bowl game in the last nine seasons (2011-19) by meeting Western Kentucky in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on December 30. The Broncos had made just four bowl trips in school history prior to 2011.
• The Broncos will make their 10th bowl game appearance and hold an all-time record of 1-8, including an 0-1 ledger under head coach Tim Lester. Western Michigan also has appeared in the Aviation Bowl (1961 season), California Raisin Bowl (1988), International Bowl (2006), Texas Bowl (2008), Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (2011), Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (2014 & 2018), Popeyes Bahamas Bowl (2015) and Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (2016).
• Lester will participate in the fourth bowl game of his coaching career. As an assistant coach, he helped Western Michigan to the 2006 International Bowl and Syracuse to the 2013 Texas Bowl; as a head coach, he led Western Michigan to the 2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
• Led by 2019 MAC Vern Smith Leadership Award winner RB LeVante Bellamy, twelve Broncos earned a total of 13 All-MAC honors. Bellamy became the fifth MAC MVP for Western Michigan and ninth MAC Offensive Player of the Year. Junior LB Treshaun Hayward became the eighth MAC Defensive Player of the Year in school history.
• This year’s senior class owns 33 victories, the third most in program history.
Western Michigan vs. Hilltoppers: The Broncos and Hilltoppers will meet for the 16th time at the bowl. Western Michigan leads the all-time series 11-3-1, but the teams have not met since a 38-0 Bronco victory on November 1, 1947. The series began with a 26-0 victory by Western Michigan on October 29, 1923. The Broncos went unbeaten in the first nine meetings before the Hilltoppers took three straight from 1938-40. WMU claimed the final three, from 1941-47.
Pair Of Players Of The Year: Senior RB LeVante Bellamy was named the MAC Vern Smith Leadership Award as the league’s MVP, as well as the MAC Offensive Player of the Year. Junior LB Treshaun Hayward was tabbed the MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Balanced Attack: Western Michigan features one of the most balanced offenses in the MAC, rushing (212.7) and passing (244.6) for more than 212 yards per game. The Broncos join Ohio and Ball State as the only programs in the MAC averaging 212+ a game in both categories.
Bellamy National Rankings: Running back LeVante Bellamy has been outstanding in 2019, ranking among the national leaders: 1st with 23 rushing TDs; 2nd with 138 total points scored; 2nd with 23 total touchdowns; 2nd with 11.5 points per game; 8th with 117.7 yards per game; and 10th with 1,412 rushing yards. Bellamy is second nationally in rushes of 30+ yards with 11 and tied for third in the country in rushes of 40+ yards with seven. Bellamy’s 23 rushing scores are the second most in a single season in program history and the most nationally this fall.
Wassink Career Numbers: Quarterback Jon Wassink’s strong 2019 on the field has him racing up the Western Michigan career charts. He now owns 49 career touchdown passes, tied for the fifth most by a Bronco. Wassink is also up to seventh on the school’s career completions chart with 497. He would become the seventh Bronco to reach 500 career completions. Wassink was one of 12 recipients of the 2019 NFF National Scholar Athlete Award, was presented the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy and was one of 10 Senior CLASS Award finalists.
