Western Michigan is in Montgomery, Ala., to take on South Alabama in the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl on Saturday at the Crampton Bowl on ESPN. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET
The IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl, formerly known as the Camellia Bowl, is in its 11th year and has traditionally pitted the MAC against the Sunbelt. When those two conferences have been matched up, the conferences have split down the middle, with each winning four games. Last year's game saw Northern Illinois defeat Arkansas State, 21-19
IS4S, the title sponsor, is an employee-owned and controlled small business that provides a wide range of engineering and management solutions to the United States Armed Forces and other government and commercial agencies.
WESTERN MICHIGAN AND (SOUTH) ALABAMA CONNECTIONS
- Lance Taylor is an Alabama native, from Mount Vernon. Taylor, 43, walked-on to the University of Alabama and played wide receiver for the Crimson Tide from 2000-03. After graduating and playing in the Arena Football League, he returned to Alabama to begin his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Nick Saban from 2007-08.
- Western Michigan head coach Lance Taylor served as an offensive graduate assistant under South Alabama head coach Major Applewhite in 2007 when Applewhite was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama.
- South Alabama Marching Band Director Dr. Robert Abend served as a graduate assistant under Western Michigan Marching Band Director Dr. Trey Harris while earning his Master of Music from Western Michigan University.
- Saturday's bowl game will just be the second game that Western Michigan has played in its history in the state of Alabama. The first was a 34-13 loss at No. 13 Auburn back on Oct. 21, 1995.
THE SERIES
This will be the first ever meeting between Western Michigan and South Alabama.
STUDS UP FRONT
After WMU starting center Jacob Gideon and Addison West were voted First Team All-MAC, they continued to rake in the honors. Gideon was named a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the nation's top center. He is the first center in WMU history to be a finalist for the award and just the second in the history of the Mid-American Conference. Both have been named Hero Sports Group of 5 First Team All-Americans.
West has started every single game since the 2022 season and has helped the Broncos produce a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the last two seasons. While this year, WMU's three-pronged rushing attack of Jaden Nixon, Jalen Buckley and Zahir Abdus-Salaam have combined for 2,098 yards. West has also been rated the top guard in all of college football by Pro Football Focus and was named a First Team All-American by the organization.
Gideon has been the top-rated center by PFF in each of the last three seasons. He has started 46 of the last 46 games since 2021, including 33 at center.
THREE-HEADED MONSTER
Western Michigan's three-man rushing attack of Jaden Nixon, Jalen Buckley and Zahir Abdus-Salaam have combined for 2,098 yards rushing on the season and 23 rushing touchdowns. Of the 134 FBS teams, WMU is just one of 21 that have its top three rushers combine for over 2,000 yards. Combined, they have averaged 5.89 yards per carry and each have had a season-long run of at least 60 yards, with Nixon topping the trio at 92.
One of the three have gone for 100+ yards in each of WMU's six wins. Nixon and Abdus-Salaam both went over the century mark in the win over Bethune-Cookman, while Buckley and Abdus-Salaam did it in the win over Eastern Michigan. The Broncos have averaged 260.3 yards rushing in their six wins.
BOWLING BRONCOS
Western Michigan is in search of the program's third bowl win. WMU's two wins came at the 2015 Bahamas Bowl over Middle Tennessee State and at the 2021 Quick Lane Bowl against Nevada.
DaShon Bussell, Anthony Sambucci, Damari Roberson, Zahir Abdus-Salaam, Mareyohn Hrabowski, Boone Bonnema, Aaron Wofford, Peyton Doorhy, Jack Sherwin, John Hofer, Tyson Lee, Calvin Muraski, Adam Vandervest, Addison West, Jacob Gideon, Malique Dieudonne and Kadinn Morris were all on the 2021 team and have the opportunity to become the only players in program history to win two bowl games.
