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Western Michigan, fresh off a thrilling 44-41 victory against Pittsburgh on the road, will be hosting the San Jose State Spartans this Saturday. However, the Broncos will be without their head coach, Tim Lester.
On Tuesday, Lester disclosed his positive COVID-19 test result and refrained from revealing the replacement for coaching duties in the upcoming Saturday game at 2 p.m.
Can the Broncos maintain their two-game win streak despite the change-up, or will the Spartans take advantage of the uncertainty and secure the victory in NCAA football?
San Jose State at Western Michigan: NCAA Football Odds
Western Michigan has slight odds edge over San Jose State
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Broncos’ advantage in oddsmakers’ eyes remained unaffected by Western’s coaching news. Both DraftKings Sportsbook and PointsBet Sportsbook favored the home team by three points, while FanDuel Sportsbook initially had Western as a 2.5 point favorite.
The game’s over/under was 63.5 according to FanDuel, and PointsBet and DraftKings had it set at 63.
Out of the six games played by both schools thus far, only once did the total points scored surpass 63, which occurred during Western’s Week 3 victory against Pitt with a 44-41 score.
This season, Western Michigan has a perfect 2-0 record against the spread, while San Jose has yet to secure a victory as underdogs.
How to watch: Western Michigan Broncos vs. San Jose State Spartans
- The upcoming game features San Jose State (2-1) facing Western Michigan (2-1).
- Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
- Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan’s Waldo Stadium.
- ESPN+ will be hosting an online livestream featuring Jason Ross and Tyoka Jackson as the announcers.
- Bronco Radio Network – Tune in to the radio!
- Channel 384 on Sirius XM: The Home of Satellite Radio
Can Broncos regroup without their leader?
Western’s triumph over Pittsburgh at Heinz Field marked their maiden win against a Power Five school since 2016, and also marked the first victory under Lester’s leadership.
Heading into the matchup, Pittsburgh had a two-touchdown advantage, and their senior quarterback Kenny Pickett showcased an impressive performance. Pickett threw for 382 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. This outstanding display propelled him past Dan Marino into second place on the school’s all-time passing list. However, despite Pickett’s efforts, Western’s versatile attack proved too strong to be halted.
During the game, the Broncos dominated possession for a total of 40 minutes on offense. Kaleb Eleby, the sophomore quarterback, achieved his highest numbers of the season in completions, yardage, and touchdowns. He completed 23 out of 35 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns. As a result of his outstanding performance, Eleby was awarded the title of offensive player of the week in the MAC West Division.
Teammate Zaire Barnes has also made it to the top MAC players’ list alongside Eleby. Barnes, a junior linebacker, has been recognized as the top defensive player in the West division. He made 10 tackles, including two tackles resulting in a loss, and successfully recovered two fumbles that led to two touchdowns for Western. In contrast, Pitt had three turnovers while Western had none.
In the game, Sean Tyler, a sophomore running back, showcased his versatility by scoring a touchdown through the air and another on the ground. He accumulated a total of 84 rushing yards from 14 carries and added 11 yards from three receptions. Meanwhile, La’Darius Jefferson, a junior running back, had an impressive performance with 22 carries resulting in 78 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Completing the offensive assault were Corey Crooms and Skyy Moore, both sophomore receivers. Crooms impressively caught eight passes, accumulating a game-leading 161 receiving yards along with a touchdown. On the other hand, Moore, who made a comeback after being injured in Week 1, secured 11 receptions for 124 yards and also scored a touchdown.
The offense of the Broncos accumulated a total of 517 yards.
San Jose State also coming off hard-earned win
Last Saturday, the Spartans made a stop in Honolulu during their month-long road trip. In an intense game, they narrowly defeated Hawaii with a final score of 17-13.
Both teams were competing in their Mountain West Conference opener, and San Jose State’s victory extends their conference win-streak to nine games.
In the end of the first half, senior quarterback Nick Starkel had a 23-for-50 completion rate, accumulating 235 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The scoring plays occurred within a three-minute span, with the first one being facilitated by Spartans running back Kairee Robinson’s blocked punt, which greatly contributed to the ensuing scoring drive.
According to reports, the Mountain West Conference champions faced challenging winds during their narrow victory over Hawaii. In preparation for their upcoming game in Michigan, they apparently decided to travel a day earlier to adapt to the local weather conditions.
First meeting between Broncos, Spartans
The upcoming Saturday’s game will be the inaugural matchup between San Jose State and Western Michigan. Can Western’s prospects be hindered by the absence of their head coach during the game?
In a statement, Lester, a former quarterback for WMU, emphasized that technology will enable him to provide virtual assistance in team preparation.
Lester stated that he will be absent from the team until the following week, but assured that he will be present virtually through technology. He expressed confidence in the team’s staff and players and eagerly anticipates returning to the office for conference play next week.
Due to targeting, co-captain Kyle Harmon, a junior linebacker, will be absent during the first half of the Spartans’ upcoming game after being ejected in the early fourth quarter against Hawaii.
On October 2nd, at noon in Buffalo, Western Michigan will commence their conference play against the Buffalo Bulls. Similarly, on the same day, San Jose State will welcome the New Mexico State Aggies for a match at 10:30 p.m. in their home stadium.
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