For each week of Western Kentucky's 2019 football season, Tyler Mansfield of InsideHilltopperSports.com will connect with a beat writer who covers the opposing team for a Q&A session.
For Game 13, Tyler chats with Alan Gerould, who covers Western Michigan as a columnist for BroncoBlitz.com on the Rivals network.
WKU (8-4 overall, 6-2 Conference USA) concluded its regular season Nov. 30 with a 31-26 win over Middle Tennessee at Houchens-Smith Stadium and heads to Dallas riding a three-game win streak.
Western Michigan (7-5, 5-3 Mid-American Conference) will face the Hilltoppers after dropping its season finale 17-14 to Northern Illinois on Nov. 26.
Kickoff time for the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is slated for 11:30 a.m. CT Monday at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. It will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
Tyler: Western Michigan looks to be a solid team on both sides of the ball. While the Broncos average 457.28 yards and 34.17 points per game on the offensive side of the ball, their defense allows 414.58 yards and 26.17 points per outing. How would you describe the overall makeup of this WMU squad?
Alan: The Broncos have been consistently inconsistent. They have played like worldbeaters at times (Monmouth, Georgia State, Bowling Green) and just played terrible in others (Michigan State, Syracuse, and Northern Illinois). Its three conference losses were all by a touchdown or less and they beat the Conference Division Champions (Central Michigan and Miami (OH)) by three scores each.
They had opportunities at the end of each conference loss but shot themselves in the proverbial foot on each occasion. It just depends on which team you get and that seems to depend as much on the weather as anything. The Broncos are built for speed. If they play on a dry firm track they will present some problems. If it's wet and slippery -- uh oh!
Tyler: It's no secret that the Broncos are led by standout running back LeVante Bellamy, who has rushed for 1,412 yards and 23 touchdowns on 248 carries this season. What makes Bellamy so good, and how big of a weapon is he for WMU?
Alan: Well, LeVante has been special as evidenced by the fact that he was voted the league Most Valuable Player. The thing for LeVante is his speed (he has been laser-timed at 4.29 in the 40) if he gets in space, see ya later. The Broncos have an experienced offensive line much like the Hilltoppers but teams have been stacking the box in an effort to contain him. The Broncos will continue to go to him, knowing that sooner or later he will break one. I can't tell you offhand how many times he has had 20 yards on 10 carries midway through the game only to start busting big plays (13 runs of over 30 yards this season). Part of the success has also been the fact that the Broncos spell him from time to time so that he comes back in fresh.
Tyler: Taking an overall look at Western Kentucky, what do you see in the Hilltoppers, and how do you think Western Michigan will game plan for them?
Alan: Like Western Michigan, Western Kentucky has had its ups and downs. Look no further than its loss to FCS school Central Arkansas and its drubbing of Power-5 school Arkansas? The difference has been that the Hilltoppers have a new head coach and their poorest performances came early when the team was still learning the (Tyson) Helton way. The Hilltoppers' last three games they have played lights out whereas the Broncos last game cost them a shot at the MAC Championship in a poor performance against inferior competition.
I think the Broncos would do well to take advantage of its seniors playing in their last games to create a sense of urgency. They need to try to take the ball out of the offense's hand by controlling the clock with the run and its short passing game and go over the top from time to time to keep the defense honest and to take advantage of receivers like Skyy Moore and Giovanni Ricci.
Tyler: Western Michigan has just one bowl win in its 114-year history. What do you think it will take for the Broncos to record bowl victory No. 2 on Monday?
Alan: Well, this is the fifth bowl game in the last six years for the Broncos. It's only win came in the Bahamas Bowl in 2015, when it beat Middle Tennessee. The following year they represented the G-5 in the Cotton Bowl and fought the good fight before finally succumbing to a strong Wisconsin team. Ironically, that was (Jeff) Brohm's first year at Purdue where he hired Tim Lester as his quarterback's coach. Lester, of course, returned to his alma mater where he looks to get his first bowl win with a team that on paper is as good as the MAC has to offer.
We have a steady senior quarterback in Jon Wassink, the aforementioned Bellamy, some good receivers, a veteran offensive line and a defense that has been much improved, although I'm still frustrated with its tackling at times. Our punt and kick return teams have been solid with Keith Mixon (transfer from Mississippi State), but our field goal teams and kick coverage have had some question marks.
Tyler: What your's prediction for the First Responder Bowl? How do you see things playing out between the Hilltoppers and Broncos?
Alan: I just don't know how I feel yet about this game. I really believe that the Good Broncos, the ones clicking on offense, keeping the chains moving, establishing the line of scrimmage, not turning the ball over, getting ahead early and the defense bending but not breaking, tackling in space, swarming to the ball and not taking stupid penalties -- well, then, Western Michigan wins.
If WKU gets the Broncos behind the chains, disrupts the offense, turns the Broncos over and makes them play from behind, I don't like the Broncos' chances and the Hilltoppers win comfortably. I still have a bitter taste in my mouth from our last effort at Northern Illinois. They can't possibly play that bad two games in a row. They are back to Dallas, home of many fond memories for the Bronco program. I hope that this trip creates another fond memory. So, I'm picking the Broncos 31-27.
