1963 Western Michigan Broncos football team

American college football season

1963 Western Michigan Broncos football

Conference| Mid-American Conference
Record| 2–7 (2–4 MAC)
Head coach|

* Merle Schlosser (7th season)

MVP| Bill Somerville
Captain| Allen Gibbs, Bill Somerville
Home stadium| Waldo Stadium

Seasons

<- 1962

1964 ->

1963 Mid-American Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Ohio $  | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Miami (OH) | 4  | - | 1  | - | 1 |  |  | 5  | - | 3  | - | 2
Bowling Green | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Marshall | 3  | - | 2  | - | 1 |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 1
Western Michigan | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 0
Kent State | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 5  | - | 1
Toledo | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

The 1963 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1963 NCAA University Division football season. In their seventh and final season under head coach Merle Schlosser, the Broncos compiled a 2–7 record (2–4 against MAC opponents), finished in fifth place in the MAC, and were outscored by their opponents, 201 to 111.[1][2][3] The team played its home games at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[4]

The team's statistical leaders included Ken Barnhill with 668 passing yards, George Archer with 397 rushing yards, and Tom Patterson with 269 receiving yards.[5] Halfback Allen Gibbs and end Bill Somerville were the team captains.[6] End Bill Somerville received the team's most outstanding player award.[7]

At the end of the 1963 season, Schlosser was reportedly hung in effigy twice, and The Holland Evening Sentinel reported that every player had signed a petition seeking his removal.[8] Schlosser was fired as coach on December 28, 1963, and assigned to other duties in the physical education department. The team compiled a record of 28-33-3 in seven seasons under Schlosser.[9]

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

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|
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|

September 21| at No. 7\. Wisconsin*|

* Camp Randall Stadium
* Madison, WI

| L 0–41| 48,574|
September 28| at Central Michigan*|

* Alumni Field
* Mount Pleasant, MI (rivalry)

| L 14–30| 7,200| [10]
October 5| Miami (OH)|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| L 19–27| |
October 12| at Bowling Green|

* University Stadium
* Bowling Green, OH

| L 7–16| |
October 19| Kent State|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| W 26–12| |
October 26| at Toledo|

* Glass Bowl
* Toledo, OH

| W 18–7| |
November 2| Marshall|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| L 7–20| |
November 9| at Ohio|

* Peden Stadium
* Athens, OH

| L 13–27| |
November 16| Louisville*|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| L 7–21| |

* *Non-conference game
* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
2. ^ "Football Records: Year-By-Year Results - 1960 - 69". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
3. ^ "1963 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
4. ^ "Waldo Stadium". Western Michigan University. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
5. ^ "1963 Western Michigan Broncos Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
6. ^ "Football History: All-Time Captains". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
7. ^ "Football History: Team Awards". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
8. ^ "Schlosser Under Fire". The Holland Evening Sentinel. December 20, 1963. p. 15.
9. ^ "Schlosser Fired By Western Michigan". Southern Illioisan. December 27, 1963. p. 18.
10. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 14, 2022.

* v
* t
* e

Western Michigan Broncos football

Venues|

* Waldo Stadium (1939–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Central Michigan
* Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan: Michigan MAC Trophy

Culture & lore|

* Buster Bronco
* Bronco Marching Band

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
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* 2007
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* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

This college football 1960s season article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

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* v
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*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties