1996 Western Michigan Broncos football team

American college football season

1996 Western Michigan Broncos football

Conference| Mid-American Conference
Record| 2–9 (2–6 MAC)
Head coach|

* Al Molde (10th season)

MVP| Tony Knox
Home stadium| Waldo Stadium

Seasons

<- 1995

1997 ->

1996 Mid-American Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
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Team |  | W |  | L |  |  |  |  | W |  | L |
Ball State $  |  | 7  | - | 1  |  |  |  |  | 8  | - | 4  |
Toledo |  | 6  | - | 2  |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  |
Miami (OH) |  | 6  | - | 2  |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  |
Ohio |  | 5  | - | 3  |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 6  |
Central Michigan |  | 4  | - | 4  |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  |
Akron |  | 3  | - | 5  |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  |
Bowling Green |  | 3  | - | 5  |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  |
Eastern Michigan |  | 3  | - | 5  |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  |
Western Michigan |  | 2  | - | 6  |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 9  |
Kent State |  | 1  | - | 7  |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 9  |

* $ - Conference champion

The 1996 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their tenth and final season under head coach Al Molde, the Broncos compiled a 2–9 record (2–6 against MAC opponents), finished in ninth place in the MAC, and were outscored by their opponents, 304 to 208.[1][2][3] The team played its home games at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[4]

The team's statistical leaders included freshman quarterback Tim Lester with 2,189 passing yards, Bruno Heppell with 700 rushing yards, and Tony Knox with 754 receiving yards.[5] Lester was named the MAC freshman of the year.[6]

Molde was fired as the school's head football coach on November 20, 1996. In 10 years as head coach, he compiled a 62-47-2 record. The firing followed a public dispute with athletic director Jim Weaver over Molde's contract.[7]

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
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|

August 29|  No. 25 Eastern Illinois*|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| L 20–28| |
September 7| at West Virginia*|

* Mountaineer Field
* Morgantown, WV

| L 9–34| 47,938| [8]
September 14| Eastern Michigan|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| L 12–19| |
September 21| at Central Michigan|

* Kelly/Shorts Stadium
* Mount Pleasant, MI (rivalry)

| L 28–38| |
September 28| at Akron|

* Rubber Bowl
* Akron, OH

| L 7–27| |
October 5| Ball State|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| L 5–28| |
October 12| at Wyoming*|

* War Memorial Stadium
* Laramie, WY

| L 28–42| 22,813|
October 26| at Toledo|

* Glass Bowl
* Toledo, OH

| L 7–10 OT| |
November 2| Ohio|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| L 0–38| |
November 9| at Bowling Green|

* Doyt Perry Stadium
* Bowling Green, OH

| W 16–13 OT| |
November 16| Kent State|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| W 76–27| |

* *Non-conference game
* Rankings from The Sports Network 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 - 1990 - 99". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
3. ^ "1996 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. ^ "1996 Western Michigan Broncos Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
6. ^ "Football History: Conference Awards". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
7. ^ Mick McCabe (November 21, 1996). "WMU fires Molde; contract debate cited". Detroit Free Press. p. 1D, 2D.
8. ^ "West Virginia rushes past Western Michigan". Detroit Free Press. September 8, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.

* 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
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

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* v
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*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
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*[Conf.]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses