1996 Western Michigan Broncos football team

1996 Western Michigan Broncos football
Conference Mid-American Conference
1996 record 2–9 (2–6 MAC)
Head coach Al Molde (10th season)
MVP Tony Knox
Home stadium Waldo Stadium
1996 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
Ball State $  7 –1     8 –4  
Toledo  6 –2     7 –4  
Miami  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
Rankings from AP Poll

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

DateOpponentSiteResult
August 29Eastern Illinois*
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
L 20–28
September 7at West Virginia*
L 9–34
September 14Eastern Michigan
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
L 12–19
September 21at Central Michigan
L 28–38
September 28at Akron
L 7–27
October 5Ball State
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
L 5–28
October 12at Wyoming*
L 28–42
October 26at Toledo
L 7–10
November 2Ohio
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
L 0–38
November 9at Bowling Green
W 16–13(OT)
November 16Kent State
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
W 76–27
  • *Non-conference game

References

  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.
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