Fall semester kicks off with Bronco football  The American tradition of communities gathering in fall to cheer on the home team at the football stadium is well played out by Western Michigan University’s Bronco football team, which kicked off its 2009 season with a No.2 ranking in its conference on Sept. 5 against the University of Michigan.
Mat Kanan, WMU director of athletic media relations, said many people, when reflecting back on their college days, remember attending football games as a main highlight of college life. On game day at WMU, he said people living near the stadium wake up to the music of the Bronco Marching Band practicing for the halftime show and the festive sound of tailgaters setting up their picnics in the parking lots near the stadium.  “WMU football games are exciting because of the atmosphere the students bring to the game,” Kanan said. “There is nothing like a Saturday afternoon at the stadium. I cannot think of a better way to spend a Saturday than to have a tailgate party on campus and then go to the game with my friends.”
After Bronco student fans have enjoyed the tailgating scene eating grilled hotdogs and hamburgers and playing lawn games, like Frisbee, they head over to Waldo Stadium, enter for free with their student ID, and get the best seat available in the student spirit section.
Not only are WMU students able to get into the games free, but throughout the game the WMU Athletic Department keeps the crowd’s energy high with promotional games that award prizes and the chance to win game-day seating on the team’s Wal-Mart Deck at a future game. “The Wal-Mart Deck hosts a group each game to watch the game from the deck and receive a free barbequed picnic,” Kanan said. “It’s the best seat in the house, right next to the tunnel where the team enters the field.”
 Students also enjoy the Homecoming and Family Weekend game, planned for Oct. 24, for the special opportunity to welcome friends and family and show them a good time at the game. A campus competition to select a Homecoming King and Queen is just one of the many fun events happening in the week that lead up to the Homecoming football game. The Homecoming game also features WMU’S Parade of Nations, in which University students, faculty, and staff carrying flags representing nations from all over the globe in a parade on field just before kickoff. “The main reason students attend games is to support the Broncos,” Kanan said. “The student section is close to our sidelines, which really boosts the team’s spirit. The energy in the crowds, with help from the cheer squad, the dance team, and the Bronco Band, makes the atmosphere at the games that much more exciting.”  Bronco Head Coach Bill Cubit said his team is looking forward to playing non-conference opponents including the University of Michigan, Indiana University, and Michigan State. "We have a very challenging Mid-American Conference slate as well,” said Cubit. "We'll will finish our Big-Ten schedule against Michigan State in Lansing on November 7." Central Michigan University is Western Michigan University’s biggest MAC conference competitor, and has been the Broncos rival University for many years. Central has defeated WMU for three years running. Cubit said the Broncos plan to break their losing streak when CMU comes to Waldo Stadium on Oct. 17.
In the 2008 season, the Broncos team had an overall record of 9-4, including six conference wins, and a Big-Ten win against Illinois. The Broncos ended last year’s season in a bowl game against Rice University at the Texas Bowl on Dec. 20, 2008 in Houston. Though the team did not come out as victors, Kanan said the experience was exciting for the team and Bronco fans. “The Broncos are hoping to earn the chance to again play in a bowl game this season with some remaining seniors in the lineup and some new freshmen on the bench,” Kanan said. “I’m optimistic a bowl game is within the team’s reach. We will have seniors Tim Hiller (quarterback), Brandon West (running back), Matt Steven’s (tight end), Paul Wasikowski (Center), Justin Braska (defensive end), and Austin Pritchard (linebacker), returning for 2009. These seniors were starters last year. When you go to school at WMU, these are the student athletes you see every day in class, and you can watch them play right in your campus’ backyard.”
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