2011 Western Michigan Broncos football team

The 2011 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University West Division of the Mid-American Conference during the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by seventh-year head coach Bill Cubit, compiling an overall record of 7–6 with mark of 5–3 in conference play, placing third in the MAC West Division. Western Michigan was invited to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, where the Broncos lost to Purdue, 37–32. The team played home games at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

2011 Western Michigan Broncos football
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, L 32–37 vs. Purdue
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Division	West Division
Record	7–6 (5–3 MAC)
Head coach	Bill Cubit (7th season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Dave Cohen (2nd season)
Base defense	3–4
Home stadium	Waldo Stadium
Seasons ← 2010 2012 →

2011 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Ohio xy		6	–	2					10	–	4
Temple		5	–	3					9	–	4
Kent State		4	–	4					5	–	7
Bowling Green		3	–	5					5	–	7
Miami (OH)		3	–	5					4	–	8
Buffalo		2	–	6					3	–	9
Akron		0	–	8					1	–	11
West Division
Northern Illinois xy$		7	–	1					11	–	3
Toledo x		7	–	1					9	–	4
Western Michigan		5	–	3					7	–	6
Ball State		4	–	4					6	–	6
Eastern Michigan		4	–	4					6	–	6
Central Michigan		2	–	6					3	–	9
Championship: Northern Illinois 23, Ohio 20
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 3	3:30 pm	at Michigan*	Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI	ABC/ESPN2	L 10–34	110,506	[1]
September 10	7:00 pm	Nicholls State*	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI		W 38–7	19,884	[2]
September 17	Noon	Central Michigan	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI (WMU–CMU Rivalry Trophy, Michigan MAC Trophy)	ESPN Plus	W 44–14	26,674
September 24	3:30 pm	at No. 24 Illinois*	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	BTN	L 20–23	43,684	[3]
October 1	3:30 pm	at Connecticut*	Rentschler Field East Hartford, CT	SNY	W 38–31	36,648	[4]
October 8	2:00 pm	Bowling Green	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI	STO	W 45–21	20,238	[5]
October 15	3:30 pm	at Northern Illinois	Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL	CSN Chicago	L 22–51	20,277	[6]
October 22	1:00 pm	at Eastern Michigan	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI (Michigan MAC Trophy)		L 10–14	6,772	[7]
October 29	2:00 pm	Ball State	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI		W 45–35	16,548	[8]
November 8	8:00 pm	at Toledo	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	ESPNU	L 63–66	16,107	[9]
November 16	8:00 pm	at Miami (OH)	Yager Stadium Oxford, OH	ESPN2	W 24–21	15,729
November 25	1:00 pm	Akron	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI		W 68–19	16,582	[10]
December 27	4:30 pm	vs. Purdue*	Ford Field Detroit, MI (Little Caesars Pizza Bowl)	ESPN	L 32–37	46,177
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

The Michigan game on September 3 was called after the 3rd quarter due to a lightning storm. By rule, both teams have to agree to end the game, which both teams did and Michigan was awarded the win.

Awards

MAC Player of the Week

Offensive

• Jordan White, senior, wide receiver (five awards)
  • Week three: 13 receptions, 177 yards, two touchdowns, 64-yard punt return, 241 all-purpose yards^[11]
  • Week four: 14 receptions, 134 yards, one touchdown^[12]
  • Week six: 12 receptions, 156 yards^[13]
  • Week nine: Nine receptions, 172 yards, two touchdowns^[14]
  • Week 11: 16 receptions, 238 yards, three touchdowns^[15]
• Alex Carder, junior, quarterback (two awards)
  • Week five: 37 completions, 51 attempts, 479 yards passing (ninth most in MAC history), five touchdowns, zero interceptions^[16]
  • Week 11: 548 yards (second-most in conference history), seven passing touchdowns (tied for most in conference history), one rushing touchdown^[15]

Defensive

• Johnnie Simon, sophomore, safety
  • Week nine: 10 tackles, pass break up, two quarterback hurries, interception^[14]
• Drew Nowak, senior, defensive line
  • Week twelve: 5 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2.5 TFL, one fumble recovery^[17]

Special teams

• John Potter, senior, placekicker (three awards)
  • Week two: Five for five point after touchdowns, 40-yard field goal^[18]
  • Week three: Five for five point after touchdowns, three field goals, four touchbacks^[11]
  • Week 11: Nine for nine point after touchdowns, MAC's record holder for consecutive PATs made in a career^[15]