MSU, Jonathan Smith Emphasizing Respect for Western Michigan

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Jacob Cotsonika | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 2:30 PM ET

Michigan State hasn't lost to a Group of Five team since 2009, and the Spartans are looking to keep it that way when they face Western Michigan to open up the 2025 season on Friday.

This in-state matchup will be the first meeting since 2022 between the two schools and will kick off a critical season for MSU. The Spartans are beginning their second year under head coach Jonathan Smith and are trying to reach bowl eligibility again after failing to reach the six-win plateau in each of the last three seasons.

MSU also leads the all-time series with Western Michigan, 15-2, and has won each of the last 13 matchups.

What Smith said about the Broncos

"We've got a lot of respect for our first opponent," Smith said on Monday. "I mean, Western Michigan coming in here, Coach (Lance) Taylor does a nice job. Look at his background.

"In three seasons, in his third year, he's got that team playing physical and tough. Obviously, we've been digesting all of their last season, what that thing looks like.

"I mean, we can go all the way back to their first game last year at Wisconsin. (They) went toe-to-toe. And so, we've got a bunch of respect for them."

In Week 1 last year, Western Michigan actually led for a couple minutes during the fourth quarter in Madison but ultimately lost that game to the Badgers 28-14. WMU also played Ohio State the following week and lost 56-0.

Among the notable returners for Western Michigan is running back Jalen Buckley, who Smith called a "big-time back who can carry the ball against anybody."

Buckley ran for 683 yards and nine touchdowns as WMU's No. 2 running back last year. He was behind Jaden Nixon, who transferred to UCF during the offseason.

"Defensively, they're still a little bit unknown with what that is going to look like schematically, but I know those players play hard and play sound, sound football."

Other recent history for WMU vs. Power Conferences

Overall, Western Michigan has lost eight straight contests against teams from power conferences. WMU's last such win came as recently as 2021, though, when the Broncos upset Pitt, which eventually won the ACC and lost to Michigan State in the Peach Bowl that season.

Against the Big Ten, WMU hasn't been able to grab a win since 2016 and has lost nine straight games against the conference. Western Michigan actually won two games against the Big Ten that year en route to a Cotton Bowl berth, where they lost to Wisconsin. Two of the team's first three wins during that 13-0 start came on the road against Northwestern and Illinois.

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