First Look: Illinois Football Week 3 Opponent Western Michigan

Coming off a 45-19 statement win at Duke, Illinois is back in Champaign for Week 3 to host Western Michigan at a sold-out Memorial Stadium. For coach Bret Bielema and his No. 9-ranked Illini, the matchup doubles as FamILLy Day on campus and a chance to keep the momentum rolling. With College Football Playoff aspirations alive and well, the Illini can't afford to falter now.

Handled business. pic.twitter.com/YHlWHhZRuk
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) September 7, 2025

Western Michigan at a glance

Now in Year 3 under head coach Lance Taylor, Western Michigan comes to Champaign looking to build on a 6-6 campaign in 2024 that earned the program a bowl berth. The Broncos were picked to finish fourth in the MAC West in this year’s preseason poll, signaling steady progress as Taylor reshapes the program.

So far, though, 2025 hasn’t started kindly for the Broncos. WMU dropped its opener at Michigan State and followed with a heartbreaking overtime loss to North Texas in Week 2, leaving the program 0–2 for 2025. Still, the Broncos have shown fight, and Taylor’s roster has a mix of experience and transfers brought in to compete immediately.

The Broncos on the field

Western Michigan enters Week 3 still searching for offensive balance. At quarterback, the Broncos have rotated between junior Brady Jones and sophomore Broc Lowry, though Lowry has begun to separate himself as the featured man at the position. He took the majority of snaps against North Texas, throwing for a touchdown while adding two more on the ground. Still, passing production has been minimal overall, with Lowry and Jones combining for just 275 yards through two games.

TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS!!! Broc Lowry runs it in from eight yards out, his third total TD of the day!

Broncos 24 | North Texas 10
6:33 3Q#EAT | #BroncosReign pic.twitter.com/fPKEdDeHPZ
— Western Michigan Football (@WMU_Football) September 6, 2025

The strength of the offense lies in the backfield. Junior running back Jalen Buckley remains the focal point, bouncing back from a quiet opener at Michigan State with a 100-yard performance against North Texas. Lowry’s mobility gives the Broncos another option in the run game, but the passing attack remains limited. In Week 2, only one WMU wide receiver caught a pass; Buckley was the team's leader in receiving yards and senior tight end Blake Bosma paced it in receptions.

On defense, Western Michigan has been respectable against the pass but consistently gashed on the ground. Both Michigan State and North Texas eclipsed 180 rushing yards, exposing a vulnerable defensive front. The Broncos’ philosophy appears to be keeping plays in front and limiting explosive passes, but that conservative approach leaves them susceptible to quality power-run teams – a matchup that heavily favors Illinois.

Illinois vs. Western Michigan matchup

Western Michigan provides Illinois with one more chance to fine-tune before the gauntlet of Big Ten play begins. Although the Illini have looked (mostly) dominant in their first two outings, there are still areas to sharpen. At the top of the list is the offensive line – a group that stumbled out of the gate but came alive in the second half at Duke, paving the way for the run game and finally giving quarterback Luke Altmyer time to settle in. Sustaining that level of play will be critical on Saturday.

Gabe Jacas, the BEST edge rusher in college football. pic.twitter.com/Gn7vhdVKEH
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) September 6, 2025

Defensively, Illinois should be able to dominate the line of scrimmage and control the tempo. With outside linebacker Gabe Jacas disrupting the flow and transfer linemen James Thompson Jr. and Curt Neal playing well up front, the Illini have the personnel to overwhelm Western Michigan’s run game, while the secondary should have no problems limiting a passing game that has yet to find rhythm. Blanking the Broncos on the scoreboard should be a goal, if not the expectation.

On the other side of the ball, Illinois’ offense should have little trouble moving the chains against a vulnerable Broncos defense. The ground game is set up to do most of the damage, while offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. will likely tighten up the game plan (no Wildcat formations this week), leaning on efficiency and execution rather than revealing anything new to future Big Ten opponents.

In short, this matchup shapes up as an ideal final non-conference tune-up. A clean, physical performance would not only please a sold-out Memorial Stadium crowd but also send the Illini into league play firing on all cylinders.