Mitten Masterkey, Week 4: The Bronco bowl comes to Kalamazoo

The Group of 6 playoff race will take some turn after Saturday in Kalamazoo, as Boise State arrives for a showdown with Western Michigan for an inside track to the College Football Playoff.

Plus, the winner can take home the Buster Bronco bragging rights, as both mascots share the same name — though one wasn't previously known as "Drunk Buster."

That game starts at 3:30 p.m., but there's plenty of other action around the state. Let the Mitten Masterkey guide your way through Saturday, starting with Eastern Michigan hosting an FCS foe at 1 p.m. and Central Michigan facing a Top 10 team on the road in the evening.

Let's dig in.

Mitten Football will be at…

Where else but Waldo Stadium? The Broncos face the Broncos to see which Broncos will gallop toward the front of the Group of 6 playoff pack. Winner keeps “Buster” as the mascot name?

The schedule and TV assignments

Games are Saturday unless otherwise noted.

• 1 p.m. — Eastern Michigan vs. Lindenwood, ESPN+
• 3:30 p.m. — Western Michigan vs. Boise State, ESPN2
• 3:30 p.m. — Michigan vs. Iowa, CBS
• 5 p.m. — Michigan State vs. Nebraska, Big Ten Network
• 6:30 p.m. — Central Michigan at Miami (Fl.), The CW

And for the uninitiated, this master schedule absolutely rocks (just be aware times are central).

Listen to “In The Pocket”

Mitten Football is doing a podcast, with Andrew Graham and the Detroit News’ Connor Earegood covering all the CFB news, notes, happenings and the like across the Mitten each week. 

Pregame, halftime reading from Mitten Football, others

• EMU WR Nick Devereaux expected to miss several weeks with injury, Harold Mack returning to practice (Mitten Football, Sept. 21)
• With Boise State visiting, it's time to talk about Western Michigan’s CFP path (Mitten Football, Sept. 21)
• Big Ten opener against Nebraska vital to starting Spartans off right (The Detroit News, Sept. 21)
• In gadget role, MSU QB Cam Fancher brings spark to stagnant offense (The Detroit News, Sept. 21)
• Chris Creighton confident EMU’s offense will get clicking: ‘Not gonna be surprised' (Mitten Football, Sept. 22)
• Boise State coach says Western Michigan ‘absolutely beat Michigan,’ should be undefeated (MLive, Sept. 22)
• Western Michigan pass game gets big opportunity vs. shaky Boise State secondary (Mitten Football, Sept. 23)
• Michigan football’s Rhino and Wildcat packages are here to stay (MLive, Sept. 23)
• Michigan zeros in on fumbles as QB Bryce Underwood’s plate slowly expands (MLive, Sept. 23)
• Matt Drinkall’s no-pressure message before CMU faces No. 6 Miami: ‘Let loose in this game’ (Mitten Football, Sept. 24)
• Michigan ready for 'super physical' game with Iowa in Big Ten opener (The Detroit News, Sept. 24)
• S Daeh McCullough set to start, Western Michigan's depth on defense gets test vs. Boise State (Mitten Football, Sept. 24)
• Self-critical Michigan State QB zeroes in on corrections after Notre Dame loss (MLive, Sept. 24)
• Michigan football's offense still searching for true identity (Detroit Free Press, Sept. 24)
• Michigan State football handles strategy talk with near CIA intensity (Detroit Free Press, Sept. 24)
• Couch: Against all odds, Jordan Hall stayed at MSU. Now he's helping to restore the Spartans' lost identity. (Lansing State Journal, Sept. 24)

Picks, preview

Read the full joint here with all the analysis and scores.

• Eastern Michigan over Lindenwood
• Michigan over Iowa
• Boise State over Western Michigan
• Michigan State over Nebraska
• Miami (Fl.) over Central Michigan

A unit to watch: Western Michigan’s rush defense

The Broncos enter the weekend ranked No. 98 nationally in rush defense, giving up around 160 yards a game. And while that stat is somewhat alarming, it’s deserving of some context. After holding Michigan to 106 yards on the ground in the opener, WMU gave up 158 yards on the ground to Monmouth, then 209 to Rice. But the Broncos only gave up three yards per carry in the first half vs. Monmouth before a bunch of backups filtered into the lineup in the second half, and Rice runs a tricky, option offense with a very talented quarterback. It doesn’t make the underlying yardage totals better, but this defense hasn’t been filleted on the ground either. 

That could change Saturday, as Boise State has a genuinely potent rushing attack, though the backfield tandem of Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines might be just Riley, as Gaines is banged up. Regardless, a WMU defense that’s been susceptible to giving up yards but not points, and has gotten off the field on third downs, will need its best performance against the run so far this season on Saturday. 

A fun prediction: MSU scores a special teams touchdown

The most likely candidate is in the return game, either Chrishon McCray on a punt of Kenneth Williams taking back a kick. Both have had big returns that have set up short scoring drives for Michigan State in various games to date. And the Spartans probably have something in the bag on punt or field goal block. LeVar Woods is really good at this, don’t forget. 

It just feels like one of them is due, and be it shades of Scott Frost and the 2021 Michigan State-Nebraska game when Jayden Reed’s punt return TD swung the game late give MSU a lead or just a vibe in the nascent fall air, this weekend feels like the chance for a Spartan to swing the game on special teams. And it’d certainly get Spartan Stadium rocking if it leads to a 3-1 start for Sparty in the Pat Fitzgerald era.