2014–2026 performance history

Western Michigan over time

Season-by-season offense and defense game grades, with head-coaching changes placed on the timeline.

Mid-AmericanHead coach: Lance TaylorView Western Michigan games →
Offense · 2026 estimate46.9/100

36.4 average through 1 game

48.2 prior · 8 equivalent games
Defense · 2026 estimate66.1/100

76.4 average through 1 game

64.7 prior · 8 equivalent games

The trajectory

Game and Season Unit Ratings

Each small dot is one offensive or defensive game rating, arranged in the order played. For completed seasons, the short bar is that season’s average game rating. Both dot and bar values are labeled on a percentile scale. For 2026, the bar is the Bayesian estimate, while the outlined circle is the empirical games-only mean. Labeled background bands show each head coach’s era.

Western Michigan individual offense and defense game grades by seasonEach small point is one game. Horizontal bars show completed-season means and the Bayesian estimate for 2026. The outlined 2026 circle is the empirical games-only mean. Alternating labeled bands identify head-coaching eras.Fleck · ’14–’16P.J. Fleck, 2014–2016Lester · ’17–’22Tim Lester, 2017–2022Taylor · ’23–’26Lance Taylor, 2023–2026offenseGame-grade percentile · higher is better9975502512014 Week 1: Western Michigan at Purdue · L 34–43; offense 77.8 percentile2014 Week 3: Western Michigan at Idaho · W 45–33; offense 93.0 percentile2014 Week 4: Western Michigan vs. Murray State · W 45–14; offense 68.5 percentile2014 Week 5: Western Michigan at Virginia Tech · L 17–35; offense 16.6 percentile2014 Week 7: Western Michigan at Ball State · W 42–38; offense 80.3 percentile2014 Week 8: Western Michigan at Bowling Green · W 26–14; offense 53.7 percentile2014 Week 9: Western Michigan vs. Ohio · W 42–21; offense 85.4 percentile2014 Week 10: Western Michigan at Miami (OH) · W 41–10; offense 92.8 percentile2014 Week 12: Western Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan · W 51–7; offense 80.5 percentile2014 Week 13: Western Michigan at Central Michigan · W 32–20; offense 74.7 percentile2014 Week 14: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · L 21–31; offense 29.5 percentile2014 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Air Force · L 24–38; offense 43.1 percentile2015 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Michigan State · L 24–37; offense 53.0 percentile2015 Week 2: Western Michigan at Georgia Southern · L 17–43; offense 19.9 percentile2015 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Murray State · W 52–20; offense 77.6 percentile2015 Week 4: Western Michigan at Ohio State · L 12–38; offense 73.2 percentile2015 Week 6: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · W 41–39; offense 97.6 percentile2015 Week 7: Western Michigan at Ohio · W 49–14; offense 99.8 percentile2015 Week 8: Western Michigan vs. Miami (OH) · W 35–13; offense 71.5 percentile2015 Week 9: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · W 58–28; offense 93.3 percentile2015 Week 10: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · W 54–7; offense 90.9 percentile2015 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Bowling Green · L 27–41; offense 52.6 percentile2015 Week 12: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · L 19–27; offense 66.1 percentile2015 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee · W 45–31; offense 83.7 percentile2016 Week 1: Western Michigan at Northwestern · W 22–21; offense 81.2 percentile2016 Week 2: Western Michigan vs. North Carolina Central · W 70–21; offense 84.0 percentile2016 Week 3: Western Michigan at Illinois · W 34–10; offense 68.7 percentile2016 Week 4: Western Michigan vs. Georgia Southern · W 49–31; offense 67.9 percentile2016 Week 5: Western Michigan at Central Michigan · W 49–10; offense 95.1 percentile2016 Week 6: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · W 45–30; offense 85.3 percentile2016 Week 7: Western Michigan at Akron · W 41–0; offense 94.3 percentile2016 Week 8: Western Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan · W 45–31; offense 93.5 percentile2016 Week 10: Western Michigan at Ball State · W 52–20; offense 96.7 percentile2016 Week 11: Western Michigan at Kent State · W 37–21; offense 90.3 percentile2016 Week 12: Western Michigan vs. Buffalo · W 38–0; offense 71.7 percentile2016 Week 13: Western Michigan vs. Toledo · W 55–35; offense 84.9 percentile2016 Week 14: Western Michigan vs. Ohio · W 29–23; offense 62.6 percentile2016 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin · L 16–24; offense 77.0 percentile2017 Week 1: Western Michigan at USC · L 31–49; offense 66.0 percentile2017 Week 2: Western Michigan at Michigan State · L 14–28; offense 18.1 percentile2017 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Idaho · W 37–28; offense 34.1 percentile2017 Week 4: Western Michigan vs. Wagner · W 49–14; offense 89.8 percentile2017 Week 5: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · W 55–3; offense 66.6 percentile2017 Week 6: Western Michigan at Buffalo · W 71–68; offense 85.2 percentile2017 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Akron · L 13–14; offense 23.5 percentile2017 Week 8: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · W 20–17; offense 71.4 percentile2017 Week 10: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · L 28–35; offense 43.2 percentile2017 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Kent State · W 48–20; offense 14.6 percentile2017 Week 12: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · L 31–35; offense 60.4 percentile2017 Week 13: Western Michigan at Toledo · L 10–37; offense 13.0 percentile2018 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Syracuse · L 42–55; offense 82.5 percentile2018 Week 2: Western Michigan at Michigan · L 3–49; offense 4.5 percentile2018 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Delaware State · W 68–0; offense 55.9 percentile2018 Week 4: Western Michigan at Georgia State · W 34–15; offense 66.2 percentile2018 Week 5: Western Michigan at Miami (OH) · W 40–39; offense 84.1 percentile2018 Week 6: Western Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan · W 27–24; offense 62.0 percentile2018 Week 7: Western Michigan at Bowling Green · W 42–35; offense 45.1 percentile2018 Week 8: Western Michigan at Central Michigan · W 35–10; offense 58.9 percentile2018 Week 9: Western Michigan vs. Toledo · L 24–51; offense 54.7 percentile2018 Week 10: Western Michigan vs. Ohio · L 14–59; offense 6.7 percentile2018 Week 12: Western Michigan at Ball State · L 41–42; offense 61.8 percentile2018 Week 13: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · W 28–21; offense 56.1 percentile2018 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. BYU · L 18–49; offense 25.7 percentile2019 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Monmouth · W 48–13; offense 70.5 percentile2019 Week 2: Western Michigan at Michigan State · L 17–51; offense 39.3 percentile2019 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Georgia State · W 57–10; offense 90.2 percentile2019 Week 4: Western Michigan at Syracuse · L 33–52; offense 53.9 percentile2019 Week 5: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · W 31–15; offense 81.5 percentile2019 Week 6: Western Michigan at Toledo · L 24–31; offense 27.6 percentile2019 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Miami (OH) · W 38–16; offense 11.0 percentile2019 Week 8: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · L 27–34; offense 75.1 percentile2019 Week 9: Western Michigan vs. Bowling Green · W 49–10; offense 81.8 percentile2019 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · W 35–31; offense 92.1 percentile2019 Week 12: Western Michigan at Ohio · W 37–34; offense 53.2 percentile2019 Week 14: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · L 14–17; offense 9.9 percentile2019 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Western Kentucky · L 20–23; offense 45.8 percentile2020 Week 10: Western Michigan at Akron · W 58–13; offense 97.2 percentile2020 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Toledo · W 41–38; offense 86.9 percentile2020 Week 12: Western Michigan at Central Michigan · W 52–44; offense 98.9 percentile2020 Week 13: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · W 30–27; offense 38.3 percentile2020 Week 14: Western Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan · L 42–53; offense 96.2 percentile2020 Week 15: Western Michigan at Ball State · L 27–30; offense 81.8 percentile2021 Week 1: Western Michigan at Michigan · L 14–47; offense 50.2 percentile2021 Week 2: Western Michigan vs. Illinois State · W 28–0; offense 49.9 percentile2021 Week 3: Western Michigan at Pittsburgh · W 44–41; offense 77.7 percentile2021 Week 4: Western Michigan vs. San José State · W 23–3; offense 39.8 percentile2021 Week 5: Western Michigan at Buffalo · W 24–17; offense 59.6 percentile2021 Week 6: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · L 20–45; offense 19.8 percentile2021 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Kent State · W 64–31; offense 86.2 percentile2021 Week 8: Western Michigan at Toledo · L 15–34; offense 74.4 percentile2021 Week 10: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · L 30–42; offense 59.6 percentile2021 Week 12: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · L 21–22; offense 58.6 percentile2021 Week 13: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · W 42–21; offense 91.6 percentile2021 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Nevada · W 52–24; offense 97.8 percentile2022 Week 1: Western Michigan at Michigan State · L 13–35; offense 7.2 percentile2022 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Pittsburgh · L 13–34; offense 18.8 percentile2022 Week 5: Western Michigan vs. New Hampshire · W 44–7; offense 36.5 percentile2022 Week 6: Western Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan · L 23–45; offense 19.7 percentile2022 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Ohio · L 14–33; offense 52.4 percentile2022 Week 8: Western Michigan at Miami (OH) · W 16–10; offense 27.4 percentile2022 Week 10: Western Michigan at Bowling Green · L 9–13; offense 17.7 percentile2022 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · L 21–24; offense 22.9 percentile2022 Week 13: Western Michigan vs. Toledo · W 20–14; offense 5.3 percentile2023 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Saint Francis · W 35–17; offense 50.2 percentile2023 Week 2: Western Michigan at Syracuse · L 7–48; offense 79.4 percentile2023 Week 3: Western Michigan at Iowa · L 10–41; offense 39.3 percentile2023 Week 4: Western Michigan at Toledo · L 31–49; offense 29.8 percentile2023 Week 5: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · W 42–24; offense 83.7 percentile2023 Week 6: Western Michigan at Mississippi State · L 28–41; offense 34.6 percentile2023 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Miami (OH) · L 21–34; offense 53.6 percentile2023 Week 8: Western Michigan at Ohio · L 17–20; offense 55.2 percentile2023 Week 9: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · W 45–21; offense 49.5 percentile2023 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · W 38–28; offense 63.3 percentile2023 Week 12: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · L 0–24; offense 6.0 percentile2023 Week 13: Western Michigan vs. Bowling Green · L 10–34; offense 22.3 percentile2024 Week 1: Western Michigan at Wisconsin · L 14–28; offense 32.8 percentile2024 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Bethune-Cookman · W 59–31; offense 85.0 percentile2024 Week 5: Western Michigan at Marshall · L 20–27; offense 40.4 percentile2024 Week 6: Western Michigan at Ball State · W 45–42; offense 53.9 percentile2024 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Akron · W 34–24; offense 54.0 percentile2024 Week 8: Western Michigan at Buffalo · W 48–41; offense 84.8 percentile2024 Week 9: Western Michigan vs. Kent State · W 52–21; offense 73.9 percentile2024 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · L 28–42; offense 78.8 percentile2024 Week 12: Western Michigan at Bowling Green · L 13–31; offense 39.5 percentile2024 Week 13: Western Michigan at Central Michigan · L 14–16; offense 4.4 percentile2024 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. South Alabama · L 23–30; offense 18.3 percentile2025 Week 2: Western Michigan vs. North Texas · L 30–33; offense 29.6 percentile2025 Week 3: Western Michigan at Illinois · L 0–38; offense 1.3 percentile2025 Week 4: Western Michigan vs. Toledo · W 14–13; offense 41.1 percentile2025 Week 5: Western Michigan vs. Rhode Island · W 47–14; offense 31.2 percentile2025 Week 6: Western Michigan at Massachusetts · W 21–3; offense 37.4 percentile2025 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · W 42–0; offense 57.8 percentile2025 Week 9: Western Michigan at Miami (OH) · L 17–26; offense 43.9 percentile2025 Week 10: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · W 24–21; offense 59.1 percentile2025 Week 12: Western Michigan vs. Ohio · W 17–13; offense 61.1 percentile2025 Week 13: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · W 35–19; offense 92.0 percentile2025 Week 14: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · W 31–21; offense 77.9 percentile2025 Week 15: Western Michigan vs. Miami (OH) · W 23–13; offense 58.5 percentile2025 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Kennesaw State · W 41–6; offense 60.8 percentile2026 Week 1: Western Michigan at Michigan · L 12–13; offense 36.4 percentile2014 offense season mean: 69.2 percentile2015 offense season mean: 80.4 percentile2016 offense season mean: 84.9 percentile2017 offense season mean: 48.7 percentile2018 offense season mean: 48.9 percentile2019 offense season mean: 57.4 percentile2020 offense season mean: 90.0 percentile2021 offense season mean: 67.7 percentile2022 offense season mean: 20.6 percentile2023 offense season mean: 46.2 percentile2024 offense season mean: 50.5 percentile2025 offense season mean: 48.2 percentile2026 offense Bayesian estimate: 46.9 percentile2026 offense empirical mean: 36.4 percentiledefenseGame-grade percentile · higher is better9975502512014 Week 1: Western Michigan at Purdue · L 34–43; defense 28.1 percentile2014 Week 3: Western Michigan at Idaho · W 45–33; defense 39.3 percentile2014 Week 4: Western Michigan vs. Murray State · W 45–14; defense 61.6 percentile2014 Week 5: Western Michigan at Virginia Tech · L 17–35; defense 11.4 percentile2014 Week 7: Western Michigan at Ball State · W 42–38; defense 41.5 percentile2014 Week 8: Western Michigan at Bowling Green · W 26–14; defense 74.9 percentile2014 Week 9: Western Michigan vs. Ohio · W 42–21; defense 43.6 percentile2014 Week 10: Western Michigan at Miami (OH) · W 41–10; defense 48.9 percentile2014 Week 12: Western Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan · W 51–7; defense 36.2 percentile2014 Week 13: Western Michigan at Central Michigan · W 32–20; defense 89.3 percentile2014 Week 14: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · L 21–31; defense 57.7 percentile2014 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Air Force · L 24–38; defense 50.5 percentile2015 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Michigan State · L 24–37; defense 5.9 percentile2015 Week 2: Western Michigan at Georgia Southern · L 17–43; defense 24.0 percentile2015 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Murray State · W 52–20; defense 42.3 percentile2015 Week 4: Western Michigan at Ohio State · L 12–38; defense 28.0 percentile2015 Week 6: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · W 41–39; defense 12.6 percentile2015 Week 7: Western Michigan at Ohio · W 49–14; defense 91.2 percentile2015 Week 8: Western Michigan vs. Miami (OH) · W 35–13; defense 76.3 percentile2015 Week 9: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · W 58–28; defense 45.5 percentile2015 Week 10: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · W 54–7; defense 99.6 percentile2015 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Bowling Green · L 27–41; defense 46.0 percentile2015 Week 12: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · L 19–27; defense 16.8 percentile2015 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee · W 45–31; defense 49.2 percentile2016 Week 1: Western Michigan at Northwestern · W 22–21; defense 31.4 percentile2016 Week 2: Western Michigan vs. North Carolina Central · W 70–21; defense 14.9 percentile2016 Week 3: Western Michigan at Illinois · W 34–10; defense 78.3 percentile2016 Week 4: Western Michigan vs. Georgia Southern · W 49–31; defense 4.2 percentile2016 Week 5: Western Michigan at Central Michigan · W 49–10; defense 50.9 percentile2016 Week 6: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · W 45–30; defense 6.3 percentile2016 Week 7: Western Michigan at Akron · W 41–0; defense 87.8 percentile2016 Week 8: Western Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan · W 45–31; defense 40.2 percentile2016 Week 10: Western Michigan at Ball State · W 52–20; defense 51.7 percentile2016 Week 11: Western Michigan at Kent State · W 37–21; defense 19.8 percentile2016 Week 12: Western Michigan vs. Buffalo · W 38–0; defense 85.3 percentile2016 Week 13: Western Michigan vs. Toledo · W 55–35; defense 47.9 percentile2016 Week 14: Western Michigan vs. Ohio · W 29–23; defense 71.3 percentile2016 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin · L 16–24; defense 24.5 percentile2017 Week 1: Western Michigan at USC · L 31–49; defense 11.4 percentile2017 Week 2: Western Michigan at Michigan State · L 14–28; defense 17.8 percentile2017 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Idaho · W 37–28; defense 53.8 percentile2017 Week 4: Western Michigan vs. Wagner · W 49–14; defense 80.5 percentile2017 Week 5: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · W 55–3; defense 82.2 percentile2017 Week 6: Western Michigan at Buffalo · W 71–68; defense 42.6 percentile2017 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Akron · L 13–14; defense 80.9 percentile2017 Week 8: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · W 20–17; defense 72.0 percentile2017 Week 10: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · L 28–35; defense 31.5 percentile2017 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Kent State · W 48–20; defense 50.2 percentile2017 Week 12: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · L 31–35; defense 21.9 percentile2017 Week 13: Western Michigan at Toledo · L 10–37; defense 41.2 percentile2018 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Syracuse · L 42–55; defense 20.2 percentile2018 Week 2: Western Michigan at Michigan · L 3–49; defense 5.5 percentile2018 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Delaware State · W 68–0; defense 81.3 percentile2018 Week 4: Western Michigan at Georgia State · W 34–15; defense 67.2 percentile2018 Week 5: Western Michigan at Miami (OH) · W 40–39; defense 52.4 percentile2018 Week 6: Western Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan · W 27–24; defense 77.9 percentile2018 Week 7: Western Michigan at Bowling Green · W 42–35; defense 44.3 percentile2018 Week 8: Western Michigan at Central Michigan · W 35–10; defense 80.6 percentile2018 Week 9: Western Michigan vs. Toledo · L 24–51; defense 11.3 percentile2018 Week 10: Western Michigan vs. Ohio · L 14–59; defense 27.1 percentile2018 Week 12: Western Michigan at Ball State · L 41–42; defense 34.2 percentile2018 Week 13: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · W 28–21; defense 65.6 percentile2018 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. BYU · L 18–49; defense 5.9 percentile2019 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Monmouth · W 48–13; defense 25.7 percentile2019 Week 2: Western Michigan at Michigan State · L 17–51; defense 0.7 percentile2019 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Georgia State · W 57–10; defense 89.7 percentile2019 Week 4: Western Michigan at Syracuse · L 33–52; defense 18.0 percentile2019 Week 5: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · W 31–15; defense 63.8 percentile2019 Week 6: Western Michigan at Toledo · L 24–31; defense 36.4 percentile2019 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Miami (OH) · W 38–16; defense 46.0 percentile2019 Week 8: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · L 27–34; defense 13.8 percentile2019 Week 9: Western Michigan vs. Bowling Green · W 49–10; defense 20.1 percentile2019 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · W 35–31; defense 27.8 percentile2019 Week 12: Western Michigan at Ohio · W 37–34; defense 41.4 percentile2019 Week 14: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · L 14–17; defense 95.1 percentile2019 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Western Kentucky · L 20–23; defense 34.8 percentile2020 Week 10: Western Michigan at Akron · W 58–13; defense 65.1 percentile2020 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Toledo · W 41–38; defense 32.3 percentile2020 Week 12: Western Michigan at Central Michigan · W 52–44; defense 58.8 percentile2020 Week 13: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · W 30–27; defense 67.3 percentile2020 Week 14: Western Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan · L 42–53; defense 1.2 percentile2020 Week 15: Western Michigan at Ball State · L 27–30; defense 47.2 percentile2021 Week 1: Western Michigan at Michigan · L 14–47; defense 2.2 percentile2021 Week 2: Western Michigan vs. Illinois State · W 28–0; defense 90.8 percentile2021 Week 3: Western Michigan at Pittsburgh · W 44–41; defense 57.8 percentile2021 Week 4: Western Michigan vs. San José State · W 23–3; defense 98.1 percentile2021 Week 5: Western Michigan at Buffalo · W 24–17; defense 71.3 percentile2021 Week 6: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · L 20–45; defense 30.1 percentile2021 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Kent State · W 64–31; defense 87.0 percentile2021 Week 8: Western Michigan at Toledo · L 15–34; defense 75.8 percentile2021 Week 10: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · L 30–42; defense 38.3 percentile2021 Week 12: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · L 21–22; defense 64.4 percentile2021 Week 13: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · W 42–21; defense 51.1 percentile2021 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Nevada · W 52–24; defense 89.5 percentile2022 Week 1: Western Michigan at Michigan State · L 13–35; defense 11.3 percentile2022 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Pittsburgh · L 13–34; defense 12.1 percentile2022 Week 5: Western Michigan vs. New Hampshire · W 44–7; defense 35.0 percentile2022 Week 6: Western Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan · L 23–45; defense 4.5 percentile2022 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Ohio · L 14–33; defense 54.0 percentile2022 Week 8: Western Michigan at Miami (OH) · W 16–10; defense 82.5 percentile2022 Week 10: Western Michigan at Bowling Green · L 9–13; defense 67.7 percentile2022 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · L 21–24; defense 28.9 percentile2022 Week 13: Western Michigan vs. Toledo · W 20–14; defense 81.2 percentile2023 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Saint Francis · W 35–17; defense 11.4 percentile2023 Week 2: Western Michigan at Syracuse · L 7–48; defense 30.2 percentile2023 Week 3: Western Michigan at Iowa · L 10–41; defense 3.3 percentile2023 Week 4: Western Michigan at Toledo · L 31–49; defense 36.2 percentile2023 Week 5: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · W 42–24; defense 41.0 percentile2023 Week 6: Western Michigan at Mississippi State · L 28–41; defense 3.9 percentile2023 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Miami (OH) · L 21–34; defense 14.7 percentile2023 Week 8: Western Michigan at Ohio · L 17–20; defense 40.1 percentile2023 Week 9: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · W 45–21; defense 39.0 percentile2023 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · W 38–28; defense 10.9 percentile2023 Week 12: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · L 0–24; defense 28.6 percentile2023 Week 13: Western Michigan vs. Bowling Green · L 10–34; defense 5.7 percentile2024 Week 1: Western Michigan at Wisconsin · L 14–28; defense 23.4 percentile2024 Week 3: Western Michigan vs. Bethune-Cookman · W 59–31; defense 43.4 percentile2024 Week 5: Western Michigan at Marshall · L 20–27; defense 37.7 percentile2024 Week 6: Western Michigan at Ball State · W 45–42; defense 14.4 percentile2024 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Akron · W 34–24; defense 25.8 percentile2024 Week 8: Western Michigan at Buffalo · W 48–41; defense 20.1 percentile2024 Week 9: Western Michigan vs. Kent State · W 52–21; defense 71.2 percentile2024 Week 11: Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois · L 28–42; defense 2.8 percentile2024 Week 12: Western Michigan at Bowling Green · L 13–31; defense 4.3 percentile2024 Week 13: Western Michigan at Central Michigan · L 14–16; defense 64.6 percentile2024 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. South Alabama · L 23–30; defense 9.1 percentile2025 Week 2: Western Michigan vs. North Texas · L 30–33; defense 64.7 percentile2025 Week 3: Western Michigan at Illinois · L 0–38; defense 14.9 percentile2025 Week 4: Western Michigan vs. Toledo · W 14–13; defense 95.7 percentile2025 Week 5: Western Michigan vs. Rhode Island · W 47–14; defense 34.9 percentile2025 Week 6: Western Michigan at Massachusetts · W 21–3; defense 75.5 percentile2025 Week 7: Western Michigan vs. Ball State · W 42–0; defense 99.2 percentile2025 Week 9: Western Michigan at Miami (OH) · L 17–26; defense 34.3 percentile2025 Week 10: Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan · W 24–21; defense 47.3 percentile2025 Week 12: Western Michigan vs. Ohio · W 17–13; defense 66.8 percentile2025 Week 13: Western Michigan at Northern Illinois · W 35–19; defense 77.1 percentile2025 Week 14: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan · W 31–21; defense 42.2 percentile2025 Week 15: Western Michigan vs. Miami (OH) · W 23–13; defense 77.0 percentile2025 Week 1: Western Michigan vs. Kennesaw State · W 41–6; defense 45.7 percentile2026 Week 1: Western Michigan at Michigan · L 12–13; defense 76.4 percentile2014 defense season mean: 48.7 percentile2015 defense season mean: 47.7 percentile2016 defense season mean: 41.5 percentile2017 defense season mean: 48.5 percentile2018 defense season mean: 41.1 percentile2019 defense season mean: 37.0 percentile2020 defense season mean: 38.7 percentile2021 defense season mean: 65.6 percentile2022 defense season mean: 38.5 percentile2023 defense season mean: 18.3 percentile2024 defense season mean: 23.9 percentile2025 defense season mean: 64.7 percentile2026 defense Bayesian estimate: 66.1 percentile2026 defense empirical mean: 76.4 percentile2014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Individual gameSeason bar · 2026 is the estimate2026 empirical meanCoaching-era band
2017Tim Lester
2023Lance Taylor

How to read 2026

The current-season estimate intelligently blends last season with new data.

The 2026 estimate is a Bayesian weighted average of normal-score Z-values. The 2025 season mean counts like 8 games of prior evidence; each completed 2026 game counts once. The result is then translated back to the 0–100 percentile scale.

2026 Z = (8 × 2025 mean Z + games played × 2026 mean Z) ÷ (8 + games played)

Season record

Every annual grade and coach

Retrospective rows average the available single-game grades in normal-score space. The result is shown as a percentile. Roughly speaking, a 95th-percentile season corresponds to about the eighth-best team in a 160-team field.

SeasonHead coachGamesOffenseDefense
2026Live estimateLance Taylor1
46.9 estimate36.4 games-only average
66.1 estimate76.4 games-only average
2025Lance Taylor1348.264.7
2024Lance Taylor1150.523.9
2023Lance TaylorCoaching change1246.218.3
2022Tim Lester920.638.5
2021Tim Lester1267.765.6
2020Tim Lester690.038.7
2019Tim Lester1357.437.0
2018Tim Lester1348.941.1
2017Tim LesterCoaching change1248.748.5
2016P.J. Fleck1484.941.5
2015P.J. Fleck1280.447.7
2014P.J. Fleck1269.248.7