1986 Western Michigan Broncos football team

The 1986 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their fifth and final season under head coach Jack Harbaugh, the Broncos compiled a 3–8 record (3–5 against MAC opponents), finished in eighth place in the MAC, and were outscored by their opponents, 257 to 183.[1][2][3] The team played its home games at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[4]

1986 Western Michigan Broncos football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
1986 record3–8 (3–5 MAC)
Head coachJack Harbaugh (5th season)
MVPMark Garalczyk
CaptainChris Conklin, Sam Culbert, Mark Garalczyk
Home stadiumWaldo Stadium
1986 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
Miami $ 6 –2 –0  8 –4 –0
Toledo 5 –3 –0  7 –4 –0
Bowling Green 5 –3 –0  5 –6 –0
Kent State 5 –3 –0  5 –6 –0
Ball State 4 –4 –0  6 –5 –0
Eastern Michigan 4 –4 –0  6 –5 –0
Central Michigan 4 –4 –0  5 –5 –0
Western Michigan 3 –5 –0  3 –8 –0
Ohio 0 –8 –0  1 –10 –0
  • $ – Conference champion

The team's statistical leaders included Chris Conklin with 1,668 passing yards, Joe Glenn with 602 rushing yards, and Kelly Spielmaker with 575 receiving yards.[5] Quarterback Chris Conklin, guard Sam Culbert, and defensive tackle Mark Garalczyk were the team captains.[6] Garalczyk received the team's most outstanding player award;[7] he was also selected as the MAC defensive player of the year.[8]

On November 17, 1986, two days after the final game of the season, and despite winning three of the last five games, coach Harbaugh was fired. Harbaugh had compiled a record of 25–27–3. Michigan coach Bo Schembechler called Harbaugh's firing "one of the tragedies of sport", referred to the head coaching job at Western as "the worst job in America", and said that Western had "the worst-administered athletic department, maybe the worst-administered school."[9]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResult
September 6at Eastern Michigan
L 14–21
September 13Temple
L 17–49
September 20Long Beach State
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
L 13–14
September 27at Michigan State
L 10–45
October 4at Bowling Green
L 3–17
October 11at Central Michigan
L 10–18
October 18Miami (OH)
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
W 27–17
October 25at Ball State
L 10–24
November 1at Toledo
L 7–28
November 8Ohio
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
W 45–17
November 15Kent State
  • Waldo Stadium
  • Kalamazoo, MI
W 27–7
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References
  1. "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  2. "Football Records: Year-By-Year Results - 1980 - 89". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  3. "1986 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  4. "Waldo Stadium". Western Michigan University. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  5. "1986 Western Michigan Broncos Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  6. "Football History: All-Time Captains". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  7. "Football History: Team Awards". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  8. "Football History: Conference Awards". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  9. Mick McCabe (November 18, 1986). "WMU coach Harbaugh fired". Detroit Free Press. p. 1D.


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