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The last time No. 17 Western Michigan started 8-0 was in 1941, when there were five bowl games.
The Broncos didn't participate in one that season, but are sure to compete in one of the 41 scheduled this December and January. More importantly, they are in the driver's seat to play in a "New Year's Day" bowl game as the highest-ranked team from the group of five conferences.
But first, Western Michigan likely must win its final four regular-season contests beginning with a visit to Ball State on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and the Mid-American Conference title game to play in one of the four contests scheduled for Jan. 2 -- most likely the Cotton Bowl.
The group of five conferences are the MAC, American Athletic, Mountain West, Conference USA and Sun Belt. If Western Michigan stumbles, San Diego State and Boise State of the MWC -- both 7-1 -- could move ahead. Boise State was ranked 13th before falling at Wyoming 30-28 on Saturday and is the only other group of five team in the Associated Press poll at No. 24.
The final determination, though, comes from the College Football Playoff rankings, which make their season debut Tuesday.
Western Michigan's next three games are against teams with a combined 9-16 record before it finishes the regular season by hosting Toledo in a contest that will likely decide the MAC West Division.
The Broncos are one of five undefeated teams in the nation -- Alabama, Michigan, Clemson and Washington are the others -- and as their stock rises, so does the interest in coach P.J. Fleck.
Western Michigan athletic director Kathy Beauregard told the Detroit News on Monday that the university is exploring several different options to renegotiate Fleck's contract, which pays him a MAC-most $800,000 annually through 2020. Fleck is expected to be a hot commodity during coach shopping season later this fall.
"I can't control rumors and speculation and I'll never comment on rumors and speculation, just like I didn't in year one, last year, the year before," Fleck said Oct. 18 when asked about other jobs. "I'm not interested in that. I'm interested in coaching this football team and being the best head coach I can be today. That's all I'm focused on."
Fleck's sights are set on Ball State (4-4, 1-3 MAC), which didn't offer much resistance in a 54-7 loss to the Broncos last season. He also must keep his team in the moment -- something that hasn't been an issue -- and knows they'll get everybody's "best shot" the rest of the way.
"We have an enormous challenge on Tuesday night and our players understand that," Fleck said.
Western Michigan's success begins with senior quarterback Zach Terrell, who completes 70.2 percent of his passes with 20 touchdowns and one interception. Under Terrell's leadership, the Broncos take care of the ball better than anyone as they were the last team in the country to commit a turnover -- in their seventh game.
Western Michigan, which averages 44.4 points (sixth in the nation), face a Cardinals' defense that is 96th among the 128 FBS teams in total defense and 116th in pass defense. Ball State, though, allows a respectable 25.4 points per game.
Terrell's favorite target is senior wide receiver Corey Davis (49 catches, FBS-most 11 touchdowns), who has 4,524 yards and is 482 away from breaking the FBS record set by Nevada's Trevor Insley from 1996-99. He is already the MAC's all-time yardage leader.
The Broncos' balanced attack includes junior running back Jarvion Franklin (909 yards, seven touchdowns), who surpassed 100 yards in his last four games. Franklin's 36 career rushing TDs trail only Jerome Persell's 39 (from 1976-78) in school annals.
Junior linebacker Robert Spillane was named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season after recording a career-high 14 tackles in a 45-31 victory over Eastern Michigan on Oct. 22.
The Cardinals are led by sophomore quarterback Riley Neal, whose up-and-down season includes seven touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 60.2 percent completion rate. Senior wide receiver KeVonn Mabon has a team-high 50 receptions, but zero touchdowns.
Ball State sophomore running back James Gilbert is tied for 10th nationally and leads the MAC with 11 rushing touchdowns, and sits eighth in the country with 897 rushing yards. He averaged 164.3 with eight touchdowns in his last four games.
