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UNH Advance: Western Michigan

There was a time when beating an FBS team was an annual event for the University of New Hampshire football program.

The Wildcats (3-1, 3-0 CAA) won five consecutive games against FBS teams at one point. That streak started with a 35-24 victory at Rutgers in 2004.

UNH STATISTICS | WESTERN MICHIGAN STATISTICS

UNH is 1-10 in its last 11 games against FBS programs, however. Their last victory over an FBS program came in 2017, when it won at Georgia Southern. The Wildcats will get another crack at upsetting an FBS team Saturday, when they play at Western Michigan (6 p.m.).

UNH VS. FBS OPPONENTS

2002: Kent State 34, UNH 7
2003: Central Michigan 40, UNH 33
2004: UNH 35, Rutgers 24
2006: UNH 34, Northwestern 17
2007: UNH 48, Marshall 35
2008: UNH 28, Army 10
2009: UNH 23, Ball State 16
2010: Pittsburgh 38, UNH 16
2011: Toledo 58, UNH 22
2012: Minnesota 44, UNH 7
2013: Central Michigan 24, UNH 21
2014: Toledo 50, UNH 24
2015: San Jose State 43, UNH 13
2016: San Diego State 31, UNH 0
2017: UNH 22, Georgia Southern 12
2018: Colorado 45, UNH 14
2019: Florida International 30, UNH 17
2021: Pittsburgh 77, UNH 7

Current UNH coach Rick Santos was UNH’s quarterback when it started that five-game winning streak by beating Rutgers.

“As a player it was one of those things where I felt like I should have been at that level, so it was one of those games you kind of played with a chip on your shoulder,” Santos said when asked how FCS teams appoach playing FBS schools. “You look back, took the receipts from some of the coaches who told you they were going to offer and never did and you use that as motivation. I don’t know if our guys are going to do that this week, but as a coach it’s just letting them know that we have to have an unbreakable will to win – an unwavering faith that it’s going to take four quarters and maybe an overtime performance.

“We have to find a way to weather the storm and stay the course early, because these guys are going to have more depth. They have 20-something more scholarships. They’re extremely talented. They’re going to be bigger than us. I think they’re going to give all that they have. We need to know that. We need to expect that. It’s certainly not going to be easy, but if we can find a way to be in this football game for as long as possible it’s going to instill doubt in them. I’m sure Western Michigan is going, ‘Hey, we should beat them by three or four touchdowns.’ OK, well that’s why ultimately it doesn’t matter what happens in the media. It doesn’t matter what happens leading up to it. It’s what you do in between the white lines, and that’s going to be the message this week. Let’s cut it loose. Let’s go play hard. The pressure is on them.”

Western Michigan is 1-3 (1-0 MAC) and was without starting quarterback Jack Salopek for last Saturday’s 34-6 loss to San Jose State. The Broncos were held to 201 yards of offense in that loss, and failed to score an offensive touchdown. Their only TD came on a 90-yard kickoff return by running back Sean Tyler.

Earlier this week Western Michigan coach Tim Lester said Salopek was practicing with the team and he expected him to play Saturday.

“They’re fun to watch, because it’s a great league they play in,” Lester said. “They look like they’re gonna have a heckuva chance in their league this year.”

Western Michigan has a 4-0 record against FCS teams under Lester. The FCS teams scored an average of 6.75 points per game in those four contests.

The Broncos beat Wagner in 2017 (49-14), Delaware State in 2018 (68-0), Monmouth in 2019 (48-13) and Illinois State in 2021 (28-0).

“Big week up front,” UNH defensive tackle Niko Kvietkus said. “Love these games every year. My biggest takeway going into it is you have nothing to lose and everything to gain going into these games. That’s been my message this week trying to get the guys ready to go.” 

The defense’s biggest challenge Saturday?

“Front seven,” Kvietkus said. “They’re a bigger FBS opponent. We’re going to have to help out the linebackers by eating blocks. Ideally if we can eat people up front and let Shaw (linebacker Bryce Shaw) and Toscano (linebacker Ryan Toscano) run free, make plays. Goal No. 1 is stop the run and then everything will fall in line after that, so the front seven has to come ready to play and buckle down.”

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— Tyler has rushed for 255 yards and two of TDs. La’Darius Jefferson has 160 yards rushing with three touchdowns.  

— Western Michigan went 8-5 last year and beat Nevada, 52-24, in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit. The Broncos won at Pittsburgh, 44-41, the week before UNH played the Panthers.

— UNH running back Dylan Laube has 81 carries for 423 yards and has scored each of the team’s five rushing touchdowns. Wide receiver Joey Corcoran leads the team with 18 receptions for 186 yards. Laube has 13 catches for 134 yards.

— Santos said that sophomore linebacker Oleh Manzyk had surgery last week and will miss the rest of the season. He has not played this season.

“So he (Manzyk) had surgery a week ago,” Santos said. “It went well. Repaired some lower disc issues in his back. Did a tremendous job so far in the rehab process, so he’s ready to go. It’s a smilar surgery to what some of our guys have had in the past. He’s should be close to cleared by spring ball. We’re shutting him down for the year, which is unfortunate. I give him credit. It’s been extremely tough on him mentally and challenging the last few years with him getting injured, but he’s doing a really good job at practice being a leader. He’s a student of the game. Playing so early in his career he understands the expectation level and what it takes to be successful and he’s done a great job instilling that in the linebacker corps.”

— Lester said he expects defensive end Marshawn Kneeland to play Saturday. Kneeland missed much of the first four games with a leg injury. Western Michigan led the MAC with 43 sacks last season, but has three sacks in four games this year.

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