The Western Michigan Broncos have added two Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponents to their future schedules, FBSchedules.com has learned.
Copies of contracts for games against Bethune-Cookman University and Monmouth University were obtained from Western Michigan University via a state Freedom of Information Act request.
Western Michigan will host the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Mich., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. The Broncos will pay the Wildcats a $325,000 guarantee for the game, according to the copy of the contract.
Western Michigan and Bethune-Cookman have never met on the gridiron.
With the addition of Bethune-Cookman, Western Michigan has tentatively completed its non-conference schedule for the 2024 season. The Broncos are slated to open the season with consecutive games on the road against the Wisconsin Badgers on Aug. 31 and Ohio State Buckeyes on Sept. 7. Western Michigan is also scheduled to play at the Marshall Thundering Herd, although that game was previously set for Sept. 14.
Western Michigan was previously scheduled to host the Stony Brook Seawolves in 2024, but it appears that game has been postponed to another season or canceled.
The Monmouth Hawks of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) will travel to take on Western Michigan at Waldo Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. The Hawks will receive a $310,000 guarantee for the contest, per the contract copy.
Western Michigan and Monmouth’s only meeting in football occurred during the 2019 season. The Broncos defeated the Hawks in that contest, 48-13, in Kalamazoo.
The Broncos now have three scheduled non-conference opponents for the 2026 season. Western Michigan will open the season on the road at the Michigan Wolverines on Sept. 5 and will visit the Tennessee Volunteers two weeks later on Sept. 19.
Football Schedules