2026 MAC Football Week 3 Game Preview: Western Michigan Broncos at Rice Owls

Setting the scene

Western Michigan (1-1*, 0-0 MAC) has been thrust under a spotlight throughout the first two weeks of the 2026 season. The FBS Oversight Committee confirmed Wednesday that Western Michigan indeed defeated Michigan, 12-7, in the opener had the proper instant replay protocols been followed by the officiating crew. However, the committee also said it did not have the authority to overturn the result.

Thus, the Broncos must battle the emotions of being robbed from a signature victory they technically earned. Week 3 presents the team’s first road test since Michigan, and they will face a Rice (1-1, 0-0 American) team that also has an affinity for running the football, albeit in a different fashion.

It’s the first meeting between the Broncos and Owls since the 2008 Texas Bowl, where Rice triumphed in 38-14 fashion.

Game notes

• Time and date: Saturday, September 18, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. ET
• Network: ESPN+
• Location: Rice Stadium in Houston, TX
• Spread: Western Michigan (-9.5)
• Over/under: 43.5
• All-time series: Rice leads, 1-0
• Last meeting: Rice 38, Western Michigan 14 (December 30, 2008) — Texas Bowl
• Current streak: Rice, 1 (2008)

Western Michigan Broncos outlook

Western Michigan has been on an absolute tear under Lance Taylor since late September 2025. If you count the Michigan game as a win, the Broncos have won 12 of their last 13 matchups, including the MAC Championship Game and Myrtle Beach Bowl. Western Michigan did not lose a single starter to the transfer portal from last year’s 10-win team, entering 2026 with impressive continuity in hopes of becoming the first repeat MAC champion in 14 years.

One of those key retentions was the MAC Offensive Player of the Year. Western Michigan was 0-3 before naming Broc Lowry the starting quarterback last season, and Lowry finished 10-1 upon taking the reins of the offense. Lowry isn’t a traditional quarterback in the sense that he doesn’t need to throw to win. He attempted fewer than 20 passes in each of the Broncos’ final five games last year, which were all Western Michigan victories.

Rather, Lowry is a master at the QB power, bulldozing his way to 963 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns a year ago — surpassing 80 yards in seven-straight matchups. When he is called upon to be a passer, he may not always be explosive, but he is efficient. He completed 63.4 percent of passes last year with nine touchdowns to three interceptions. This season, he connected on over 70 percent of attempts in both starts, throwing three touchdwons and zero picks on 41 attempts. It may have been experimentation on an FCS opponent, but Western Michigan utilized Lowry much more as a passer in Week 2 against Monmouth than it had in previous matchups.

Lowry is one of several names to watch in this high-powered ground attack. Jalen Buckley is a two-time 1,000-yard rusher, and although he hasn’t hit the big one yet in 2026, he is renowned for being a home-run threat. Buckley exploded for 193 yards in the MAC title game and 174 in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, averaging 13.6 yards per carry across those two MVP performances. Ofa Mataele will take a few carries off his hand, as Western Michigan requires a deep backfield — a quality that was evident when it consumed over 40 minutes of possession at Michigan.

Western Michigan’s run game is also supported by three starting offensive linemen from the 2025 MAC title team. The Broncos are built on a brand of physicality and smash mouth football, and their offensive line embodies that.

The physicality is also evident on the defensive front. Reloading this unit was always going to be Western Michigan’s toughest task in 2026, considering the Broncos lost every starting defensive lineman and linebacker, including reigning MAC MVP Nadame Tucker, who led the FBS in sacks and tackles for loss a year ago. While Western Michigan challenged the Wolverines at the line of scrimmage, the team didn’t make enough stops in the backfield. The Broncos are tied for last in the FBS with only two tackles for loss per game, and they’ll look to linebackers Domanick Moon and Dillon Moore, as well as North Carolina transfer defensive end Austin Alexander, to force negative plays against Rice’s option attack.

Western Michigan is strongest and most experienced in the secondary, where returning starters Josh Franklin, Jarvarius Mims, Joey Pope, and Micah Davis reside. However, the Broncos won’t need to play the pass as much this week, so the focus will shift to tackling and pre-snap eye discipline.

Rice Owls outlook

Rice started the season by posting its highest rushing total since 2004, handling FCS Houston Christian with 463 yards on the ground. However, the Owls could not have experienced a great spike in competition from Week 1 to Week 2. Rice’s road opener at Notre Dame produced quite contrasting results, as the team only posted 64 rushing yards on a 1.9 average in a 52-0 defeat — the program’s first time shut out since Oct. 16, 2021.

While Rice isn’t traveling to an AP Top 5 opponent this weekend, the Owls are still facing difficult competition in the defending MAC champions. But Rice hasn’t shied away from upsetting quality opponents at home, taking down a 9-win UConn team last season and a 10-win Navy squad in 2024.

The Owls’ success hinges greatly upon the run game. Rice is in year two of Scott Abell’s gun choice option attack, and improvement was evident in Week 1, but Notre Dame stifled the option with ease last Saturday. However, the Owls needed to enter desperation mode quickly in South Bend. Two fumbles in the first four minutes sent the offense into a panic, and Notre Dame captured an immediate 14-0 lead as a result.

Just like Western Michigan, Rice wants to shorten game, chew clock, and sustain long possessions. Early turnovers like those witnessed in Week 2 can get that formula off schedule.

The Owls attack with quarterback Jacurri Brown, who had brief starting experience at Miami (FL) and UCF. Brown is well-suited for this offense given his tremendous mobility. He produced 98 rushing yards in the opener and led the team with 32 last week. Rice must operate without its feature running back Quinton Jackson, so it will turn to other true sophomores Tyvonn Byars and D’Andre Hardeman Jr. as the lead backs. Both power backs produced career-highs in rushing in Week 1 and look for bounce-back performances after Notre Dame.

Slot receivers Davis Lane and Ben Grice are among the motion men that will be utilized on jet sweeps in this offense. Rice utilized Aaron Turner in a such role last year, and the Owls are still figuring out their go-to option at this position in 2026.

Another element of the offense Rice must solve is its passing game. The Owls are last in the FBS with 49.5 passing yards per game, and they’ve only completed 13 attempts all season. Abell won’t deviate from his signature offense, but an occasional downfield pass could be game-changing when defenses start selling out against the run.

Rice’s defense played better than the 52-0 result against Notre Dame suggested — at least at defending the run. Notre Dame was held to 3.7 yards per carry and never created an explosive run exceeding 15 yards. The Owls’ resistance against the run will especially come in handy against a Western Michigan team that prefers to keep things grounded.

The Owls replaced a wealth of talent from last year’s defense, but new faces are emerging as potential stars. Inside linebacker Cooper King leads the group with 13 tackles, while defensive end Chibby Nwajuaku has been an essential component of the defensive line with two sacks and a forced fumble. Meanwhile, Rice’s revamped secondary needs to force turnovers. The Owls only collected three picks all of last season, and they’re sitting at a minus-3 in the turnover battle through two games.

Prediction

Two high-powered ground attacks, mobile quarterbacks, and coaches who emphasize winning the time of possession battle? This is going to look like the Army-Navy Game in September. Expect this game to wrap up in approximately three hours, maybe fewer, as the run game will be overly prevalent in Houston on Saturday night.

Western Michigan’s ground attack has been more consistent. The Broncos essentially told the MAC they were gonna spam the run last October and November, and Broc Lowry and Jalen Buckley still had their way with opposing defenses. Western Michigan’s offensive line got tremendous push against Michigan, and the same might occur against Rice — even if the Owls’ run defense was steady against Notre Dame.

The Broncos’ defense is a highly physical unit, and Michigan only scored one legitimate touchdown on it all game, on a scripted opening drive. Sustaining long possessions against this unit might not be easy, and the MAC champs remain undefeated (per the FBS Oversight Committee’s conclusion) with a multi-score road win.

Prediction: Western Michigan 28, Rice 10

This preview was done in collaboration with SB Nation's Underdog Dynasty.