The biggest game Kalamazoo has ever seen

A week ago, the NCAA admitted its officials got the ending of the Western Michigan-Michigan game wrong. If they had followed protocol, WMU would have won. The Broncos did not get the win. No ruling changes that.

What they have now is an opportunity. Boise State, ranked No. 1 in the Diehard G6 Top 25, comes to Kalamazoo on Saturday. Beat the Broncos and Western Michigan proves it is the best team in the Group of 6 — on the field, against one of the established G6 powerhouses. Win this game and the conversation shifts from what should have happened in Ann Arbor to what WMU can do the rest of the season — win the MAC, claim the G6's College Football Playoff berth and make the Michigan ruling a footnote on the way to something bigger.

Western Michigan (2-1), ranked No. 2 in the Diehard G6 Top 25, hosts Boise State (2-1) in the most consequential G6 game of the season. The Broncos are 7.5-point home underdogs.

It would have been nice for ESPN GameDay to show up. Instead, they'll be in Knoxville for Texas-Tennessee. Maybe someday the G6 gets its own show. Or at least a media company that actually cares (ahem). For now, the game speaks for itself.

For the full Diehard G6 Top 25 rankings, read Diehard G6 Top 25 — No. 1 Boise State visits No. 2 Western Michigan in the G6 game of the year.

Here is the full Week 4 G6 schedule with early odds.

Games to watch

Boise State (Diehard G6 No. 1) at Western Michigan (Diehard G6 No. 2) — Saturday, 2:30 PM CT, ESPN2

Line: Boise State -7.5 | O/U: 48.5

The G6 game of the year thus far. Boise State beat Memphis 38-20 in Week 2 behind Dylan Riley's 206-yard rushing night, then handled a game South Dakota squad 38-24 in Week 3. Western Michigan beat Rice 28-21 on the road last week and has won every game it has played outside the Michigan debacle. The Broncos' lone loss came on a play the NCAA now says should not have occurred at all. Waldo Stadium has never hosted a game this big.

Liberty at Coastal Carolina — Thursday, 6:30 PM CT, ESPN

Line: Liberty -2.5 | O/U: 51.5

Jamey Chadwell returns to the program he built. Chadwell went 31-6 in his final three seasons at Coastal Carolina, turning the Chanticleers from Sun Belt afterthought to nationally ranked contender before leaving for Liberty in December 2022. The Chanticleers are coming off a 22-14 loss to Delaware, but Thursday night in Conway will feel personal on both sidelines. Liberty (2-1) won 51-15 over Ball State last week after the Gardner-Webb scare.

Navy at UAB — Friday, 6 PM CT, ESPN

Line: Navy -7.5 | O/U: 51.5

Navy's first game since the 38-30 loss at FAU on Sept. 12. The Midshipmen, ranked No. 12 in the Diehard G6 Top 25, had a bye week to regroup and bring the No. 3-ranked rushing defense in the country to Birmingham for a Friday night window on ESPN. The question is whether this is a bounce-back game for Brian Newberry's squad or a potential trap at Protective Stadium against a UAB team opening American Conference play.

Shots at the wall

The G6 has two wins against the Power 4 all season. Nine games Saturday could change that number.

App State at NC State — Saturday, 6:30 PM CT, ESPNU

Line: NC State -13.5 | O/U: 54.5

App State is 3-0 and rising — the Mountaineers are ranked No. 9 in the Diehard G6 Top 25 after wins over East Carolina on the road and Charlotte at home. Carter-Finley Stadium will be the toughest environment the Mountaineers have faced this season.

Tulsa at Arkansas — Saturday, 7 PM CT, SECN+

Line: Arkansas -7.5 | O/U: 52.5

Tulsa is 3-0 with wins over Oklahoma State, Sam Houston and East Texas A&M. Tre Lamb's team beat Oklahoma State by 14 and Sam Houston by six before blowing out East Texas A&M 42-0 last week. Arkansas is only a 7.5-point favorite — the smallest G6-vs-SEC spread on the board this week.

Delaware at Virginia — Saturday, 5 PM CT, ACC Network

Line: Virginia -20.5 | O/U: 52.5

Delaware is in its second CUSA season after going 7-6 with a bowl win in 2025. The Blue Hens are 2-1 this year — competitive in a loss at undefeated Vanderbilt, then beat Coastal Carolina 22-14 last week. Virginia is a 20.5-point favorite. The spread is steep, but Delaware has already proven it belongs at the FBS level.

South Alabama at Kentucky — Saturday, 11:45 AM CT, SEC Network

Line: Kentucky -20.5 | O/U: 54.5

South Alabama (2-1) beat Ohio 41-36 in a shootout last week and enters the Diehard G6 Top 25 at No. 25 this week. Major Applewhite takes his team to Lexington as a 20.5-point underdog against an SEC program. Kentucky is coming off a big win against Texas A&M. Letdown watch?

Ranked (Diehard G6 Top 25) vs. G6

Liberty (DG6 No. 20) at Coastal Carolina | LIB -2.5 | 51.5 | Thu 6:30 PM | ESPN

Army (DG6 No. 17) at Temple | ARMY -3 | 49.5 | Fri 3 PM | ESPN

Navy (DG6 No. 12) at UAB | NAVY -7.5 | 51.5 | Fri 6 PM | ESPN

SDSU (DG6 No. 23) at Toledo (DG6 No. 19) | TOL -2.5 | — | Sat 11 AM | CBSSN

Colorado State (DG6 No. 16) at UTSA (DG6 No. 13) | UTSA -12.5 | 57.5 | Sat 11 AM | ESPNU

Boise State (DG6 No. 1) at Western Michigan (DG6 No. 2) | BSU -7.5 | 48.5 | Sat 2:30 PM | ESPN2

UConn (DG6 No. 21) at Miami OH | M-OH -4.5 | 51.5 | Sat 2:30 PM | ESPN+

New Mexico (DG6 No. 6) at New Mexico State | UNM -13.5 | 48.5 | Sat 2:30 PM | CBSSN

USF (DG6 No. 4) at Bowling Green | USF -17.5 | 49.5 | Sat 4 PM | ESPN+

JMU (DG6 No. 3) at Old Dominion | JMU -4.5 | 47.5 | Sat 5 PM | ESPN+

Louisiana (DG6 No. 14) at Charlotte | UL -11.5 | 50.5 | Sat 5:30 PM | ESPN+

Southern Miss at Tulane (DG6 No. 24) | TULN -19.5 | 52.5 | Sat 6 PM | ESPN+

Troy (DG6 No. 10) at Utah State | USU -2.5 | 49.5 | Sat 6:30 PM | CBSSN

FAU (DG6 No. 11) at UL Monroe | FAU -13.5 | 58.5 | Sat 7 PM | ESPN+

UMass (DG6 No. 18) at Sacramento State | MASS -5.5 | 49.5 | Sat 8 PM | ESPN+

Rice at Fresno State (DG6 No. 15) | FRES -13.5 | 44.5 | Sat 9 PM | CW

G6 vs. G6

UNLV at Akron | UNLV -13.5 | 49.5 | Sat 11 AM | ESPN+

Ball State at Kent State | KENT -3.5 | 49.5 | Sat 11 AM | ESPN+

NIU at Georgia State | GAST -9.5 | 55.5 | Sat 1 PM | ESPN+

Hawaii at Wyoming | HAW -3.5 | 45.5 | Sat 2 PM | CW

Middle Tennessee at Jacksonville State | JXST -8.5 | 52.5 | Sat 6 PM | ESPN+

Kennesaw State at Arkansas State | ARST -4.5 | 53.5 | Sat 6 PM | ESPN+

Oregon State at UTEP | ORST -12.5 | 55.5 | Sat 8 PM | MW+

Air Force at Nevada | AF -4.5 | 49.5 | Sat 9:30 PM | FS1

G6 vs. Power 4

Sam Houston at Texas Tech | TTU -35.5 | 54.5 | Sat 11 AM | TNT

South Alabama (DG6 No. 25) at Kentucky | UK -20.5 | 54.5 | Sat 11:45 AM | SECN

Houston at Georgia Southern | HOU -18.5 | 54.5 | Sat 3 PM | ESPNU

Delaware (DG6 No. 22) at Virginia | UVA -20.5 | 52.5 | Sat 5 PM | ACCN

Central Michigan at Miami (FL) | MIA -41.5 | 54.5 | Sat 5:30 PM | CW

App State (DG6 No. 9) at NC State | NCST -13.5 | 54.5 | Sat 6:30 PM | ESPNU

Arizona at Washington State | ARIZ -12.5 | 47.5 | Sat 6:30 PM | CBS

Tulsa (DG6 No. 8) at Arkansas | ARK -7.5 | 52.5 | Sat 7 PM | SECN+

Missouri State at SMU | SMU -34.5 | 58.5 | Sat 8 PM | ACCN

G6 vs. FCS

Lindenwood at Eastern Michigan | NL | NL | Sat Noon | ESPN+

Robert Morris at Buffalo | NL | NL | Sat 2:30 PM | ESPN+

Stonehill at Ohio | NL | NL | Sat 2:30 PM | ESPN+

Gardner-Webb at Marshall | NL | NL | Sat 2:30 PM | ESPN+

NC Central at East Carolina | NL | NL | Sat 3 PM | ESPN+

Incarnate Word at Texas State | NL | NL | Sat 5 PM | USA

LIU at FIU | NL | NL | Sat 5 PM | ESPN+

Mercyhurst at Western Kentucky | NL | NL | Sat 6 PM | ESPN+

Houston Christian at North Texas | NL | NL | Sat 6:30 PM | ESPN+