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Coach Fleck, Broncos crack AP’s Top 25 for first time in school’s history

Posted at 12:50 PM, Oct 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-10 19:11:05-04

KALAMAZOO, Mich. —  First the Western Michigan Broncos extended their unbeaten streak to six games on Saturday with a homecoming win over divisional rival Northern Illinois. Then WR Corey Davis’ pro-level catch makes SportsCenter’s “Top Play” on ESPN.

Now they’re making history.

“It’s our first time being in the Top 25 in the nation,” said Ernest Carter, a WMU freshman from Detroit. “I think we’re going to have a pretty nice season this year.”

So far it's going well. The Associated Press ranked the Broncos at No. 24 after a 6-0 start to the season and beating two Big Ten teams, Northwestern and Illinois. Students said the success all comes from the guy at the helm.

“This year, after P.J. Fleck came in, he just turned the whole thing around,” said fellow freshman Nicholas Sapoznik. “He’s made this team become better than I even imagined.”

Sapoznik said he remembers coming to games years ago and watching the team struggle. Now, they’re good. He likes to get to games early, take a seat in the front row with his friends and cheer on Coach Fleck.

“Usually he’ll come and hi-five us after the game if we really talk to him a lot,” said Sapoznik. “But he’s too focused on the game which is good ‘cause we got to get those wins all the time.”

Sapoznik, like a lot of fans on campus, think the team can go undefeated this season. In fact, they believe the Broncos will make it to a prominent bowl game this winter and win.

“I mean who’s going to stop us?” said Carter with a smile. “Who’s going stop us? We don’t have any competition left. We knocked out two Big 10s already and you know all the other teams are just beneath us I believe.”

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The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Oct. 10, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking.

Record Pts Prv
1. Alabama (56) 6-0 1520 1
2. Ohio St. (2) 5-0 1444 2
3. Clemson (2) 6-0 1406 3
4. Michigan (1) 6-0 1339 4
5. Washington 6-0 1286 5
6. Texas A&M 6-0 1202 8
7. Louisville 4-1 1193 7
8. Wisconsin 4-1 1020 11
9. Tennessee 5-1 962 9
10. Nebraska 5-0 958 12
11. Baylor 5-0 934 13
12. Mississippi 3-2 800 14
13. Houston 5-1 701 6
14. Florida St. 4-2 628 23
15. Boise St. 5-0 590 19
16. Miami 4-1 576 10
17. Virginia Tech 4-1 546 25
18. Florida 4-1 483 18
19. Oklahoma 3-2 476 20
20. West Virginia 4-0 424 22
21. Utah 5-1 287 24
22. Arkansas 4-2 203 16
23. Auburn 4-2 166 -
24. W. Michigan 6-0 154 -
25. Navy 4-1 122 -

Others receiving votes: Georgia 59, Arizona St. 53, North Carolina 51, LSU 50, Oklahoma St. 48, North Dakota St. 36, Stanford 26, Colorado 22, South Florida 20, TCU 14, NC State 9, Washington St. 9, Iowa 3, Air Force 2, San Diego St. 2, Wake Forest 1.