Although Western Michigan began competing in intercollegiate football in 1906,[1] the school's official record book does not generally include entries from before the 1950s, as records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
Since the 1950s, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length.
The NCAA did not allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers.
Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002.[2] The Broncos have played in seven bowl games since this decision, allowing many recent players an extra game to accumulate statistics.
Similarly, Western Michigan has played in the MAC Championship Game three times, giving yet another game to players in those seasons.
These lists are updated through the end of the 2025 season.
