The last six Central Michigan University head football coaches beat rival Western Michigan University in their first season, a mark that goes all the way back to Herb Deromedi in 1978.

Now first-year Head Coach John Bonamego gets his shot at extending that streak.

“There’s no added pressure,” Bonamego said. “There is pressure to win every game this season. I lived this rivalry all my years here and I followed it (later on.)”

The Mid-American Conference standings are slowly beginning to take shape, and the Chippewas have an opportunity to place at the front of the race while delivering a dose of payback to its most hated rival.

CMU (2-3, 1-0 in MAC) heads to Kalamazoo this weekend for an unusually early installment of its annual clash with Western Michigan (1-3). Last season, the Broncos handed the Chippewas a 32-20 loss in Mount Pleasant in CMU's regular season finale.

Fresh off the heels of a conference-opening Homecoming victory against defending league champion Northern Illinois, CMU aims to steal a win from a Bronco team that was picked to finish among the top teams in the MAC this fall.

Instead, WMU has struggled to start the year, taking losses to superior schools No. 4 Michigan State (4-0) and No. 1 Ohio State (4-0) as well as fellow mid-major Georgia Southern.

WMU’s win a season ago extended a streak of three consecutive years the visiting team has taken the Victory Cannon Trophy back to its campus.

“I hope it happens again,” junior quarterback Cooper Rush said. “It’s going to be intense. This rivalry always is. It’s one we all want really bad.”

Rush is starting his third Western game of his career on Saturday, and is off to one of the best starts of any CMU quarterback in history. His 1,450 yards through the first five games this season ranks him 14th nationally. His eight passing touchdowns this season are the third most in the MAC.

For Bonamego, a CMU alumnus and native of Paw Paw, the rivalry with WMU is highly personal.

"I went here. So to me, its the top rivalry in the country," Bonamego said. "The players are aware of it. It's one of those games, until you've been in it, you really can't appreciate just how intense it is."

Bonamego has asked the senior leaders on his team to explain to CMU's underclassmen the significance of the annual clash between the Chippewas and Broncos. Bonamego was 4-0 against Western Michigan during his time as a player.

"You can definitely tell (Bonamego) played here," senior safety Kavon Frazier said. "It's definitely more intense. All the alums. They are taking it to a new level this week. As players, we've gotta stay on an even (keel) during the game. We know it's going to be a lot of emotions in our head."

The Chippewas bring the MAC’s worst running attack to Waldo Stadium against a Bronco front seven that has allowed the third to most rushing yards in the conference. CMU will be without starting running back Devon Spalding, who fractured his clavicle on the first play of last week’s win over NIU.

“Our running game will come along,” Bonamego said. “We are by no means satisfied with it. It’s a work in progress. I see improvements every week. A lot of that has to do with who you are playing. I’d rather have a running game that consistently gives me three to five yards every time than one that gets shut down and then gets a 50-yard run every 10 plays.”

Alternatively, CMU’s defensive line will be tasked with keeping WMU’s offense — which is converting the most third downs of any team in the MAC — off the field in key situations.

Junior defensive end Joe Ostman has not played for the Chippewas in three weeks since injuring his ankle during CMU’s blowout win over Monmouth, but has practiced this week. His playing status for Saturday is uncertain.

WMU has dominated time of possession compared to other MAC schools, a key for the Broncos again this weekend as they attempt to keep the ball out of the hands of Rush and his playmakers.

Central Michigan’s ability to convert on third-and-long has been evident this season. The Chippewas have converted a third-and-10 or more 16 times this year on 38 opportunities.

“There’s ideal football and there’s get-it-done football,” Bonamego said. “You can’t always control what happens. You just get into a situation and you’ve gotta get it done.”

Rush, meanwhile, knows the significance of getting the job done against his team’s top rival each year.

“It’s going to be intense. We look forward to it every year,” he said. “For a lot of these guys, it’ll be the most intense game they’ve played in. Coach always talks about embracing the grind. No matter what.”

“You’ve gotta love it.”