(photo credit: David Jensen)
By: Luke Moehle
Western Michigan running back Jalen Buckley wasted little time making his presence felt in the 2025 Myrtle Beach Bowl Presented by Engine, and by the end of the day, his performance earned him the game’s Most Valuable Player honors.
Buckley set the tone just 10 seconds into the game, bursting through the Kennesaw State defense for a 65-yard touchdown run on the Broncos’ first offensive snap. The early score jumpstarted a dominant Western Michigan performance and foreshadowed a long day for Kennesaw State.
The junior running back finished the game with 174 rushing yards and a touchdown, helping the Broncos to a 41-6 win.
“I go on the field and try to do my best everytime. With the O-line I have, the receivers and everyone I have to block for me, it makes it a little bit easier for me”, said Buckley “When I wake up and when I get to the field, I’m just ready to go everytime.”
Buckley led an offense that overwhelmed Kennesaw State from the opening kickoff, as Western Michigan built a 27-0 lead by the end of the first quarter and never looked back.
“Jalen Buckley is a leader. He’s battled through injury and he shows up to work every single day and he’s one of the toughest players that I’ve ever met”, said WMU head coach Lance Taylor. “He does everything not for himself, but for others and that shows up on the field.”
With his MVP performance, Buckley added his name to the list of Myrtle Beach Bowl standouts, joining Ohio’s Rickey Hunt, Marshall’s Rasheen Ali, Tulsa’s Davis Brin, Appalachian State’s Camerun Peoples, and UTSA’s Owen McCown to etch their names on the Myrtle Beach Bowl MVP trophy.
