Unbeaten Western Michigan is hanging out with some elite company these days. The Broncos are sharing the stratosphere with the only other FBS team that has been perfect this season and that team resides in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

It's hard to believe that in P.J. Fleck's first season, No. 21 Western Michigan went 1-11, and that was in 2013. It hasn't taken long for the 35-year-old Fleck to instill his enthusiasm, knowledge and love for the game into WMU nation. They've bought in and the mastermind of the "Row Your Boat" mantra has his team sailing toward a potential $6 million payday.

"We've come a long way (since 2013)," Fleck said. "The expectation has continued to go up. Pressure is earned and expectations are high."

On Friday, Western Michigan's offense was clicking on all cylinders and the defense set the tone for the game on the first play as the Broncos defeated Toledo 55-35 in what essentially amounted to the Mid-American West Division title game at Kalamazoo, Mich.

With the win, the Broncos advance to the MAC championship Dec. 2 at Ford Field in Detroit. Combined with Boise State's 27-20 loss on Friday to the Air Force, Western Michigan (12-0, 8-0 Mid-American) is now in the driver's seat to play in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2 and reap the million-dollar reward that comes with being the highest-ranked Group of Five conference team in the country.

"I don't know how many schools have done that in a three-year span -- go from 1-11 to 12-0. I'd like to know. What those players accomplished tonight was historical."

Zach Terrel came into the game completing more than 71 percent of his passes, and he was nearly flawless on Friday, going 19 of 25 for only 196 yards. But he did throw for three scores, giving him 43 passing touchdowns for the season.

Jamauri Bogan carried the ball 31 times for 198 yards and one score for Western Kentucky, and Jarvion Franklin, who entered the game leading the MAC with 1,228 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, added 38 yards and two scores to those totals.

Corey Davis set an all-time record in receiving yards. With a 7-yard catch in the second quarter, Davis ran his total to 5,007 yards, moving him ahead of Trevor Insley, who played for the Nevada Wolf Pack from 1996 to 1999.

"The greatest wide receiver of all time in college, statistically, is right here in little old Kalamazoo, Michigan. But he's not little," Fleck said.

Kareem Hunt rushed for 200 yards and one score for Toledo (9-3, 6-2), and Logan Woodside threw for three scores to lead the Rockets' offense. But Woodside also threw two interceptions, including one on that first critical play of the game.

"What I loved today is if you wanna be the best, you gotta beat the best," Fleck said as he heaped praise Toledo's Jason Candle, saying the Rockets' first-year coach is one of the best young offensive minds in the country.

Fleck turns 36 on Tuesday. Candle turned 37 earlier this month.

The Toledo program is in solid shape under Candle. The nine-win season is the Rockets fifth in the last sixth season. But Candle knows nothing is given and this year's team had a golden opportunity.

"Nobody is going to wake up tomorrow and feel sorry for Toledo," he said. "We're not either."

Asantay Brown intercepted Woodside's pass and ran it back 21 yards to put the Broncos up 7-0 just 12 seconds into the game.

"Defense wins championships," Fleck stressed. "They played their hearts out. It wasn't perfect, but they deserve all the credit."

Fleck wasn't happy about giving up 21 fourth-quarter points, but he accepts that the Rockets are a very good offensive team -- much like his own.

Franklin's first touchdown of the game and the 40th of his career, which set a school record, gave the Broncos a 14-7 first-quarter lead. Kicker Butch Hampton extended that lead to 17-7 early in the second period with a 23-yard field goal.

Hunt, who shouldered the rushing load for the Rockets, got himself out of trouble by reversing field and scoring from 38 yards out to bring Toledo to within three at 17-14, and the offensive show was just getting started.

Western Michigan used a 21-point third quarter to take control of the game. And the defense shut down the Rockets until late in the fourth quarter when the outcome already had been decided.

Western Michigan remains one of two undefeated teams in the nation -- No. 1 Alabama being the other. And for the first time in school history, the Broncos are 11-0.

NOTES: The Broncos' 14-game win streak started against the Rockets with a 35-30 win over Toledo to end the 2015 regular season. ... Western Michigan starting LB Caleb Bailey will miss the first half of Friday's MAC title game after being ejected from Friday's game for targeting. ... Toledo finished with 456 yards of total offense while Western Michigan ended up with 445.