ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS (4-4, 3-3)
at #24 WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS (5-3, 3-2)
Saturday, October 30  •  2 p.m.  •  MACOMB
Hanson Field (Grass/16,368 capacity)
All-Time Series: WIU leads 49-39-3
Last Meeting: @ISU 25, WIU 7 (11/7/09)

THE GAME: Western Illinois returns to Hanson Field for another game before its bye week... The Leathernecks series against Illinois State is the most-played in program history as the two teams meet for the 92nd time. It also holds a Western record playing for the 37th consecutive year... Western has won seven of the last nine meetings between the two, including a streak of five straight from 2001-05... The Leathernecks now rank second in the nation in total offense, averaging 480 yards per game... Reigning 'National Defensive Player of the Week' Kyle Glazier not only leads the Leatherneck defense, but now the nation averaging 12.88 tackles per game... Western leads the MVFC in five different statistical categories.

THE RANKINGS: Western enters the game ranked 24th in the FCS Coaches poll and received 187 points (27th) in The Sports Network/Fathead.com poll... Illinois State is not ranked in either poll.

THE SCHEMES: Western Illinois will line up in a multiple formation on offense and 3-4 alignment on defense... Illinois State runs a spread formation on offense and 4-3 alignment on defense.

THE COACHES: Mark Hendrickson is in his 12th year with the Leatherneck Football program, first as the head coach. He owns a 5-3 record this season, 10-13 record in three years (parts of two years as acting head coach)... Brock Spack owns a 10-9 record in his second year at Illinois State and overall as a head coach.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Western Illinois owns a 10-game advantage in the all-time series against in-state rival Illinois State (49-39-3)... The Leathernecks have won seven of the last nine meetings, including three of the last four at Hanson Field.

SCOUTING THE REDBIRDS: Illinois State started the year 3-1 but since dropped three of its last four games, all in Missouri Valley Football Conference play... ISU ranks 34th in total offense (379.3) and 38th in scoring offense (26.9), however, defense is another story. The Redbirds stand 108th - out of 117 teams - in total defense (431.9) and 114th in scoring defense (38.6 ppg allowed)... On special teams ISU averaged 25 yards per kickoff return, good for seventh in the country... Quarterback Matt Brown is 22nd nationally in passing efficiency (135.14) and 35th in total offense (214.8)... E.J. Jones leads the Valley and is tied for third nationally with six of the team's 11 interceptions... Brown completed 13-of-22 passes for 152 yards and a score but threw two interceptions (including one returned for a TD) in the loss to Northern Iowa... Tyrone Walker caught five passes for 136 yards and two scores, including an 80-yard scoring strike... Nick Broom led the defense with eight tackles, including seven solos... Bo Flowers added six solo tackles.

PROTECT THE BALL: Although Western Illinois may have lost the turnover battle for the first time this season (2/1 at Missouri State), the Leathernecks still leads the Missouri Valley in turnover margin... Western's 1.0 p/g (+8) puts it 12th nationally... Five times this season Western played turnover-free football... The Leathernecks are tied for first in the nation allowing just five turnovers... Last year Western finished at minus-12 in turnovers.

NATIONALLY-RANKED OFFENSE: Western Illinois rolled up nearly 500 yards of total offense at Missouri State, but came up short scoring only 28 points... In their first year working together, head coach Mark Hendrickson and offensive coordinator Doug Ruse have the Leathernecks leading the Missouri Valley Football Conference in three categories and second in two others... Western ranks among the nation's best in:

• 14th in passing offense (253.5 ypg)
• 2nd in total offense (479.5 ypg)
• 9th in passing efficiency (152.64)
• 11th in rushing offense (226 ypg/2nd in MVFC)
• 7th in scoring offense (35.9 ppg/2nd in MVFC)

BARR LEADING THE VALLEY: Senior quarterback Matt Barr is throwing his way up the national leaderboard. He accounted for 402 yards through the air and another 23 net rushing yards at Missouri State... Entering this weekend Barr ranks among the national leaders:

• 7th in total offense (293 ypg)
• 9th in passing efficiency (151.44)
• 12th in points responsible for (16.25)
• 13th in passing yards/game (248.3 ypg)

TRIPLE-DIGIT RECORD-SETTING PERFORMANCE: Seven Leathernecks all-time recorded back-to-back 100-yard receiving games. With his 180-yard performance against Missouri State senior wide receiver Lito Senatus made it three consecutive... The streak started with 125 yards at South Dakota State on 10 catches. He added 110 yards on seven catches against Youngstown State... Senatus broke the record with 180 yards on seven receptions at Missouri State.

LITO LIGHTING UP CAREER RECORD BOOKS: In his senior year, Lito Senatus continues to impact the Western career record books... Following his 180-yard performance at Missouri State, Senatus moved up the career charts again... He now ranks all-time:

• 5th in receptions (123)
• T-3rd in touchdowns (16)
• 4th in yards (1,747)
• T-8th in career 100-yard games (4)
• 4th consecutive games with a reception (20)

Senatus also is moving up the season leaderboard, tied for 5th with nine TD receptions (three off the record) and tied for 6th with three 100-yard receiving games... He was named Honorable Mention performer by the College Football Performance Awards website following the South Dakota State and Missouri State games.

NATIONAL-HIGH FOR GLAZIER: When senior linebacker Kyle Glazier (#12) recorded a career-high 25 tackles at Missouri State he also set a NCAA Division I FCS best in 2010 (to date)... The previous high was 24 tackles by Matthew Parker of St. Francis (PA) against Wagner... Glazier now holds two of the top four performances this season, finishing with 21 earlier this month at South Dakota State.

GLAZIER NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Senior Kyle Glazier was named Sports Network National Defensive Player of the Week and MVFC Defensive Player of the Week following his performance against Missouri State... He was also named Honorable Mention performer by the College Football Performance Awards website.

GLAZIER TAKES DIVISION I LEAD: Linebacker Kyle Glazier's record-setting performance at Missouri State not only solidified his team and Missouri Valley Football Conference lead, but took over the nation's top spot at 12.9 tackles per game... In his four-year career he has recorded double-digit tackles 17 times... Glazier had four games in 2008, seven last year and six times this season... Glazier leads the defense with 7.5 tackles for a loss... He finished his sophomore and junior year as the team's leading tackler.