#21 WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS (6-3, 4-2)
at SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS (3-6, 2-4)
Saturday, November 13  •  1 p.m.  •  Carbondale, Ill.
Saluki Stadium (Field Turf/15,000 capacity)
All-Time Series: WIU leads 33-18-4
Last Meeting: SIU 30, @WIU 10 (10/3/09)

THE GAME: Western Illinois hits the road following a bye week, traveling to in-state rival Southern Illinois... This marks the 56th game all-time between the two programs, and 29th consecutive... The Leathernecks enter the game as the nation's leader in total offense, averaging 496 yards per game, and third scoring 39.1 points per game... Western also ranks third nationally in passing efficiency (168.23) and sixth in turnover margin (+1.1/game)... Western needs a win to set up a Missouri Valley Football Conference title showdown against Northern Iowa... With a win, Western can also officially break into the NCAA Division I rankings as one of the best season turnarounds in FCS history.

THE RANKINGS: Western enters the game ranked 21st in the FCS Coaches poll and 23rd in The Sports Network/Fathead.com poll... Southern Illinois is not ranked in either poll.

THE SCHEMES: Western Illinois will line up in a multiple formation on offense and defense... Southern Illinois runs a multiple formation on offense and 3-4 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 6-3 record this season, 11-13 record in three years (parts of two years as acting head coach)... Dale Lennon owns a 23-11 record in his third year at Southern Illinois, and 125-43 overall in 14 years as a head coach.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Western Illinois looks to end an eight-game losing streak to Southern Illinois... Six of the eight losses were by 10 points or fewer... The Leathernecks had won 18 straight in the series prior to the current losing streak, and still own a 33-18-4 all-time advantage.

SCOUTING THE SALUKIS: Since faltering in the fourth quarter against Southeast Missouri State in week three, the Salukis continued on a three-game losing streak, won two straight, but again have lost three in a row - all in Missouri Valley Football Conference action... Southern's highest national ranking is 24th in pass defense, allowing 168 pass yards per game... SIU is 33rd averaging 178 yards on the ground and 36th averaging 22.4 yards per kickoff return... Joe Allaria stands 30th nationally averaging 5.7 receptions per game... The Salukis dropped a 20-6 decision at North Dakota State last weekend... Kyle Dougherty, tied for 56th nationally in field goals per game (0.78) and 70th in scoring (6.0 ppg), kicked a 37 and 22 yard field goal for the Salukis' only scoring... Steve Strother gained 97 yards on 13 carries... Chris Dieker completed 18-of-34 passes for 154 yards and an interception... Matt Guinn and Allaria caught five passes each... Brad Briggs led the defense with nine tackles.

NATION'S TOP-YARDAGE OFFENSE: For the first time in five years Western Illinois rolled up more than 600 yards of total offense, 629 to be exact (605 vs. Indiana State in 2005)... That boosted Western's total offense per game to 496.1 yards, the national leader... 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 five categories... Western ranks nationally in:

• 1st in total offense (496.1)
• 3rd in passing efficiency (168.23)
• 3rd in scoring offense (39.1 ppg)
• 10th in passing offense (275.6 ypg)
• 11th in rushing offense (220.6 ypg)

OTHER TEAM STATISTICAL NOTES: Through nine games Western put 352 points on the board (fourth nationally averaging 39.1 ppg). That ties for the ninth-highest season total in program history (2005 team). The top two scoring teams were in 2003 (472) and 2002 (470)... The 2,480 passing yards are eighth-most in a season... The team's five turnovers committed are well on pace to shatter the record. The 2007 team committed just 11 turnovers that season... Western is converting 49 percent on third down, currently the fourth-best percentage in history. The 1994 team holds the mark at 52 percent.

RUSHING STREAK IN JEOPARDY: For the past seven years Western Illinois had a running back gain 1,000 yards for the year. This year's rushing attack is on pace, gaining 220 yards per game (third-highest average over the past 13 years), but a balanced rushing attack could put that individual streak in jeopardy. Sophomore Caulton Ray overtook the team lead with 730 yards (4.3 ypc) and scored seven TDs. Freshman Bryce Flowers is right behind with 710 yards (6.0 ypc) and leads the Leathernecks with eight rushing TDs. Senior quarterback Matt Barr has 398 yards on the ground (5.5 ypc) and scored five TDs this season.

PROTECT THE BALL: The Leathernecks continue to lead the Missouri Valley and rank among the nation's best in turnover margin... Western's 1.1 p/g (+10) puts it sixth nationally... The mistake-free game against Illinois State made it six times this season Western played turnover-free football... The Leathernecks lead the nation allowing just five turnovers... Last year Western finished at minus-12 in turnovers.

BARR LEADING THE VALLEY: Senior quarterback Matt Barr is throwing his way up the national leaderboard. He accounted for the fourth-most total yards in Missouri Valley Football Conference history against Illinois State (452 passing/40 rushing)... Entering this weekend Barr leads the MVFC and ranks among the national leaders:

• 3rd in total offense (315.1 ypg)
• 2nd in passing efficiency (167.44)
• 3rd in points responsible for (19.1)
• 8th in passing yards/game (270.9 ypg)

TOTAL OFFENSE ELITE CLUB: In addition to his rewriting of the passing record books, Matt Barr joined another elite group... Following the win over Youngstown State, he surpassed 6,000 yards of total offense. He nearly broke the 7,000 plateau against Illinois State but finished with 6,954 yards... Barr now stands second all-time behind Paul Singer (7,816) in Western history and 12th in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

GLAZIER SLIPS TO SECOND NATIONALLY: Linebacker Kyle Glazier recorded 11 tackles against Illinois State, leading the Leatherneck defense... He held the national lead prior to the bye week, averaging 12.67 tackles per game, but Glazier slipped to second (12.78 by A.J. Storms of Idaho State)... In his four-year career he has recorded double-digit tackles 18 times... Glazier had four games in 2008, seven last year and seven times this season... Glazier leads the defense with 9.5 tackles for a loss... He finished his sophomore and junior year as the team's leading tackler.

PALERMO HITS 100: Junior linebacker Kevin Palermo led the defense for the first time in tackles, doubling his previous career-high during the Youngstown State game... Palermo made 14 tackles, doubling his previous high of seven on two occasions... With six tackles against Illinois State Palermo surpassed the century mark, now at 103 in 30 career games played... Palermo stands third on the team with 45 tackles.

SENATUS ON A CAREER STREAK: Senior wide receiver Lito Senatus extended his streak to 21 consecutive games with a reception, totaling 210 yards on seven catches against Illinois State... He also caught a TD pass for the fifth consecutive game (9 total in that stretch). The Western record is 6 by Marvin Williams in 1972... He jumped to eighth nationally in receiving yards per game (92.6) and tied for 40th in receptions per game (5.1)... Senatus is tied for fifth nationally with 11 TD receptions this season.