MISSOURI STATE BEARS (0-7 overall, 0-4 MVFC)
at WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS (2-4 overall, 1-2 MVFC)

Saturday, October 22  •  6 p.m.  •  Hanson Field
All-Time Series: WIU leads 15-14-1
Last Meeting: @MoSt 31, WIU 28 (10/23/10)

THE GAME: Western Illinois seeks to end a two-game losing streak in the series against Missouri State... The Fighting Leathernecks will play at Hanson Field for just the third time this season, a place where they are currently riding an eight-game win streak... The game also marks the first time this year Western will not face an opponent either ranked, currently ranked or receiving votes in the 'Top 25' poll... Western is averaging 31 points per game at home this season while MSU has scored 77 total points on the road... The Bears have played five of their seven games this season on the road.

THE RANKINGS: Western Illinois and Missouri State did not receive points in either the Sports Network/Fathead.com or FCS Coaches 'Top 25' poll.

THE COACHES: Mark Hendrickson is in his 13th year with the Leatherneck Football program, second full year as the head coach. He owns a 15-19 record at Western and overall (parts of two years as acting head coach)... Terry Allen owns a 23-39 record in his sixth year at Missouri State, and is 118-98 overall in 19 years as a head coach... Both coaches are very familiar with one another as they were collegiate teammates at Northern Iowa, Allen the quarterback and Hendrickson the wide receiver.

LEATHERNECKS ON THE AIR:

      RADIO: Every Western Illinois Football game can be listed to on the Leatherneck Sports Network: WIUS 88.3 FM (Flagship) Macomb and also on WJEQ 102.7 FM in Macomb... Beau Spencer (Play by Play) and Anthony D'Astice (color) will call the action.

      TELEVISION: The game will be broadcast live on Mediacom in Springfield, Missouri, and throughout areas in Illinois and Iowa. Ross Green (PBP), Nathan Baliva (color) and Donnie Tillman (sidelines) are the announcers... It will also be available on a tape delay basis on WIU-TV3, Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. Michael Broskowski and Adam Studzinski call the action.

      INTERNET: Fans can listen to the game on the internet at: www.GoLeathernecks.com.

COACH HENDRICKSON ON THE AIR

Every Monday at 12 noon head coach Mark Hendrickson speaks at the Quarterback Club, held at the Sports Corner (downtown Macomb). The public is invited to attend.

      TELEVISION: Every Thursday during the season on WGEM-TV (NBC in Quincy) at 6 p.m. Ben Marth will host 'On the Sidelines'. He recaps the previous week, looks ahead to the Leathernecks' upcoming game, and talk with Coach Mark Hendrickson and players.

      RADIO: Coach Mark Hendrickson will appear every Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m. locally on 100.1 FM... Thursday from 6:30-7 p.m. on the 'Rocky Report', broadcasted live on WIUS 88.3 FM. The radio show can be heard live on the internet at http://www.wiu.edu/cofac/wiusfm/.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Western Illinois holds a 15-14-1 edge in the all-time series against Missouri State... The Leathernecks have won three of the last four contests played at Hanson Field, but dropped the last two meetings.

HOME WIN STREAK AMONG NATION'S BEST: Western Illinois currently stands with the third-longest active home win streak at eight consecutive... Jacksonville, win #7 on Western's list, holds the national lead... South Alabama, a 2010 start-up FCS program in transition to the FBS, is next at 10 but has also played a mix schedule of Division I, Division II and NAIA programs... The Leathernecks' next opportunity to add to the streak is October 22 against Missouri State.

12 - Jacksonville (next home: 10/22 vs. Davidson)

10 - South Alabama (next home: 10/15 vs. Tennessee-Martin)

8 - Western Illinois (next home: 10/22 vs. Missouri State)

8 - North Dakota State (next home: 10/29 vs. Northern Iowa)

7 - Drake (next home: 10/22 vs. Valparaiso)

TOUGH SCHEDULE IN 2011: Western Illinois jumped up nationally, now boasting the ninth toughest schedule in the country, and tops in the Missouri Valley Football Conference... Eight of the Leathernecks' opponents this year are currently .500 or better... Of the three current undefeated teams in the FCS, Western have/will face two (Sam Houston State, North Dakota State and Georgia Southern).

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOME AND ROAD: The Western Illinois offense is looking to continue its success at home... Quarterback Josh Hudson owns a 201.90 passing efficiency in two home games, completing 34-of-50 passes for 522 yards and seven TDs to no interceptions. Terriun Crump has 12 receptions totaling 306 yards (153 p/g) and three TDs. Caulton Ray is averaging 103.5 rushing yards (207 yards on 34 attempts and a TD)... The offense is averaging 31 points, converting 56 percent on third downs, and rolling up 426 yards of total offense at Hanson Field... Western scored 24 points at Indiana State, surpassing the previous three-game total of 16 between Missouri and 'Top 10' teams Sam Houston State and Northern Iowa... Defensively, Western allows only 21 points per game at home, is +2 in turnovers, and held opponents 0-for-5 on fourth down conversions.

AMONG THE NATIONAL LEADERS: Junior transfer Josh Hudson re-established himself among the national statistic leaders following the Indiana State game... Hudson stands 18th nationally with his 152.60 passing efficiency, good for fourth in the MVFC... He also ranks eighth in the league under passing (69th) and total offense (78th) categories... He rushed for a season-high 65 yards on 27 attempts, also a season-high, at Indiana State while completing 23-of-34 passes for 269 yards.

CRUMP TIES TWO RECORDS: Terriun Crump's 111 receiving yards at Indiana State accounted for not only one but two Western Illinois records. The senior wide receiver tied Reggie Gray's all-time record with eight 100-yard receiving games. He also matched the season mark of five 100-yard games, also accomplished by Lito Senatus (2010) and Stacy Coleman (2002).

MORE CAREER LISTINGS FOR CRUMP: Terriun Crump overtook seventh place all-time with 108 receptions. He also moved into fifth place in receiving yards with 1,799 following the Indiana State game... With four 100-yard receiving games Crump needs two more TD receptions to tie for 10th place on the career list.

MUHAMMAD NAMED BY CFPA FOR SECOND TIME: For the first time in his career, senior co-captain Aaron Muhammad received recognition by the College Football Performance Awards... He caught a career-high three passes totaling 20 yards and hauled in a touchdown pass in the win over Jacksonville... Muhammad earned his second CFPA award when he matched his career total with two TD catches at Indiana State (3 and 33 yards). He finished with five catches for 60 yards.

VALLE RETURNS: Western Illinois received a boost when senior center Jordan Valle returned to the lineup after missing four games with a hand injury... Valle, a preseason All-MVFC selection heading into this year, suffered the injury early in the season-opener at Sam Houston State and was thought to possibly have to miss the remainder of the season.

JAMES AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS: Junior Kieron James took over the team lead with his second interception of the season, returning it 45 yards at Indiana State at the end of the first half. He moved into a tie for 36th nationally in interceptions... James also is third in the conference and tied for 28th nationally in pass break-ups with 1.17... He's also on the verge of recording his 100th career tackle as the junior cornerback needs four more stops.

SCOUTING THE BEARS: Missouri State continues its road swing when it travels to Hanson Field Saturday... The Bears are in the midst of playing six of their first eight games on the road, and only play four at home all season... MSU played two Division I FBS opponents, losing at then #15 Arkansas and #12 Oregon... Five of its first seven opponents have been ranked... MSU did have the toughest schedule among all the Missouri Valley Football Conference programs, until this week when Western took over the top spot. Western has the ninth toughest among Division I FCS programs while the Bears stand at 12th... Led by Trevor Wooden, the Bears rank 27th in passing efficiency (145.12). Wooden is 19th in efficiency (152.38) and 44th in total offense (223.17)... Jermaine Saffold is 30th nationally averaging 77.4 receiving yards per game... Jordan Chiles is 16th averaging 42.2 per punt... Mike Crutcher is tied for 66th nationally averaging 8.6 tackles per game... The Bears are last in Division I FCS is pass efficiency defense (180.21) and 118th out of 120 in scoring offense (13.9 ppg).