WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS (2-6 overall, 1-4 MVFC)
at #17 ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS (6-3 overall, 4-2 MVFC)

Saturday, November 5  •  1 p.m.  •  Normal, Illinois
All-Time Series: WIU leads 50-39-3
Last Meeting: @WIU 63, ISU 38 (10/30/10)

THE GAME: Western Illinois looks to end a three-game losing streak when it travels to Illinois State... The Fighting Leathernecks have won three of the last four and eight of the last 10 in the series, owning a 50-39-3 edge all-time... The last time Western traveled to ISU in 2009 the Leathernecks dropped a 25-7 decision... A win on the road would also end a six-game skid away from Hanson Field...  Following this upcoming road game Western closes out the regular season with consecutive home games.

THE RANKINGS: Western Illinois did not receive points in either the Sports Network/Fathead.com or FCS Coaches 'Top 25' poll... Illinois State is ranked 17th in the latest Sports Network/Fathead.com poll and 24th in the 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 15-21 record at Western and overall (parts of two years as acting head coach)... Brock Spack is 18-13 in his third year at Illinois State and overall as a head coach.

LEATHERNECK SPORTS NETWORK:

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 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 IN THE MEDIA:

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/.

QUARTERBACK CLUB: Every Monday at 12 noon, coach Mark Hendrickson speaks at the Macomb Quarterback Club luncheon. The event is held at Sports Corner @ 124 and the public is invited to attend.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Western Illinois holds a 50-39-3 edge all-time in the series... The 92 games played is a Western record for most-played series, active and inactive, dating back to 1904... Western has won three of the last four in the series, and eight of the last 10... The Leathernecks have won four of the last five at Hancock Stadium.

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

LAST THREE GAMES...: Western Illinois had ranked among the national turnover margin leaders, but since coming back from the bye week has gone minus-9 in the category and committed 12 in that span... Another area that has hurt Western is giving up the big play. The Leathernecks have allowed 17 plays of 20-plus yards in that span while recording only nine on offense.

FRESH FACES: Western has had seven true-freshmen see game action this far. Defensive backs Jonathon Rollins, Kevin Kintzel and Martinez Davis along with linebacker Luke Venegoni and punter Michael Shroble have appeared in games. Most recently defensive end Chip Holtschlag and running back Nikko Watson were pressed into duties due to injuries... Including redshirts, Western has played 14 freshmen in all.

WATSON MAKES DEBUT, EARNS CFPA AWARD: Running back Nikko Watson turned in an impressive debut at Youngstown State. Originally slated to redshirt this year, Watson was pressed into duties due to injuries to three tailbacks (Caulton Ray, Bryce Flowers and Trenton Heard)... Watson rushed 30 times for 149 yards and a touchdown (3-yarder) at Youngstown State. His 30 carries were the most since Ray had 31 last year against Northern Iowa... He received an Honorable Mention award from the College Football Performance Awards website... The 149 yards were the most by a freshman RB in their debut during the 13 years Mark Hendrickson has been with the Leatherneck program... Watson's yards were the most by a rookie RB since Flowers' 192 last year against Indiana State.

MOST DEBUT RUSHING YARDS BY A FRESHMAN (since 1999)

149 - Nikko Watson at Youngstown State, 2011

128 - Bryce Flowers vs. Valparaiso, 2010

114 - Matt Barr vs. South Dakota State, 2007

AMONG THE NATIONAL LEADERS: Junior transfer Josh Hudson stands 35th nationally with his 138.60 passing efficiency, seventh in the MVFC... He also ranks eighth in the league for passing, and seventh in total offense (67th) categories... He rushed for a season-high 65 yards on 27 attempts, also a season-high, at Indiana State... He threw for 269 yards in consecutive games during October (at Indiana State, vs. Missouri State).

MORE CAREER LISTINGS FOR CRUMP: Terriun Crump remains in sixth place all-time, now at 120 receptions, but did overtake fourth place among the Leatherneck yardage leaders with 1,913... Crump caught a TD pass at Youngstown State, giving him five this year and 10 in his career - one shy of tying for 10th place all-time... Another 87 receiving yards will make Crump just the fourth Leatherneck all-time with 2,000 yards, and three would have done it in three years (Lito Senatus, Gunnard Twyner and Crump with 87 more yards).

PALERMO VOTED TEAM CAPTAIN: Senior Kevin Palermo matched his career-high for the third time when he recorded 14 tackles against Missouri State. He matched that feat earlier in the month versus Southern Illinois, and last year against Youngstown State... In 41 career games, Palermo has 180 tackles, including 14.5 for a loss (4.0 TFL this year)... Against Southern Illinois, part of Palermo's 14 stops including a key third down stop that ended SIU's drive late in the fourth quarter and set up Western's game-winning score... He ranks 64th nationally in tackles per game at 8.8 which ranks him seventh in the Missouri Valley.

PATTERSON APPROACHING TWO RECORDS: Larry Patterson is approaching two kickoff return records in his debut year with the Leathernecks... Patterson's 31 returns tie him with James Norris (2004) for second place among the season leaders (50 by Todd Speight in 2009)... His 748 return yards rank him third (1047 by Speight in '09), 41 away from second place.

SCOUTING THE REDBIRDS: Illinois State enters the game on a four-game win streak, three of which in Missouri Valley Football Conference play... The Redbirds, are 4-0 at home this year and not scheduled to play a Division I FBS opponent this year... Ashton Leggett ranks third in the conference and 20th nationally averaging 101 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Matt Brown is 23rd in passing efficiency (145.38) and 48th in total offense (215.6 yards)... Nate Palmer ranks 13th in the nation averaging one sack per game... Four Redbirds stand among the 'Top 100' in tackles for a loss as the team ranks ninth nationally in that category.