ALL-TIME SERIES: WIU leads 50-43-3
THE SERIES: Western Illinois and Illinois State will meet for the 97th time this Saturday (WIU leads 50-43-3)... The Leathernecks look to improve on a 19-28-1 record all-time in Normal, last winning at Hancock Stadium in 2007. This is the most-played series in program history, and meeting for the 42nd consecutive year is also the longest current series.
GAMES WHEN RANKED: Saturday marks the third time WIU and Illinois State have met when both are ranked in the 'Top 25'. In November 1999, #10 ISU defeated #25 WIU at home 38-30... In October 1998 the #3 Leathernecks won at home over #18 ISU 37-10.
THE COACHES: Western Illinois head coach Bob Nielson is in his third year with the Leathernecks. He owns a 13-17 record at Western and 183-76-1 in his 23rd year as a head coach... Illinois State head coach Brock Spack owns a 51-27 record in his seventh year in charge of the Redbirds.
THE RANKINGS: Western debuted in the 'Top 25' polls this week, coming in 20th in the STATS FCS poll and 23rd in the FCS Coaches poll... Illinois State is ranked 3rd in STATS and 4th in the FCS Coaches.
MORE RANKED OPPONENTS: Last year Western played a program-record eight ranked teams in the 12-game schedule... The 2015 season picked up where last year left off, playing #25 Eastern Illinois (win), at #1 Coastal Carolina (loss) and at #12 UNI (win)... The future opponents rankings this week include (highest ranking): Illinois State (3rd), Youngstown State (16th), North Dakota State (8th), Indiana State (18th) and South Dakota State (6th).
BACK IN THE POLLS: For the first time since the end of 2010, Western Illinois finds itself back in the 'Top 25' poll. A span of 66 polls were released since the last time Western received national 'Top 25' recognition.
NATION'S TOUGHEST SCHEDULE: For the fourth week in a row, Western Illinois has the nation's toughest schedule according to the NCAA Division I FCS rankings... The Fighting Leathernecks are one of seven MVFC teams among the top 12 ranked.
SCOUTING THE REDBIRDS: Illinois State won its fifth straight game and third in a row to start MVFC play following a 38-2 win at Missouri State... Wide receiver Anthony Warrum collected 194 yards and three touchdowns as Tre Roberson threw for 304 yards and three scores... Marshaun Coprich rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns, 76 coming on one run early in the second quarter... Soniel Estime recorded 11 tackles to lead the defense... ISU leads the MVFC and ranks 12th averaging just 40.7 penalty yards per game... ISU is seventh allowing just two interceptions all year, and the 16.6 yards per completion ranks fourth in the country... The Redbirds turned the abll over just six times, the 11th best total in the country... Coprich is third nationally in TD runs (10), fourth in yards (779), fourth in scoring per game (10 ppg) and 19 in all-purpose yards (142.3).
LEATHERNECK NOTES:
• Western's 3-0 start to the MVFC schedule is the best start since the 2000 Gateway Conference championship season. That year WIU began 4-0 before finishing 5-1 with the title.
• The current three-game win streak matches the 2010 team's streak, and the 2008 squad was the last Leatherneck team to win four in a row.
• The Leathernecks look to end a three-game losing streak in Normal to the Redbirds, the last win a 27-14 win (Oct. 27, 2007).
• Over the past seven games, Western has registered 19 takeaways (11 interceptions/8 fumble recoveries) and owns a +8 advantage in turnover margin. The defense scored three touchdowns over that span, including the 95-yard interception return by Aaron Diggs.
• Western ranks seventh nationally in fumble recoveries (8), led by national leader Brett Taylor (3).
• Brett Taylor ended one shy of tying a Missouri Valley Football Conference record with his two fumble recoveries at Illinois. He picked up another loose ball and scored a touchdown versus Southern Illinois. Taylor leads the nation with three fumble recoveries.
• Nikko Watson's six rushing touchdowns (in four games played) lead the team and are 25th nationally. He surpassed his previous season-high of five TDs in his 10 games played during the 2013 season.
• Speaking of Nikko Watson, if he met the national requirement for percentage of team games played, his 146.0 rushing yards per game would rank third nationally. As it stands, he is second in the MVFC and 23rd nationally with 584 yards. His season-high yardage is 660 in 11 games during the 2012 campaign.
• Nikko Watson's 35 rushing attempts at UNI were the most by a Leatherneck since Dre' Gibbs rushed 39 times against Missouri State on October 17, 2009... six years to the exact date.
WINS IN OCTOBER: The 2015 Leathernecks are continuing to turn around a trend in recent years of which October has not been kind... Western logged just four October wins from 2011-14, but this year the Leathernecks improved to 3-0 following the 24-19 win at UNI... During the Division I era, there have now been 15 years in which Western won at least three games during October.
• 5-0 in 1998 and 1988
• 4-0 in 2000, 1997 and 1991
• 4 wins in 1992
• 3-0 in 2008
• 3 wins in 2015, 2010, 2007, 2002, 1996, 1994, 1993 and 1987
VALLEY LEADS THE NATION AGAIN: The Missouri Valley Football Conference again led the nation going 16-3 outside of league play vs. FCS competition. The three losses were: North Dakota State at Montana, SIU at Southeast Missouri and Western's loss at #1 Coastal Carolina... The MVFC now has a record seven teams ranked in the 'Top 25' poll.
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