THE SERIES: Western Illinois leads the all-time series 4-2, currently riding a four-game winning streak since South Dakota joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
THE COACHES: Western Illinois head coach Charlie Fisher is in his first year at WIU. He is 5-2 with the Leathernecks and 41-19 overall in six years as a head coach... South Dakota head coach Bob Nielson is 4-3 in his first year at USD and 190-83-1 in his 24th year overall.
THE RANKINGS: Western Illinois ranks 13th in the STATS FCS 'Top 25' poll, 13th in HERO Sports and 15th in FCS Coaches... South Dakota is ranked 25th in the FCS Coaches poll and received 102 points (31st) in the STATS FCS Top 25 poll.
LENOIR CHASING MVFC RECORDS: Senior Lance Lenoir already has re-written the WIU receiving record book. Now he's chasing the Missouri Valley Football Conference records... Lenoir currently stands tied for second all-time in MVFC history with 249 receptions, tied with Eddie Berlin (UNI) and one away of Tyrone Walker from Illinois State (2009-12)...
   Lenoir is in a chase with South Dakota State junior wideout Jake Wieneke for the yardage record. Lenoir, one of eight all-time in MVFC history with 3,000 receiving yards at 3,523, enters this weekend sixth in yardage. Lenoir is 21 yards away from Mike Furrey (UNI/3,544) and 42 away of Walker (3,565) to move up the career listing... UNI's Dedric Ward (1993-96) holds the record at 3,876 followed by former UNI standout Berlin (3,735) and Wieneke (3,612)... Lenoir's 25 touchdown receptions ties him for 10th all-time, 16 shy of Ward's record.
NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS: Western ranks among the 'Top 15' in the latest NCAA FCS rankings:
Time of Possession (4th/MVFC-leading 34:17)
4th Down Conversion Defense (11th/MVFC-leading .308)
Blocked Kicks (10th/MVFC-leading 3)
Redzone Defense (12th/.700)
Western also stands among the 'Top 30' in several other categories: 17th in fumbles lost (3), 26th in net punting (38.0), 29th in passing offense (255.4), 26th in punt return defense (5.1), 26th in sacks allowed (1.29), and 25th in tackles for a loss allowed (4.86).
• Brett Taylor ranks second nationally in solo tackles (MVFC-leading 7.4 p/g) and eighth nationally in total tackles (10.7 p/g).
• Lance Lenoir, Jr. enters this week fourth nationally in receiving yards per game (MVFC-leading 117.1) and eighth in receptions per game (MVFC-leading 7.4). His 123.9 all-purpose yards per game ranks second in the MVFC and stands 31st in the country.
• Steve McShane stands 22nd in rushing yards per game (MVFC-leading 95.4), 19th in rushing TDs (MVFC-leading 7) and 45th in all-purpose yards (115.7).
• Sean McGuire is 46th in passing TDs (10) and 23rd in passing yards per game (248.9). His 19.9 pass completions per game ranks 26th nationally, and he enters this weekend 48th in points responsible for per game (11.4).
• Nathan Knuffman stands 33rd nationally averaging 41.4 yards per punt.
TWO MAJOR TURNAROUND STATISTICS FROM 2015: Western ended last year minus four minutes in the time of possession battle, losing the head-to-head statistic nine of the 13 games... This year the Leathernecks rank fourth nationally by leading in the Missouri Valley Football Conference averaging 34:17 minutes per game. In all seven games, Western has won the TOP competition, including three games holding the ball for at least 10 minutes longer... Last year, Western averaged 30.6 yards of net punting. So far in 2016, the Leathernecks have allowed 5.1 yards on punt returns to score 38.0 yards of net punting, good for 26th in the country.
LEATHERNECK NOTES:
• Currently the MVFC rushing leader and 22nd nationally, Steve McShane is trying to become the first Leatherneck to lead the Missouri Valley Football Conference in rushing since Herb Donaldson in 2008.
• Brett Taylor currently ranks second in the MVFC in tackles per game at 10.7 (eighth nationally). The last Leatherneck to lead the conference was All-American Kyle Glazier in 2010 (12.85), who finished second in the Buck Buchanan Award voting that year.
• Brett Taylor needs just four solo tackles to tie for 10th place on the WIU career 'Top 10'. He set a career-high of 13 solo stops against North Dakota State.
• In 17 career games, Sean McGuire is tied for sixth all-time for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (5)... He is just one away from a tie for fourth place... Every other quarterback on the list has a minimum 20 games played.
• Sean McGuire needs 99 passing yards to reach 3,000 in his career. In six of his 11 starts, McGuire has thrown for 300-plus passing yards.
• The North Dakota State game was the first time in his 11 starts at quarterback that Sean McGuire was held without a touchdown. He had at least two TDs accounted for in each of his previous 10 starts.
• Nathan Knuffman kicked his 31st and 32nd career field goal (North Dakota State), matching a career-high of two field goals in a game.
• Nathan Knuffman ranks 13th among the NCAA active leaders in field goals (32).
• Five different Leathernecks currently have 4.0 tackles for a loss or more.
• Jamie Gilmore set a career-high with his two rushing TDs at Missouri State, now with four this season. He had just one rushing TD in his three-year career at Temple.
• Devon Moore's 11th rushing TD (game-winner at Missouri State) is the most among active Leathernecks.
• Six times Western has held the ball for 10 or more minutes in a quarter: at Eastern Illinois (1st, 3rd), Northern Arizona (4th), Indiana State (3rd), Missouri State (2nd), and North Dakota State (1st, season-high 12:48).
• The Leathernecks have forced at least one turnover in 38 of the last 43 contests... Nine times in the last 15 games Western recorded two or more takeaways.
• This year 14 different players have made their first start as a Leatherneck (7 offense/7 defense).
• Western's defense held North Dakota State to a season-low 3-of-11 on third down conversions, and scoreless during the second half (133 total yards in the half). It marked the first time in 16 games NDSU was held scoreless in a half... Western picked off Bison QB Easton Stick twice, the most interceptions he's thrown in a game.
SOLO ACT: In 32 career games, the majority coming in his 23 starts, Brett Taylor is near the career 'Top 10' in solo tackles... With 158 in his career, he needs four to equal former All-American Todd Auer for 10th... He set a career-high making 13 solo tackles against North Dakota State.
NO KICKOFF RETURNS HERE: Junior Luke Otto leads the MVFC and ranks second nationally with 22 touchbacks on his kickoffs, with a season-high five coming against Indiana State and Missouri State... In fact, in his last 18 kickoffs, Otto and Western have accounted for 12 touchbacks and a total of 60 return yards.
McGUIRE'S STARTING RECORD: When Sean McGuire took over as the starting quarterback late in the 2015 regular season, he led Western to a pair of overtime victories at Indiana State and South Dakota State. Throw in the FCS Playoff win at Dayton - and a FBS win at Northern Illinois earlier this year - McGuire stands 8-3 as a starter.
SCOUTING THE COYOTES: South Dakota extended its win streak to three straight following a 27-24 win over Illinois State... The Coyotes were able to take advantage of two ISU fumbles inside the 10-yard line while going in to score... Austin Simmons came on in relief to throw for 205 yards and two TDs with an interception... Trevor Bouma rushed for 55 yards... Jet Moreland recorded a team-leading 11 tackles... Starting QB Chris Streveler (949 yards passing, 479 rushing) missed the Illinois State game with an injury... Miles Bergner is 12-of-13 on field goals and 27-of-27 on extra points... Moreland leads in tackles with 65... The defense has recorded 23 sacks this year and 53 tackles for a loss.
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