Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

Lance Lenoir
Scott Holland
34
Western Illinois WIU 6-5 , 3-5
44
Winner Southern Illinois SIU 4-7 , 2-6
Western Illinois WIU
6-5 , 3-5
34
Final
44
Southern Illinois SIU
4-7 , 2-6
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WIU Western Illinois 3 21 7 3 34
SIU Southern Illinois 14 0 10 20 44

Game Recap: Football | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Drop Regular Season Finale

Fourth quarter lead gets erased in defeat at Southern Illinois


PHOTO GALLERY

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Western Illinois took a 17-point lead in the second half, but could not stop the momentum of Southern Illinois in the fourth quarter and dropped a 44-34 Missouri Valley Football Conference game on Saturday (Nov. 19). Western suffered its third consecutive loss and finished the regular season 6-5 overall (3-5 MVFC).
 
The Leathernecks defense came up with five turnovers in the game – three interceptions and two forced fumbles. But the Salukis (4-7, 2-6) started their comeback with a field goal and touchdown run to make it a 31-24 game in the fourth quarter.
 
Nathan Knuffman hit a 39-yard field goal, but the Salukis used two quick-strike touchdowns to take the lead for good and added a 54-yard touchdown run with 2:41 left to seal the victory.
 
"Football is such a game of momentum. You always live on the edge, all of us do. As far as momentum, a couple of plays after we got the 31-14 lead, they hit a couple of plays there and you always worry about momentum. If a team swings it, they got it and we could never get it back on our side. Obviously we had a chance there in the fourth quarter driving to go in, but we couldn't put the ball in the endzone and missed the field goal. The game probably had a lot to do with it," said head coach Charlie Fisher.
 
Knuffman's second field goal of the game, a 39-yarder, was good at 13:22 mark remaining in the game to give Western a 34-24 lead.
 
Xavier Rowe picked off his second pass of the game and set up Western in SIU territory. The Leathernecks converted 4th-and-inches on a Sean McGuire keeper to move the chains. The drive eventually stalled in the redzone at the SIU 17. Knuffman's field goal missed wide right. The Salukis used two big pass plays to Billy Reed (37 and 43 yards) to score and make it 34-31.
 
The Leathernecks went 3-and-out, and following the punt SIU struck again. Israel Lamprakes broke two tackles on a deep pass play and raced 70 yards for a touchdown. Western threw an interception with 5:11 left in the game on a deep pass attempt. SIU moved the chains on first down and sealed the win on a 54-yard touchdown run for the final margin.
 
During the second half, Western gave up 401 yards of offense, over half of those yards coming in the final seven minutes of the game.
 
"They just kept throwing the ball down the field, we knew that was going to come, they were going to continue to challenge our guys. Our secondary hung in there and hung in there, but at the end they hit a couple of plays. It wasn't due to a lack of effort or anything like that, our guys were trying hard. But they hit a couple of big plays," said Fisher.
 
Western got the ball first to start the game and converted a third down and short to move the chains. However, three plays later, McGuire was picked off near midfield. The Salukis needed three plays and just 44 seconds to cover 46 yards, capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass from Sam Straub to D.J. Davis. The extra point made it 7-0 just four minutes in.
 
The Leathernecks caught a break during their next drive. A third down pass to Jamie Gilmore was short of the marker, but an unsportsmanlike penalty moved the chains. Western got into the redzone and Knuffman converted a 34-yard field goal midway through the opening quarter to make it 7-3.
 
On the next Saluki drive, Western's defense got a stop on 3rd-and-3 and SIU brought on the field goal unit. A run on the fake field goal attempt got a first down. Then, on the next play, Straub hit Lamprakes on a 14-yard TD, making it 14-3 with 3:26 left in the quarter.
 
After a touchback on a punt, SIU took over at its 20. On the first play, a fumble by Straub was recovered by Quentin Moon and eventually returned to the 12. Two plays later McGuire rushed it in from 11 yards out to make it 14-10 following the extra point.
 
Mike Viti recorded his first interception of the year on the next Saluki play, and Western wasted little time to score after that. McGuire found Steve McShane down the left sidelines and the sophomore running back took advantage of a block by Lance Lenoir downfield to score a 59-yard touchdown. Knuffman's extra point made it 17-14 with 9:23 remaining in the half.
 
The Leathernecks added to their lead late in the quarter when McGuire connected with Lenoir on a 3-yard touchdown, the 28th of the senior wide receiver's career.
 
To start the second half, Moon added to his big day as the sophomore tipped a pass that was intercepted by Rowe. Western needed five plays to cover the 40 yards, capped by a 9-yard touchdown to Joe Turk. The sophomore's first-ever touchdown early in the third quarter made it 31-14 Leathernecks.
 
Brett Taylor led all defenders with 15 tackles (seven solos).
 
Viti turned in a career-day. The true-freshman cornerback - who had just 21 tackles all season long coming into the game - made 11 stops, broke up five passes and had the interception.
 
Redshirt-freshman Eric Carrera – who had just 17 tackles coming into the game - added a career-high 10 stops, including a sack and forced fumble.
 
Rowe, only a sophomore, finished with a career-high two interceptions. Moon, another sophomore, recovered a career-high two fumbles and tipped a pass that led to an interception. They added seven and six tackles, respectively.
 
Lenoir, Western's all-time leading receiver, added 81 yards on seven catches. He ends his storied career with 3,796 yards on 273 receptions and 28 touchdowns. Lenoir's 76 catches this year were second-most in a season, as he now owns the top three season receptions totals in WIU history. The 1,093 yards this year ends as the fourth-highest season total.
 
Lenior earlier this year broke the MVFC all-time record for receptions and closes out his Leatherneck career ranked third in conference history in yards.
 
Junior Jaelon Acklin caught two passes for a career-high 90 yards.
 
McGuire matched a career-high of three touchdown passes while throwing for 337 yards, and also adding a rushing TD. With 2,914 passing yards (fifth-most season yards) in 11 games, McGuire's 264.9 per game average set a WIU season record. He also tied for ninth place on the season 'Top 10' with 20 TD passes.
 
Knuffman kicked two field goals in a game for the 10th time in his career. He finished with 37 career field goals (fourth all-time), 139 extra points (fifth place) and 245 points (fourth all-time).
 
Straub threw for 450 yards and had four touchdowns despite his three interceptions and fumble lost. Lamprakes ended with 203 receiving yards while Reed added 138 yards.
 
Despite losing three consecutive games to close out, Western ended with its second straight winning season. Prior to this run, the Leathernecks had suffered through four straight campaigns below .500. The consecutive winning seasons are the first for WIU since accomplishing the feat in 2007 and 2008 (both 6-5 records). Fisher thanked the seniors post-game.
 
"I want to thank our seniors. They came in and helped build our program," said Fisher. "I reminded them of that after the game, and also reminded them 'Once a Leatherneck, Always a Leatherneck'."
 
GAME NOTES: Senior running back Devon Moore made his first start of the season… McGuire's TD run in the second quarter was his fifth this year (tied for fourth among season 'Top 10') and seventh of his career (fourth all-time)… Three of Western's five fumble recoveries this year eventually resulted in a touchdown… McShane's 59-yard touchdown catch was the longest of his career… Lenoir now holds the top three spots in the #W1U season 'Top 10' for pass receptions: 83 in 2015, 76 in 2016, and 75 in 2014… The 21 points Western scored in the second quarter were the team's most since scoring 21 in the third quarter against South Dakota in 2015 season… Joey Borsellino caught a pass in his 34th consecutive game, which ends as the second-longest streak in program history behind Lenoir's 41. He also ends his career second all-time in receptions (184) and third in yards (2,363)… Taylor surpassed 300 career tackles in the game, and will enter his senior year with 307 – four shy of tying for 10th place all-time in program history. His 200 career solo tackles ranks him sixth all-time… The team's five takeaways were their most since five versus Eastern Illinois in the 2015 season opener... Twelve Leathernecks played in their final game... Western will return eight starters on offense and 10 on defense, but lose two starters on special teams.
 
 
Print Friendly Version