THE SERIES: Saturday's game between Western Illinois and Illinois State is the 100th meeting all-time in the storied rivalry between the two schools. The Leathernecks lead the all-time series 50-46-3, but have lost seven games in a row to the Redbirds. Prior to this rough stretch, Western Illinois had won eight of 10 against Illinois State from 2001-10. In three of the last four contests between the programs, the Leathernecks have seen a second half lead dissipate into a loss.

THE RANKINGS: Western Illinois ranks 15th in the STATS FCS 'Top 25' poll and 18th in the FCS Coaches poll. Illinois State is ranked 12th and 13th, respectively.

THE PLAYOFF PUSH: In addition to the STATS FCS 'Top 25' poll and FCS Coaches poll, four separate metric systems can also be used in the argument for at-large FCS playoff bids. At 5-3 overall, Western Illinois needs one more win to become playoff eligible. While the Leathernecks rank 15th in the STATS FCS 'Top 25' poll and 18th in the FCS Coaches poll, Western is placed significantly higher when using other FCS metrics, which factor in strength of schedule. The Leathernecks are ranked No. 5 in the FCS by Sagarin, sixth by Massey, seventh by BennettRank and 20th by Compughter for a composite ranking of 9.5.

SCOUTING THE REDBIRDS: A very strong defensive team, Illinois State ranks 10th nationally in scoring defense (16.9 points per game) and 12th in total defense (293.4 yards per game). The Redbirds have been most lethal against the run, placing fifth in the FCS with just 77.2 rushing yards surrendered per contest. Linebacker Tyree Horton paces Illinois State with 53 tackles to go along with 7.5 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks and six quarterback hurries. Cornerback Davontae Harris has 44 stops, seven breaksups and two interceptions, with lineman Dalton Keene leading the Redbirds with 10.5 tackles for a loss and six sacks. On offense, James Robinson has accumulated a team-high 681 rushing yards (5.8 average) and nine touchdowns. Quarterback Jake Kolbe has passed for just 10 touchdowns against nine picks. His leading receiver is Spencer Schnell, who has 45 catches and 641 yards.

WESTERN ILLINOIS CAREER RANKINGS: Brett Taylor is one of four Leatherneck players all-time with 400 career tackles (425). The Macomb native ranks third all-time in school history in career stops, 55 from tying Lee Russell (2000-03) for second. His 248 solo tackles are fourth all-time in WIU history. Pat Bayers (1979-82) ranks third with 261 career solo tackles.

RED ALERT: Western Illinois has taken advantage of nearly every opportunity when bringing the ball inside the opponent's 20-yard line this season. The Leathernecks lead the Missouri Valley Football Conference and rank fourth nationally in red zone scoring at 92.6 percent. Western's only misses in the red zone this year have come when they got inside the 20 and ran out the clock during their final drive at Northern Arizona and when they turned the ball over on downs from inside the 5 at North Dakota State. The best red zone performance of the season for the Leathernecks came at Coastal Carolina, where they finished 7-for-7 in the red zone.

McGUIRE, ACKLIN NAMED TO WATCH LIST: Western Illinois quarterback Sean McGuire and wide receiver Jaelon Acklin have each been named to the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) Midseason Watch List for the FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy. The Leathernecks are the only team to have two players on the list, which is made up of five student-athletes. McGuire ranks ninth nationally in completion percentage (65.9 percent), while also placing in the top 35 in the FCS in yards per attempt (11th, 8.87), passing efficiency (159.9), passing yards (19th, 1,951), passing yards per game (22nd, 243.9), passing touchdowns (23rd, 16) and total offense per game (35th, 247.6). Overall, the junior quarterback has fired 16 touchdowns against five interceptions. Acklin is second in the nation in receiving yards (1,002), third in receiving yards per game (125.3), fourth in total touchdowns (11), fifth in all-purpose yards per game (150.25), eighth in receptions per game (7.3) and ninth in receiving touchdowns (eight). Acklin is the eighth Leatherneck to ever post a 1,000-yard receiving season.

TAKE IT AWAY: Western Illinois' +11 turnover margin is the third-best mark in the MVFC and ninth-best in the nation. The Leathernecks' 18 takeaways are 17th-highest nationally, and Western's seven giveaways are the fifth-lowest in the FCS. In fact, the Leathernecks are outscoring opponents 68-10 in points off turnovers. Western Illinois has now forced at least one turnover in 48 of their last 55 games. They have multiple takeaways in 15 of the last 26 contests, including 21 total over the past nine games.

ON THE OFFENSIVE: Western Illinois racked up 49 points in their victory over Missouri State, marking the third time this season that the Leathernecks have tallied 40 or more points. It also represented the fifth occasion with at least 38 points. The last time Western scored 40 or more points in a game that many times in a season was during the 2010 campaign, when the Leathernecks had five outbursts of 40-plus points.

RACK UP THE YAC: Through the first three contests of the year, Western Illinois registered 19 plays of at least 20 yards, a rate of 6.3 per game. However, over their last five contests, the Leathernecks have compiled 53 plays of 20-plus yards, an average of 10.6 per game. Wide receiver Jaelon Acklin has been responsible for 24 plays of 20 or more yards, with 20 of those coming on passing plays. He has nine touchdowns of at least 20 yards.

McGUIRE'S ON FIRE: With 6,024 career passing yards, Western Illinois quarterback Sean McGuire is the sixth Leatherneck signal caller to reach 6,000 career passing yards. He is currently in sixth place in school history in that category, while his 218.6 yards of total offense per game is the best in program history. He was named MVFC co-Offensive and Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 24 and Oct. 8, respectively. Additionally, against South Dakota, McGuire's 441 passing yards were the third-most in a single game in program history, with his 31 completions one away from tying the record.

CATCH A STAR: Wide receiver Jaelon Acklin entered 2017 with 21 career catches for 364 yards and two touchdowns. However, the senior has blown up in 2017, catching 58 balls for 1,002 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. The Mountain View, Mo., native is the eighth Leatheneck in school history to record a 1,000-yard receiving season. With four contests of at least 100 yards receiving this year, he's also one more 100-yard game away from tying for the most 100-yard contests in a single season in program history.

SACK LUNCH: After compiling just 13 sacks through 11 games last season, Western Illinois head coach Charlie Fisher hired Tony Grantham as the Leathernecks' defensive coordinator, and the pair established a new 3-4 scheme designed to attack the quarterback. Western Illinois has registered 19 sacks in just eight games during the 2017 campaign. The Leathernecks' 2.4 sacks per game is 38th nationally. Western Illinois also is third in the conference and 13th nationally with 7.8 tackles for a loss per game.

ROAD WARRIORS: Finishing the 2016 season 4-2 on the road, Western Illinois matched the highest road victory total since winning five away games during the 2003 season. The four road wins match the combined total from years 2010 through 2013. Five road games into the 2017 campaign, the Leathernecks have already matched their away win total from last year with a 4-1 road record.

VALUABLE ROAD EXPERIENCE NEEDED: Having played six road games last year has already benefitted the 2017 Leathernecks. Western won its first three games on the road to begin the season for the first time ever. In addition, the seven total road games this year are the most since the 2015 squad eventually played eight road games (two in the NCAA Playoffs). The seven regular season road games in 2017 are the most in program history.

LEATHERNECK QUICK HITTERS:

• Western Illinois is 42-78-1 (.347) all-time against ranked opponents, including 28-59 (.322) in conference play. This season, the Leathernecks earned a win at then-No. 21 Northern Iowa. Western Illinois has lost to then-No. 10 South Dakota, No. 2 North Dakota State and No. 8 South Dakota State.

• Time of possession is a very important stat to Leathernecks head coach Charlie Fisher. Western Illinois has won the time of possession battle four times this year, holding the ball for 37:20 against Tennessee Tech, 39:03 at Northern Arizona, 33:03 at Coastal Carolina and 31:38 at Northern Iowa. Last year's season-best was 36:50 at Missouri State. The Leathernecks rank 37th nationally in time of possession with their 31:00 average.

• Western Illinois ranks in the top 35 in scoring offense (11th, 35.9 points per game), passing offense (27th, 246.9 yards per game) and total offense (34th, 414.4 per game). On defense, the Leathernecks boast a strong rush defense that ranks 35th nationally by yielding 130.1 yards per game on the ground. The Leatherneck defense is third in the conference and 13th nationally with 7.8 tackles for a loss per game.

• In 29 career games (23 career starts), Sean McGuire has registered 10 career 300-yard passing games. The Franklin, Wisconsin native's 42 career passing touchdowns are tied for fifth in school history, just two away from tying for fourth. McGuire is three away from tying for third. He is also tied for third place in program history for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (eight), four away from Steve LaFalce in second place in school history.

• On his first career field goal attempt, Western Illinois kickoff specialist Nathan Erickson blasted a 52-yarder at North Dakota State, becoming the first Leatherneck to boot a 50-plus yarder since Taylor Rowan connected from 54 yards in the FargoDome in 2008. Erickson, normally the kickoff specialist for the Leathernecks, has recorded 29 touchbacks this season, the best in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and second-most in the nation.