THE SERIES: Heading into the 40th meeting all-time between Western Illinois and Indiana State, the Leathernecks lead the all-time series with the Sycamores by a 24-15 margin. Western Illinois has won four straight against Indiana State, with three of those victories coming by no more than a touchdown. In fact, the Leathernecks have barely squeaked by the Sycamores, with last year's 36-35 victory coming on the heels of a 37-30 win in overtime in 2015.

THE RANKINGS: Western Illinois ranks 11th in the STATS FCS 'Top 25' poll and 13th in the FCS Coaches poll. Indiana State is unranked.

WE JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN: With their 31-14 victory at Illinois State last week, Western Illinois secured its fifth road win of the season, their most since also compiling five away triumphs during the 2003 campaign. This is also the Leathernecks' first year with five regular season road victories since 2002. On Saturday at Indiana State, Western Illinois will be vying for their sixth away win of the year, something the program has never accomplished in its 113 seasons of football prior to this 2017 campaign. The Leathernecks are playing seven regular season road games for the first time in school history.

SCOUTING THE SYCAMORES: Indiana State has struggled in its first year under a brand-new coaching staff, posting an 0-9 record to this point. However, the Sycamores are one of the best teams in the nation at avoiding penalties. Indiana State is 12th nationally with 4.67 penalties per game, and their 42.78 penalty yard average ranks 15th. The Sycamores have been outscored by an average of 45.3-17.2 per game, and in conference play, they have surrendered twice the amount of points that they have scored (150-75). Indiana State has a solid receiving tandem in Jacquet McClendon and Bob Pugh. McClendons has 49 catches for 560 yards and four touchdowns, while Pugh has registered 23 grabs for 639 yards (MVFC-leading 27.8 average) and three scores. Running back LeMonte Booker leads the MVFC with 791 yards on a 4.9 average. He's also scored five times.

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 6-3 overall, Western Illinois has become playoff eligible, boasting strong wins at Northern Arizona, at Coastal Carolina, at Northern Iowa and at Illinois State. While the Leathernecks rank 11th in the STATS FCS 'Top 25' poll and 13th 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. 4 in the FCS by Massey, fifth by Sagarin, 11th by BennettRank and 15th by Compughter for a composite ranking of 8.75.

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 93.3 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.

SEND THE DOGS: Western Illinois' five sacks in their 31-14 victory at Illinois State was their most in any game since compiling six in the 2015 FCS Playoffs at Dayton. Pete Swenson, who had a career-high four in that contest against the Flyers, put together a three-sack game, including a strip sack, at the Redbirds. Western Illinois had just 13 sacks a year ago, but the Leathernecks this season have registered 24 for 2.67 per game, which ranks 24th in the nation. Western Illinois also had 11 tackles for a loss at Illinois State, their third game this season with double-digit tackles for a loss. The Leathernecks' 8.2 tackles for loss per game is 10th in the FCS.

CATCH A STAR: Wide receiver Jaelon Acklin entered this season with 21 career catches for 364 yards and two receiving touchdowns. However, the senior has blown up in 2017, catching 63 balls for 1,096 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. The Mountain View, Mo., native is third in the nation in both receiving yards (1,002) and receiving yards per game (121.8), seventh in all-purpose yards per game (145.00), eighth in total touchdowns (11), ninth in receptions per game (7.0) and 14th in receiving touchdowns (eight). Acklin is the eighth Leatherneck to ever post a 1,000-yard receiving season, and he is just 89 yards away from the single-season school record from receiving yards in a campaign.

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 yards per attempt (8.96), 11th in passing efficiency (159.8), 12th in completion percentage (65.6 percent), 18th in passing yards (2,239), 20th in passing yards per game (248.8), 21st in passing touchdowns (18) and 26th in total offense per game (254.9).  Overall, the junior quarterback has fired 18 touchdowns against six interceptions. Acklin is third in the nation in both receiving yards (1,002) and receiving yards per game (121.8), seventh in all-purpose yards per game (145.00), eighth in total touchdowns (11), ninth in receptions per game (7.0) and 14th in receiving touchdowns (eight). Acklin is the eighth Leatherneck to ever post a 1,000-yard receiving season.

TAKE IT AWAY: Western Illinois' 13 turnover margin is the best mark in the MVFC and fifth-best in the nation. The Leathernecks' 21 takeaways are 14th-highest nationally, and Western's eight giveaways are the fifth-lowest in the FCS. In fact, the Leathernecks are outscoring opponents 75-17 in points off turnovers. Western Illinois has now forced at least one turnover in 49 of their last 56 games. They have multiple takeaways in 16 of the last 27 contests, including 24 total over the past 10 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 63 plays of 20-plus yards, an average of 10.5 per game. Wide receiver Jaelon Acklin has been responsible for 27 plays of 20 or more yards, with 23 of those coming on passing plays. He has nine touchdowns of at least 20 yards.

TORGERSON EARNS MVFC HONORS: Right tackle James Torgerson earned Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week honors following Western Illinois' 31-14 victory at Illinois State. A native of Springfield, Ill., Torgerson graded out at 93 percent and had seven pancakes with zero sacks allowed. The senior paved the way for Western Illinois to run for 118 yards on 3.7 yards per carry, far above the season averages for Illinois State (77 rushing yards allowed per game, 2.5 yards per carry) coming in. Torgerson's efforts also helped quarterback Sean McGuire pass for 288 yards and two touchdowns on a 63.3 percent completion rating.

McGUIRE'S ON FIRE: With 6,312 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, 123 from moving into the top five and 201 from overtaking fourth place all-time. Additionally, McGuire's 221.8 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.

WALK, DON'T RUN: Western Illinois yielded just 35 rushing yards to Northern Iowa, marking the second time this season the Leathernecks allowed fewer than 50 rushing yards in a game. In their 2017 opener, Western Illinois held Tennessee Tech to zero net rushing yards. Prior to this campaign, the last time the Leathernecks surrendered no more than 50 rushing yards in a game was against Indiana State in 2014. Western Illinois also surrendered just 88 yards on the ground to an Illinois State team that had recorded consecutive 300-yard rushing games coming into that Nov. 4 matchup. The Leathernecks' rushing defense is 34th nationally by surrendering 125.4 yards per game.

LEATHERNECK QUICK HITTERS:

• Western Illinois is 43-78-1 (.352) all-time against ranked opponents, including 29-59 (.330) in conference play. This season, the Leathernecks earned a win at then-No. 21 Northern Iowa and No. 12 Illinois State. 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 five times this year, holding the ball for 37:20 against Tennessee Tech, 39:03 at Northern Arizona, 33:03 at Coastal Carolina, 31:38 at Northern Iowa and 31:37 at Illinois State. Last year's season-best was 36:50 at Missouri State. The Leathernecks rank 27th nationally in time of possession with their 31:04 average.

• Western Illinois ranks in the top 40 in scoring offense (15th, 35.3 points per game), passing offense (27th, 251.4 yards per game), third down conversion rate (34th, 40.5 percent) and total offense (36th, 413.4 per game). On defense, the Leathernecks boast a strong rush defense that ranks 34th nationally by yielding 125.4 yards per game on the ground. The Leatherneck defense is second in the conference and 10th nationally with 8.2 tackles for a loss per game and 24th nationally with 2.67 sacks per game.

• In 30 career games (24 career starts), Sean McGuire has registered 10 career 300-yard passing games. The Franklin, Wisconsin native's 44 career passing touchdowns are tied for fourth in school history, just two away from sole possession of third place. McGuire 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 32 touchbacks this season, the best in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and second-most in the nation behind Sacramento State's 36.

• Quentin Moon, MVFC Defensive Player of the Week after Week 1, has five career games of 10-plus tackles, including a personal-best 14 last year at Missouri State. Four of those double-digit tackles came during the 2016 season.