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Western Illinois University Athletics

Quentin Moon
WIU Visual Productions Center
41
Winner Western Illinois WIU 1-0
14
Tennessee Tech TTU 0-1
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
1-0
41
Final
14
Tennessee Tech TTU
0-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WIU Western Illinois 3 7 24 7 41
TTU Tennessee Tech 0 0 0 14 14

Game Recap: Football | | WIU Athletic Communications

Third Quarter Explosion Sends Western to Season-Opening Win

Western Illinois takes advantage of three turnovers, scores 24 points in the third quarter


PHOTO GALLERY

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Western Illinois broke open a close halftime score, exploding for 24 points in the third quarter and cruised to a 41-14 season-opening win at Tennessee Tech on Thursday night. The 25th-ranked Leathernecks won their sixth straight season-opener, and second in a row on the road against an Ohio Valley Conference opponent.
 
"We talked about 'Finish This Fight' really since last January. We need to finish better. I used the comparison with the Eastern Illinois game. We didn't go out and do as good of job in that game a year ago in the second half of the first game. This game we did. We went out and forced some turnovers, forced some stops. Our offense responded and we were able to put the game away," said head coach Charlie Fisher.
 
The veteran defensive unit gave up zero net rushing yards, the lowest total by the Leathernecks since 2014 (27 vs. Indiana State), and Thursday night nearly became the seventh game in program history to hold an opponent to negative yards.
 
"We got a tough (defensive) scheme and Tony Grantham does a great job with it. They give you so many tough looks, and for Tennessee Tech they really haven't seen it. They went into this game with a little bit of wonderment with what we might do and how we will do it. Our guys played hard, executed and did a real nice job," said Fisher.
 
Both teams exchanged punts on their opening drive. The Leathernecks were able to stage a 12-play drive that went into Tech territory. Sophomore transfer Sam Crosa converted his first collegiate field goal, a 41-yarder to give Western a 3-0 lead.
 
Later in the first half, the Leathernecks caused a TTU punt and took over near midfield. A seven-play drive was highlighted by Jaelon Acklin's first career rush for 16 yards and the senior followed with a 9-yard reception. The drive was capped by junior Khalen Saunders' plunge from a yard out. Crosa's extra point made it 10-0 with four minutes remaining.
 
The Golden Eagles tried to take advantage of a successful fake punt at midfield in the final minute of the half. A 20-yard pass down the middle set up a 41-yard field goal attempt, but it went wide right to keep it a 10-0 lead.
 
Western started the decisive second half with the defense getting a 3-and-out. Thanks in part to Max Norris' 45-yard run, the Leathernecks got down to the one. A tackle for loss forced Western to send Crosa out for a 20-yard field goal and eventual 13-0 lead.
 
Acklin came up with two big plays on the Leathernecks' next drive in the third quarter – a pass reception for 21 yards and a 21-yard TD run to make it 20-0.
 
Quentin Moon forced a fumble and made his third career fumble recovery to put the Leathernecks in TTU territory. Redshirt-freshman, and Cookeville native, Victavious Johnson capped the five-play drive with a 16-yard touchdown run making it 27-0.
 
Western's 24-point explosion in the third quarter culminated with Mike Viti recording his second career interception and running 45 yards in for a touchdown. Western added a 17-yard TD catch by Acklin four minutes into the fourth quarter, matching his career touchdown total coming into the game (2).
 
"We were a little slow early, we were doing some new things. I think we just had to get in rhythm a little bit. Once we did, we kind of settled in and let our offensive line really pound the ball and try to take control of the game, and they did. Our running backs really ran the ball hard," said Fisher.
 
The sophomore Norris, who recorded his first carries as a Leatherneck, finished with 133 yards on 19 attempts. Acklin rushed twice for 37 yards and caught five passes for 79 yards with two TDs.
 
Sean McGuire completed 10-of-20 passes for 130 yards and a score.
 
Moon and Brett Taylor paced the Leathernecks with 10 tackles each. Moon set a career-high with 3.5 tackles for a loss. Moon and Saunders each recorded a sack while true-freshmen J'Len Smith and Shabar Wilson shared on a sack.
 
Western out-gained TTU 443-252 in total yards with three turnovers gained.
 
Andre Sale completed 11-of-21 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. Elliott Normand recorded a game-high 18 tackles.
 
"In that 41-14 win we were sloppy at times, we didn't play our best. We got into a nice rhythm and played well in spurts. But we can play so much better," admitted Fisher. "We have some things we need to clean up. We have an idea on where we are at right now, we've got to keep marching forward and get ready to play a really good Northern Arizona team on the road next week."
 
The Leathernecks continue their three-game road trip to open the season a week from Saturday (Sept. 7). Western travels to Northern Arizona, kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. central.
 
GAME NOTES:
• The first half shutout by the defense was the first since blanking Valparaiso in the 2014 season opener (Aug. 28, 2014).
• Senior transfer Tyrin Holloway came up with his first interception as a Leatherneck. He recorded five last year at Liberty to rank among the FCS 'Top 20' nationally.
• Viti scored his first collegiate touchdown on the interception return. The last time Western returned an interception for a TD was Aaron Diggs' 95-yard return at UNI in 2015.
• 27 of the Leathernecks saw their first action as a Leatherneck in a game.
• Taylor overtook 9th place all-time in total stops
• Western won their sixth straight season-opening game, and 13th of its last 14 against a FCS opponent.
• McGuire overtook eighth place all-time in passing yards (4,203).
• Western actually wore its home Purple jerseys as Tech decided to wear its White jersey in the opener.
 
 
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