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Joe Turk
Larry Dean

Western Meets South Dakota in Final Regular Season Road Game

One final road game remains on the Leathernecks' regular season schedule.

Western Illinois (5-4, 4-2 MVFC) at South Dakota (3-6, 2-4 MVFC)
Date/Kickoff: Nov. 10, 2018 | 1:00 p.m.
Location: Vermillion, S.D. 
Site: H. Lauren Lewis Field
Radio: WRMS (Scott Kornberg, Dr. Tom Cody) | Listen Live 
Watch: ESPN+
Follow: Live Stats | @WIUFootball on Twitter 
Game Notes:  Western Illinois | South Dakota | MVFC 

The Series: Western leads the all-time series against South Dakota, 2-2 inside Hanson Field and 3-1 in Vermillion. 

Last season, the Leathernecks opened Missouri Valley Football Conference play against the Coyotes, dropping the decision, 38-33. Western trailed 38-6 with just under six minutes remaining in the third before spurring its comeback. 

Former Leatherneck Jaelon Acklin went off for 19 catches, three touchdown catches and 343 receiving yards (an MVFC single-game record). 

Western's Last Outing: Western had not won a game at Southern Illinois since the 2002 season, but that changed, Saturday, as Sam Crosa split the uprights with 13 seconds remaining to lift the Leathernecks to a 34-31, comeback victory. 

WIU trailed by 17 points entering the final quarter but outscored the Salukis 20-0 in the frame.  

Notes

•    Southern Illinois previously won eight-straight home games over the Leathernecks, dating back to 2002
•    Western is currently in the midst of a three-game winning streak
•    Nathan Kaufman was the last Leatherneck to record a game-winning field goal (vs. Southern Illinois, 2015)

Just Kickin' It: Sam Crosa's first career, game-winning field goal occurred with 13 seconds remaining in the Leathernecks 34-31 come-from-behind victory at Southern Illinois. Nathan Kaufman was the last Leatherneck to record a game-winning field goal, and he also did so against SIU (2015). 

Crosa currently ranks ninth all-time in Western history with 17 career field goals. 

Comeback Kids: Down 17 in the fourth quarter of an MVFC showdown at Southern Illinois (Nov. 3), the Leathernecks outscored the opposition with 20 unanswered points en route to a 34-31 win. Sam Crosa hit a 33-yard, game-winning field goal with 13 seconds remaining. 

The deficit tied for the largest fourth-quarter, comeback victory in program history as Western scored three touchdowns in the final quarter (overcoming what was once a 23-point disadvantage) against Missouri State on Sept. 17, 1988. The Leathernecks won the game, 35-31. 

Close Calls: Four of Western's games this season have been decided by a touchdown or less, and three of the matchups were settled in the fourth quarter. 

Montana State | L, 26-23 (The Leathernecks never trailed until a pair of MSU field goals in the final minutes of the game)
Montana | W, 31-27  (Steve McShane scored back-to-back touchdowns in the last six minutes)
Youngstown State | W, 45-38 (Western led by as much as 21 points in the fourth quarter)
Southern Illinois | W, 34-31 (Sam Crosa nailed a game-winning, 33-yard field goal with 13 seconds left in the game)

Western is 62-46 all-time in games decided by a touchdown or less.

Key To Success: All five Leatherneck victories this season have one common theme – Western committed fewer turnovers than the opposition. The team is 5-0 when it takes care of the ball, highlighted by a 45-38 victory over Youngstown State, where it didn't commit a single turnover while recording three.

Holding Firm: Western lays claim to one of the best defenses in the MVFC, currently ranking third in the Valley, 21st in the nation, in total defense with 327.3 yards allowed per game. 

Team Sacks | 18th FCS, 2nd MVFC
Team Tackles for Loss | 25th FCS, 1st MVFC
Turnovers Gained | 26th FCS, 2nd MVFC
Third Down Conversion Defense | 30th FCS, 2nd MVFC
Rushing Defense |33rd FCS, 4th MVFC
Punt Return Defense | 37th FCS, 5th MVFC 

Swenson Stops: Pete Swenson joins BJ Blunt (McNeese) as the FCS leader in tackles for loss (20.0), while also tying for third in sacks (11.0). 

He notched a season-high 4.0 TFL at Southern Illinois, and ties for seventh all-time in program history with 45 in his career. Swenson also ranks fourth in the Leathernecks' history books with 24.5 career sacks. He's gotten his hands on the opposing quarterback in all but one game this season.

Momma, There Goes That Man: Running back and return specialist Steve McShane has etched his name in several categories of Western's record book this season. 

Western Career Rankings
All-Purpose (6th) | 3,750 yards | 2,233 rushing, 976 receiving, 541 returns
Total Touchdowns (5th) | 21 rushing TDs, 9 receiving TDs, 2 return TDs
Rushing Touchdowns (T-7th) |21 TDs
Points (10th) | 192 

McGuire & Milestones: Sean McGuire became Western's career leader in passing yards and touchdowns at Illinois State (Oct. 6), and currently manages 9,366 and 72, respectively. 

Paul Singer, who played at Western from 1985-88, previously sat atop the record book in passing yards (8,257), touchdowns (62) and completions (678), and still holds the all-time marks for attempts (1,231). McGuire surpassed Singer's completion record at Missouri State (Oct. 20). 

He matched his career-high with four touchdowns thrown in the Leathernecks' MVFC opener against Youngstown State and was named the MVFC Offensive Player of the Week for the game, adding a rushing TD while completing 22 of his 34 passes with no interceptions.

 
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