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Western Illinois University Athletics

Steve McShane
23
Western Illinois WIU 0-1
26
Winner Montana State MSU 1-0
Western Illinois WIU
0-1
23
Final
26
Montana State MSU
1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WIU Western Illinois 7 6 7 3 23
MSU Montana State 3 3 14 6 26

Game Recap: Football |

McShane Scores Three Times in Thrilling Thursday Night Opener

Steve McShane scored all three of Western’s touchdowns in a thrilling 26-23 setback where the Leathernecks didn’t trail until the fourth quarter.

BOZEMAN, Mont. - Western Illinois' football program opened its 2018 season on the road at Montana State Thursday (Aug. 30) where it never trailed until the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Steve McShane recorded all three Leatherneck touchdowns in the 26-23 setback. 
 
"The first thing we have to take away from this as a football team is we are proud of the way our team played today. They played with great effort; they battled, it was a back and forth game. I had a feeling this was going to be a dogfight," said head coach Jared Elliott. "Our kids continued to play well in a hostile environment, but at the end of the day, we have to make those three plays that we didn't. We turned the ball over more than they did. They won the field position battle, and overall, we have to make those plays when we need them the most."
 
Trailing 26-23, in its final drive, Western took over at its own 24 and gunned it down to Bobcat territory with 1:18 remaining. The Leathernecks were standing at MSU's 46-yard line, facing second down with three yards to go, and attempted to move the chains with a rush that loss a yard and an incomplete pass.
 
Western's possession ended with a sack and turnover on downs.
 
"This was a very disappointing loss. This hurts and it should hurt. Our kids are hurting, our staff's hurting," said Elliott. "We put a lot into this preparation, and we didn't get the outcome we wanted, but you'll definitely learn from losses. We'll get back home to Macomb and find a way to clean some things up and get better in our execution."
 
Coming off of a season-high 11 touchdowns, McShane entered the 2018 slate with his same m.o. - wreaking havoc by land and by air. The senior from Freeport, Ill., scored the Leathernecks' first touchdown with a three-yard rush in the first quarter (8:36) and added another with an over-the-helmet, 18-yard catch in the second (12:24).
 
Montana State sandwiched a field goal in between the two scores, but momentum heavily favored the Purple and Gold, despite a few penalties and a pair of interceptions. Western nearly entered halftime with a double-digit advantage, but a late pick led to a 46-yard MSU field goal just as time expired.
 
At the break, Western held a 13-6 edge.
 
Receiving the ball at the start of the third quarter, the Bobcats opened the frame on their 19-yard line and used eight plays and a little over two minutes to tie the game at 13-13.
 
Troy Anderson rushed for 14 yards in the score to highlight MSU's second trip to their red zone. The team's first trip was halted at the three-yard line and resulted in a field goal. When faced with a similar situation late in the third, the Leathernecks responded a little differently.
 
The Leathernecks went for it on fourth down as Sean McGuire connected with McShane for a two-yard touchdown and a 20-13 WIU lead with 4:01 left in the quarter.
 
In a tale of two halves, second half action captured three ties but just one lead change. Montana State trailed Western the entire game until a 35-yard field goal with 4:02 left pushed the score in its favor, 26-23. The Bobcats began the drive with solid field advantage after a 42-yard punt was returned for 32 yards.
 
Western returns to action Saturday, Sept. 8, with a trip to the University of Illinois. Kick-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
 
 
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