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Connor Sampson
Rachael Keating

Challenges and Opportunities Await Leathernecks in 2020

Western Illinois football announced its 2020 schedule.

MACOMB, Ill. – A quick breakdown of the Western Illinois football team's 2020 schedule: five opponents have recent postseason experience; eight opponents finished last season at least .500, including four with eight or more wins; and five games will be played inside Hanson Field. 

Head coach Jared Elliott embraces the challenge. 

"We have a great upcoming schedule that is stacked with storied programs and quality opponents," said Elliott. "Every year is unique and different from the year prior, and the 2020 football season will provide new challenges and opportunities."

The second half of a home-and-away with North Alabama will see the Lions visit Hanson Field Thursday, Sept. 3, for Western's 2020 season opener. Last year's meeting resulted in a 26-17 loss for the Leathernecks but marked several "firsts" –the first meeting between the two teams, their first game of the 2019 season, and Connor Sampson's first collegiate start at quarterback. 

The Leathernecks' next three games will take place on the road, with a bye weekend separating non-league action from the start of Missouri Valley Football Conference play. 

Eastern Washington (Sept. 12) and Oklahoma State (Sept. 19) wrap the non-league calendar before WIU faces four Valley schools who made the field of 24 in the 2019 FCS Championship. 

Start times and television information for the 2020 schedule will be announced at a later date. Visit GoLeathernecks.com and follow the team on Facebook and Twitter for additional updates.

Sept. 3 vs. North Alabama
UNA Notes: entering its third season of Division I football in the FCS and second in the Big South Conference … returns 52 total lettermen from 2019, including 14 starters

Sept. 12 @ Eastern Washington 
EWU Notes: finished the 2019 season 7-5 … expected to return 11 starters, four on offense and seven on defense, including All-Big Sky offensive tackle Tristen Taylor and linebacker Jack Sendelbach 

Sept. 19 @ Oklahoma State
OSU Notes: finished the 2019 season 8-5 with a trip to the Texas Bowl … expected to return eight starters on offense and 11 of defense including All-Americans Chuba Hubbard (RB) and Tylan Wallace (WR) … Hubbard finished eighth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy 

Sept. 26  - BYE

Oct. 3 @ South Dakota 
USD Notes: saw a program-record six players on the All-Missouri Valley Football … Western defeated the Coyotes at home by a score of 38-34 last season

Oct. 10 vs. Northern Iowa
UNI Notes: ranked fifth in the final FCS Stats and AFCS Coaches polls, marking the highest finish since the 2008 season … advanced to the FCS Championship quarterfinals and finished season with a 10-5 record … expected to return eight starters on offense and eight on defense, including preseason All-American tight end Briley Moore 

Oct. 17 vs. North Dakota
UND Notes: reached the FCS playoffs for the second time in program history … finished the 2019 season with a record of 7-5 … will be beginning its first season as a member of the MVFC after previously playing in the Big Sky 

Oct. 24 @ Illinois State
ISU Notes: won 10 games and advanced to the FCS quarterfinals for the fourth time since 2012 … expected to return 17 starters (eight offense, nine defense) from last year's squad … star returners: All-American left tackle Drew Himmelman and All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First-Team selections Devin Taylor (CB) and Romeo McKnight (DE)

Oct. 31 @ South Dakota State
SDSU Notes: finished 8-5 overall and qualified for the FCS playoffs for the eighth consecutive season ... expected to return 15 starters from last year's team (six offense, nine defense) ... star returners include All-American Cade Johnson (WR), All-MVFC first-team selection Pierre Strong Jr. (RB), second-teamer Don Gardner (DB) and honorable mention Logan Backhaus (LB) ... the meeting will mark the first time Western has faced the Jackrabbits on the gridiron since Oct. 28, 2017
 
Nov. 7 vs. Youngstown State
YSU Notes: finished 6-6 overall last season in Bo Pelini's last year as head coach ... former Youngstown State assistant coach (1991-92) Doug Phillips enters his first season as head coach ...expected to return 12 starters from last year's team (three offense, nine defense) ... star returners include 2019 All-MVFC first-team selection Justus Reed (DE), second-team selection Jake Coates (WR), honorable mention Dan Becker (OT) and honorable mention Miles Joiner (TE)

Nov. 14 @ Southern Illinois 
SIU Notes: rattled off four straight MVFC wins to finish 7-5… entered the national rankings (No. 25) for the first time since 2014… listed as "First Four Out" by the FCS playoff selection committee last season… return five Second-Team MVFC selections… star returner: FCS All-American freshman running back Javon Williams Jr., who finished third in the Jerry Rice Award voting
 
Nov. 21 vs. Indiana State
ISU Notes: concluded 2019 season with back-to-back conference victories over Youngstown State (24-17) and Missouri State (51-24) ... return a pair of MVFC First-Team selections in Rakota Cation (RS) and Dante Hendrix (WR)  
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