Who | Western Illinois (1-5, 1-2) vs. South Dakota State (4-1, 1-1)

When | Saturday, Oct. 16 (12 p.m. CT)

Where | Macomb, Ill. (Hanson Field)

Radio | Q 98.1 and Leatherneck Sports Network (Mixlr) - Dr. Tom Cody and Randy Larson

TV | ESPN +

Social Media | Twitter + Facebook + #TRADITIONofTOUGH

Quick Hits

• This Saturday (Oct. 16) will see Western Illinois football be at home for a third time this season -- facing a nationally-ranked South Dakota State squad.

• WIU stands at 1-2 in Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) play after dropping a 37-27 tilt at Indiana State this past weekend (Oct. 9).

• SDSU sits seventh in the NCAA Stats Perform FCS Top 25 rankings. The Jackrabbits most recently suffered a 42-41 overtime loss against #4 Southern Illinois.

Most Recently … | Arriving in Terre Haute, Indiana, to face the Sycamores of Indiana State, WIU made some noteworthy comeback attempts in the second half but ultimately fell 37-27.

On its second drive of the afternoon, Indiana State firstly found its way into the end zone after completing an off-balanced catch. Led by Sampson, Western was able to get into Sycamore territory, but the home team made a fourth-down sack and bumped its advantage to 10-0 after sending a 35-yard field goal through the uprights as the first quarter winded down.

After scooping up a fumble to begin the second period, ISU soon went for another field goal but was unsuccessful on a 37-yard kick. Four minutes later, after getting a hand on a Leatherneck punt, the Sycamores ran in a three-yard touchdown to go ahead 17-0. Western plugged in a solid drive behind Sampson's passing game to get on the scoreboard, as Jack Whyte completed a 1-yard catch. Nevertheless, ISU delivered another immediate punch on a 59-yard run, increasing the advantage to 24-7. WIU again passed its way into another scoring opportunity late in the period, but a 44-yard field goal did not go through before halftime arrived.

Minutes into the third, an 88-yard receiving touchdown had the score sitting at 31-7 with ISU still in front. Ludovick Choquette gave Western its second score with a 5-yard grab around the eight-minute mark. The Leatherneck offense began to get in a groove and cut further into the deficit when Daniel Bender's 10-yard touchdown reception had his squad trailing 31-21. Before the quarter came to a close, ISU delivered its second field goal of the game.

A defensive effort from WIU prevented another ISU touchdown that was inches away from occurring early in the fourth. Still, the Sycamores scored a third field goal to stay ahead, 37-21. After a few traded defensive stretches, Western posted one final receiving touchdown by Tony Tate, but ISU was able to hold on for the home victory.

Career Feats for Connor | Holding it down at quarterback, Connor Sampson has had an exceptional season thus far. The captain set a new career-high in single-game passing yards for the second time in three weeks during the Indiana State setback. He went for 449 yards on 36-59 passing for four touchdowns and one interception. That mark for yards ranks third-best in program single-game records, while Sampson's 36 completions are second-most. He is one of only two Leathernecks to throw multiple 400-yard passing games in a season (Matt Barr being the other in 2010).

Let's Go, Ludo! | After a strong spring campaign, sophomore Ludovick Choquette has continued his place as a notable contributor to the team's offensive attack this year. A versatile option, he has scored a touchdown reception in each of Western's last four games. His longest catch for a score (30 yards) happened during the home opener versus Eastern Washington (Sept. 18). Choquette is second and fifth on the team in rushing yards and receiving yards, respectively.

A Brief History | SDSU is on a three-game winning streak and holds an 11-5 record versus the Leathernecks. Western's most recent win in the all-time series happened on Nov. 21, 2015, at home (30-24). This past spring, the Jackrabbits protected its home field in defeating WIU 45-10.

Into the Lineup | Two defensive backs have made their first career starts as Leathernecks during recent outings: Terin Adams and Shawntrez Spates. Adams got the start at Indiana State while Spates started against Youngstown State and Indiana State. When WIU brought Southern Illinois to town, both defenders finished with season-highs of four solo tackles.

National Nods | WIU's passing game has kept them near the top of national FCS team rankings, as the Leathernecks are ninth in passing offense (324.8 yards per game) and completion percentage (.667).
 

Individually, a few players continue to stand out:

*Parentheses denote national ranking within FCS individuals.
 

Connor Sampson: Passing yards - 1,861 (4th); passing touchdowns - 16 (5th); completions per game - 28.50 (5th); points responsible for - 102 (6th)

Dennis Houston: Receiving yards - 687 (1st); receiving yards per game - 114.5 (3rd); receptions per game - 8.2 (3rd); all-purpose yards - 123.0 (18th)

Michael Lawson: Forced fumbles - 4 (1st)

Darius Joiner: Total tackles - 77 (3rd); solo tackles - 45 (3rd)