Who | Western Illinois (2-8, 2-5) at Northern Iowa (5-5, 3-4)

When | Saturday, November 20 -- 1 p.m.

Where | Cedar Falls, Iowa (UNI-Dome)

Radio | Q98.1, and Leatherneck Sports Network (Mixlr) - Dr. Tom Cody and RJ Larson

TV | ESPN +

Social Media | Twitter + Facebook + #TRADITIONofTOUGH
 

Quick Hits

• Western Illinois football enters its final week of regular-season play for the 2021 fall campaign, visiting Northern Iowa on Saturday (November 20) for a 1 p.m. faceoff.

• WIU is coming off a bye week after falling to South Dakota on November 6 during the team's final fall showing at Hanson Field.

• Three Leathernecks continue to lead the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in one or more stat categories.

• During the South Dakota outing, Connor Sampson became second all-time in career pass completions. He currently has notched a total of 703. Sean McGuire, a former teammate of Sampson, holds the highest clip of 771.

• In that same showing, Adam Fellner booted a 69-yard punt, the senior's best kick of the season and the second-longest of his career. The punt is tied for tenth-best in program history for single-game records.

• Northern Iowa will hold its 'Senior Day' before Saturday's game.

Most Recently … | Saturday afternoon (November 6) saw the final home showing of the regular season for WIU this fall. South Dakota came to town for a week ten contest at Hanson Field, and the Coyotes went on to secure a 42-21 decision.

South Dakota scored first on a catch for 91 yards. Tony Tate stood out on Western's subsequent drive -- first hauling in a 22-yard catch and then spotting fellow senior Daniel Bender for a 40-yard bomb to the USD05. Myles Wanza completed the deed with a short rushing touchdown, as the score became even at 7-7. Western's defense forced a couple of three-and-outs as the quarter winded down.

With a good field position to open the second frame, it didn't take long for WIU to score again, this time on a slant route to Tate. Down 14-7, South Dakota made a quick turnaround in capturing an interception and immediately scoring a 60-yard throw on the first play of its next drive. After a few traded stops, the Coyotes upped their lead to 28-14 on a 1-yard run right before the half expired.

USD grabbed another interception early in the third period, but a Michael Lawson sack helped boost the Leatherneck defense to make a quick three-and-out stop. Quick stops on both sides took up the rest of the remaining minutes, as the Coyotes remained in front, 28-14.

Another short rush propelled USD's advantage to 35-14 after the final quarter's first 40 seconds. A Leatherneck turnover on downs at the 7:42 mark led to a final touchdown by the Coyotes. Ludovick Choquette gave Western some additional points with a 21-yard catch in the end zone before the afternoon concluded in the visitors' favor.
 

Keep it a Buck |  Last week (November 10), standout defensive back Darius Joiner was named as one of eleven standouts to the 2021 Stats Perform FCS Buck Buchanan Award Watch List.

Having entered its 27th year, the award is presented annually to the national defensive player of the year in college football's Division I subdivision.

"I am very blessed and grateful to be added to the Buck Buchanan Watch List, as well as being put in position to succeed here at Western," said Joiner. "Only one defensive back has ever won the award, but maybe I can change that trend this year; making it two defensive backs to take home the Buck."

In his first year wearing the Purple and Gold, Joiner has made an immediate impact as one of the nation's best defenders. He currently leads the FCS in total tackles (133) and solo tackles (71). For his efforts in a 23-tackle performance, which ranks sixth-best in program history for a single game, Joiner was subsequently tabbed the Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week (September 26) and FCS Stats Perform National Defensive Player of the Week (September 27).

Joiner has registered double-figures in tackles in all but one of the Leathernecks' ten games this season. Seven different showings have seen him make 12 or more tackles.

Throughout program history, WIU football has had two of its own earn the Buck Buchanan Award -- James Milton in 1998 and Edgerton Hartwell in 2000. Additionally, five players finished in the top seven for award voting.
 

Still Setting Records | Back during the Leathernecks' Senior Day showing, for the second time in as many games, a standout player broke a new single-season program record. Dennis Houston notched the feat in receptions, as his 85 total on the season tops Jaelon Acklin's 84-reception mark set in 2017. His new mark came a week after Connor Sampson became a new program holder in single-season pass completions, moving past Paul Singer's 239-mark set in 1987. He currently sits at 282 completions this year.
 

A Brief History | In the all-time series between Western and Northern Iowa, the Panthers lead with a 33-16 clip. The last four meetings have seen the two programs split with two wins apiece, as UNI defeated the Leathernecks at home this past spring season (March 27) in a 34-20 decision.