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Western Illinois University Athletics

Rachael Keating
45
Winner UT Martin UTM 4-3 , 2-1
17
Western Ill. WIU 2-4 , 1-1
Winner
UT Martin UTM
4-3 , 2-1
45
Final
17
Western Ill. WIU
2-4 , 1-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UTM UT Martin 14 14 14 3 45
WIU Western Ill. 3 0 0 14 17

Game Recap: Football | | WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Western Illinois Football Falls to UT Martin on Homecoming

MACOMB — The Western Illinois University football team's brief two-game win streak came to an end on Saturday as the Leathernecks fell to Big South-Ohio Valley Conference powerhouse UT Martin 45-17 on Homecoming in Macomb.

"We did not come out with the energy necessary for a conference game at home, just disappointed," Western Illinois head coach Joe Davis said. "We gave up plays on defense that put us in a massive hole that was hard to get out of."

The Leathernecks (2-4, 1-1) fell behind early, 14-3 after a quarter and 28-3 at halftime as UT Martin used a strong balance of run and pass on offense and a stout defense to limit Western Illinois.

"UT Martin did a nice job being physical at the point of attack, we did not match their physicality from the jump," Davis said. "We had a difficult time trying to get him (running back Cameren Smith) going and they hindered any ability to get anything going on offense."

The Skyhawks (4-3, 2-1) scored on the game's opening drive to take a 7-0 lead. After the two teams traded punts, the Leathernecks went on a 10-play, 61-yard drive that ended with an Antonio Chadha 47-yard field goal.

The Skyhawks then scored touchdowns on their next three drives, taking a 28-3 lead at the break.

In the second half, UT Martin again scored 14 points in a quarter, taking a 42-3 lead after three periods. A field goal early in the fourth capped the Skyhawk scoring.

In the final frame, the Leathernecks did get the offense and defense going, scoring a pair of touchdowns, forcing a pair of turnovers, and making a fourth-down stand.

Cameren Smith (13 carries, 27 yards) got WIU into the endzone for the first time, scoring on a two-yard plunge. Quarterback Chris Irvin tacked on another Western Illinois touchdown, hitting Demari Davis on a 20-yard touchdown.

Defensively, Jeremiah Piper (five tackles) recovered a fumble and picked off a pass. Peyton Bradford forced a fumble for the Leatherneck defense.

"We have to try to build on the way we finished, getting a couple scores and a couple turnovers late," Davis said. "A couple of things we can build off of even though they weren't consequential, and that gives us something to build off of going into next week against Tennessee Tech."

KJ Coleman and Noah Epley each led WIU with nine tackles apiece. Jonathon Williams and Jordan Anderson both had seven tackles as well.

Punter Jared Campbell had eight punts with an average of 43.6 yards per punt with a long of 56. Chadha went 1-1 on field goals, hit a pair of extra points, and had three touchbacks on four kickoffs.

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