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Sarah Ritter

Western Illinois University Football Makes Big South-OVC Debut at Charleston Southern

| By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
MACOMB, IL. – After snapping a 27-game losing streak last week, the Western Illinois University football team tries to keep the winning ways going, traveling to Charleston Southern for a 3 p.m. kickoff on Saturday. This is WIU's first-ever game as a member of the Big South-Ohio Valley Football Association and the first time the Leathernecks and Buccaneers have ever played in football.

WHO |Western Illinois (1-3, 0-0) at Charleston Southern (1-3, 0-1)

WHEN |Saturday, October 5, 3 p.m.

WHERE |Buccaneer Field, Charleston, South Carolina.

FOLLOW ALONG | STREAM;RADIO;LIVE STATS

SOCIAL MEDIA | X; Facebook; Instagram

PREVIOUSLY |Western Illinois picked up its first win of the season last week, topping McKendree 49-32. The Leathernecks were led by Cameren Smith's 199 yards rushing. The ground game was top-notch for WIU, grinding out 273 yards. CSU fell in its Big South-Ohio Valley opener, 13-9 to Tennessee State. The Bucs led 9-7 after three quarters. TSU scored the game-winning touchdown with :46 remaining. Ison rushed 33 times for 157 yards in that contest. CSU held a 41:29-18:31 time of possession advantage and outgained TSU 309-208.

ABOUT THE LEATHERNECKS | Western Illinois averages 25.25 points per game while allowing 53.5 points per contest … The Leathernecks are averaging 143.1 yards per game on the ground (3.9 per carry) … WIU averages 213 passing yards per game … RB Cameren Smith leads the ground attack with 86.25 yards per game … QB Nathan Lamb is 68-107-3 passing for 775 yards and three touchdowns … WRs Matthew Henry and Eli Aragon each have 13 receptions while Christian Anaya has 12 and Demari Davis 11. Davis has 199 yards while Henry has 198. Aragon leads the WR groups with two touchdown receptions … Ryan Crandall leads the defense in total tackles (35) and tackles for loss (2.5). Michael Newman is second in tackles (33) and first in solo tackles (17). He is also tied for first in sacks (one) … Punter Jared Campbell has 19 punts this season with an average of 40.63. He has a long of 48 and has had three kicks downed inside the 20 … Antonio Chadha is 3-5 on field goals with a long of 46. He is 12-13 on extra points.

ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS | CSU averages 13.5 points per game while allowing 23.25 per contest … The Bucs average 116.3 yards per game on the ground, rushing for 3.0 yards per attempt … CSU passes for 153.75 yards per game … Autavius Ison leads the ground game, averaging 80.5 yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry … CSU has pled three QBs this season. Rob McCoy Jr. is 33-53-0 for 444 yards and three TDs in three games. In two games, Kaleb Jackson is 4-12 for 90 yards and 0 TDs. Zolten Osborne is 10-19-2 for 81 yards in one game … Noah Jennings leads the team with 15 catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns.  Chris Rhone has 12 catches for 171 yards and Jamil Bishop adds five receptions for 110 yards and a TD … Steve Zayachkowsky leads the CSU defense in tackles with 25. He also has one sack, two QB hurries, and a forced fumble. Trayson Fowler is next with 20 tackles … Punter Grayson Brown averages 50.36 yards on 22 punts. He has a long of 72 yards, three +50-yard kicks, and three placed inside the 20 … Reid Montgomery is 4-4 on field goals with a long of 37.

HISTORY |This is the first time the two programs have ever met on the football field. It is WIU 's first conference game as a member of the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association.

NOTES | Smith's rushing total was the highest for the program since Steve McShane ran for 207 vs. Eastern Illinois in 2016 … The 49 points scored by WIU last Saturday were the most for the program since dropping 56 on Eastern Washington on September 18, 2021 … Ryan Crandall had a career-best 14 tackles last week. Crandall had 1.5 tackles for loss as well as a pass breakup. Crandall's 10 solo tackles were the most by a WIU defense since TJ Limehouse had 14 in a game in 2021 … Demari Davis scored two touchdowns last week, one on the ground (17-yard rush) and one through the air (74-yard catch and run) … Kicker Antonio Chadha had a big day, going 7-7 on extra points and adding four touchbacks on kickoffs … Chadha also had a tackle assist, saving a touchdown on a kick return with a stop … Western Illinois' win snapped a 27-game losing streak. Next up for WIU is to try and snap an 18-game road losing streak. Western Illinois' last road win came at Youngstown State on September 25, 2021.

AROUND THE BIG SOUTH-OHIO VALLEY | Tennessee Tech (2-2, 2-0) won its second league game of the season last week, topping Gardner-Webb (1-4, 0-1) 52-21. Lindenwood (2-3, 1-0) moved to 1-0 in league play, topping Eastern Illinois (1-4, 0-1) 28-25 in the conference opener for each. SEMO (4-1, 1-0) continues to hold the top record in the league, winning 19-0 against Northwestern State last week. Tennessee State (3-2, 1-1) earned evened its league record at 1-1, defeating Charleston Southern (1-3, 0-1) 13-9 last Saturday. UT Martin (2-3, 0-1) scored a huge win for itself and the league, topping FBS foe Kennesaw State 24-13

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK | OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jeff Caldwell, WR • 6-5, 200, Jr. • Louisville, Ky. • Lindenwood
Held without a catch in the first half as his team fell behind 17-0, Caldwell caught four second-half passes, all of which went for touchdowns, as Lindenwood came from behind to top Eastern Illinois 28-25 on the road. The junior had scores of 11 and 22 yards in the third quarter and added an eight-yarder with 9:15 to play to give the Lions its first lead of the game. With just over six minutes to play, Caldwell raced 74 yards for his fourth and final score of the day. The junior finished with 115 receiving yards, averaging 28.8 yards per reception. The four touchdown catches are the most by an FCS player in a game this season, while his seven total receiving touchdowns on the season are tied for the national lead.
Others Nominated: Autavius Ison, Charleston Southern; Pierce Holley, Eastern Illinois; Draylen Ellis, Tennessee State; Aidan Littles, Tennessee Tech; Patrick Smith, UT Martin; Cameren Smith, Western Illinois.

CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Theron Gaines, DL • 6-1, 237, Jr. • Murfreesboro, Tenn. • Tennessee Tech
Gaines was a menace in the backfield as Tennessee Tech toppled Gardner-Webb 52-21 to improve to 2-0 in Conference play for the first time since 2011. The junior finished the game with seven tackles (6 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss (for -38 yards), and 3.0 sacks (for -36 yards) and forced a fumble. His forced fumble was picked up by Daniel Rickert who rumbled 50 yards for a touchdown to put TTU ahead 38-7 in the third quarter. Two of his sacks came on the same drive in the second quarter, led to a punt, and six plays later the Golden Eagles scored to go ahead 21-0. The 3.0 sacks are tied for the fourth-most by an FCS player this season
 
CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Oshae Baker, S • 5-10, 200, Sr. • Sanford, Fla. • UT Martin
With his team knotted with FBS foe Kennesaw State in the third quarter, Baker intercepted a pass and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown to put UT Martin on top in a 24-13 victory. It marked the second-ever FBS win in program history. It marked his seventh career interception. The Preseason All-American added six tackles (5 solo) as the Skyhawks only allowed 215 yards of total offense and one offensive touchdown.
Others Nominated: Trayson Fowler, Charleston Southern; Anthony Shockey, Eastern Illinois; Spencer Roof, Tennessee State; Ryan Crandall, Western Illinois.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DC Pippin, K • 6-0, 195, Sr. • Springfield, Ill. • Southeast Missouri
Pippin scored 13 of Southeast Missouri's 19 points as the Redhawks remained undefeated against FCS competition this season in a 19-0 win over Northwestern State. The senior converted a career-high four field goals (30, 38, 37, 24) and added an extra point. Pippin also kicked off five times for 295 yards and averaged 59 yards per kickoff with one touchback.
Others Nominated: Gilbert Brown, Charleston Southern; Jacob Horvath, Eastern Illinois; DC Pippin, Southeast Missouri; Dom LeBlanc, Tennessee Tech; Antonio Chadha, Western Illinois.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Sanders Ellis, LB • 6-2, 225, Fr. • Nashville, Tenn. • Tennessee State
Ellis tallied 11 tackles (4 solo) as Tennessee State topped Charleston Southern 13-9 to improve to 1-1 in league play. The true freshman also had 0.5 tackles for loss and recovered a key fumble in TSU's own territory; the Tigers were able to convert that to seven points on the next drive. It marks the second time this season he has been named Big South-OVC Freshman of the Week.
Others Nominated: Reid Montgomery, Charleston Southern; Dom LeBlanc, Tennessee Tech; Avery Knight, Western Illinois.

PRESEASON NOTES | For the Leathernecks, Nathan Lamb (quarterback), Torrance Farmer Jr. (running back), Demari Davis (wide receiver), Brandon Lanier (tight end), Isaiah Foote (offensive line), Tre Henry (defensive line), Juan DelaCruz (linebacker), Willie Jones (defensive back), Christiaan Masucci (placekicker) and Jared Campbell (punter) were named Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association Players to Watch … Western Illinois football team also was recognized by Phil Steele/Draftscout.com with five players named to the 2024 Phil Steele/Draftscout.com Preseason All-Big South-OVC Team. The Leathernecks had a pair of linebackers named second team as Juan DelaCruz and Ryan Crandall were honored. Western Illinois also had a trio of players named third team as wide receiver Demari Davis, offensive lineman Isaiah Foote, and cornerback Willie Jones were listed.

FOLLOW THE LEATHERNECKS
For all the latest information on Leatherneck Football, please visit GoLeathernecks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Leathernecks on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
 
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