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Football vs Tennessee Tech Hall of Fame Day 700.5091
Sarah Ritter

Leathernecks Return Home to Host Tennessee State

| By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
MACOMB – After two games on the road, the Western Illinois University football team returns to Macomb for a home game this weekend.
The Leathernecks welcome Tennessee State for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The game also serves as a 70s-era Player Reunion Weekend.

WHO | Tennessee State (6-3, 3-2) at Western Illinois (3-6, 2-3)

WHEN | Saturday, November 9; 1 p.m.

WHERE | Hanson Field; Macomb, Illinois

FOLLOW ALONG | Watch;Listen;Live Stats

SOCIAL MEDIA | X; Facebook; Instagram

PREVIOUSLY | Western Illinois fell on the road at Eastern Illinois. It was a back-and-forth game with the offenses trading scores. EIU's defense made a late stop to hold onto the victory. WIU QB Nathan Lamb threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns.
Tennessee State is coming off a loss against UT Martin, 28-21. Draylen Ellis threw for 312 yards and Jalal Dean churned out 118 receiving yards, but Tennessee State fell to UT Martin 28-21 at Nissan Stadium Saturday night.

NEXT | Western Illinois hits the road to take on Big South-OVC leader Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Tennessee State is at Gardner-Webb.

ABOUT THE LEATHERNECKS | WIU is 3-6 overall and 2-3 in league play. The Leathernecks have lost two straight games. The squad scores 29.11 per game while allowing 43.78. Cameren Smith leads the ground game with 76.78 yards per game. QB Nathan Lamb is 191-285-4 for 2263 yards and 15 TDs. Eli Aragon leads the team with 46 catches and six TDs. He also has 527 yards. Matthew Henry has 45 catches with three TDs and a team-high 738 yards. Ryan Crandall leads the teams with 67 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss. Punter Jared Campbell has 35 punts with an average of 39.91 yards per boot. Kicker Antonio Chadha is 10-12 on field goals with a long of 48.

ABOUT THE TIGERS | Tennessee State is currently 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big South/OVC. The squad is receiving votes in the latest Top 25 poll. TSU scores 25 points per game while allowing 23.67 a game. On the ground, the Tigers spread the ball around with four ball carriers with at least 50 carries. Quarterback Draylen Ellis is 178-295-6 with 15 touchdowns and 2084 yards. Karate Brenson leads the team with 44 catches and 670 yards. He also has three TDs. Jalal Dean leads the team with five receiving touchdowns. He also has 39 catches for 479 yards. Ahmad Nelson leads the squad with 57 tackles while Sanders Ellis has 54 tackles. Keandre Booker has 6.5 sacks and Boogie Trotter has three interceptions. Kicker James Lowery is 8-14 on field goals with a long of 40.

HISTORY | This is the first time the two teams have met.

NOTES | Nathan Lamb is 18th in FCS in completion percentage (67%), 16th in completions per game (21.22), tied for 22nd in passing TDs (15), 10th in passing yards (2263), 16th in passing yards per game (251.44), 12th in points responsible for (126), t-18th in points responsible per game (14.0), 27th in yards per attempt (7.94), and 11th in total offense (2526) (280.7 per game). Lamb is also second in the league in total offense ... Eli Aragon is tied for 22nd in FCS in receiving touchdowns (6) and 16th in receptions per game (5.8) … Matthew Henry is 11th in receiving yards (738), 17th in receiving yards per game (82.0) … Western Illinois is 13th in passing offense (270.7 per game) and 35th in points per game (29.1) … Western Illinois is second in the Big South-OVC in passing offense and passing efficiency … Ryan Crandall is fourth in the league in total tackles (67)

AROUND THE BIG SOUTH-OHIO VALLEY | Last week: Charleston Southern remained winless in league play, falling 17-14 to Gardner-Webb. Eastern Illinois picked up its first conference win, beating Western Illinois, 45-38. In a battle for second place, UT Martin topped Tennessee State, 28-21. Tennessee Tech exploded offensively, winning 52-10 over Lindenwood. Southeast Missouri State was on a bye.

This week: Western Illinois is home, welcoming Tennessee State. Gardner-Webb and Eastern Illinois face off, looking for back-to-back wins. SEMO puts its unbeaten conference record on the line, visiting Lindenwood. UT Martin tries to remain in second, visiting Charleston Southern. Tennessee Tech steps out of conference play and is visiting Samford.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MJ Flowers, RB • 6-1, 220, R-So. • Cincinnati, Ohio • Eastern Illinois
Flowers tallied 280 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns as Eastern Illinois topped in-state rival Western Illinois 45-38. The sophomore carried the ball 27 times for 194 yards (7.2 ypc) and a 10-yard touchdown in the first quarter. In the fourth quarter, he had a 65-yard run where he broke through multiple defenders to set up EIU's final touchdown of the day. Flowers also caught three passes for 86 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter, and an 18-yarder on the first drive of the fourth quarter. His 280 all-purpose yards ranks fifth in the FCS in 2024; he ranks 21st nationally in all-purpose yards (116.56).
Others Nominated: Tyler Riddell, Gardner-Webb; Jalen Mitchell, Tennessee Tech; Kinkead Dent, UT Martin; Nathan Lamb, Western Illinois.

DEFENSIVE CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Davion Williams, SAF • 6-1, 185, R-So. • Frostproof, Fla. • Charleston Southern
Williams led all players with eight tackles (seven solo) in Saturday's game with Gardner-Webb. The sophomore had four tackles for loss (for -17 yards) and a sack (for -9 yards) while forcing a fumble and adding a quarterback hurry. His biggest play of the day was a strip sack in the third quarter, that gave the Bucs the ball back in the red zone and led to a touchdown three plays later. Williams' four TFL's are the most by a Big South-OVC player this season (12th-most nationally) and most by a CSU player in a game since 2021.

DEFENSIVE CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cayman Spaulding, LB • 6-0, 189, So. • Lithonia, Ga. • Tennessee Tech
Spaulding had six tackles (four solo), 2.5 tackles for loss (for -8 yards), a sack and returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown in Tennessee Tech's 52-10 Homecoming victory over Lindenwood. After his team had scored early in the third quarter to increase the lead to 24-0, the sophomore picked off the next pass and streaked to the end zone to increase the lead to 31-0. He was a key part of a defense that limited the Lions to only 249 yards of total offense.
Others Nominated: Nicholas Oliveira-Chace, Eastern Illinois; Chris Hunter Jr., UT Martin; Juan De La Cruz, Western Illinois.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
CJ Evans, RS/RB • 5-8, 180, Sr. • Mobile, Ala. • Tennessee State
Evans returned his second kickoff return for a touchdown on the season, this time 98 yards against UT Martin on Saturday. With his team trailing 21-0 late in the first quarter, Evans took the kickoff and scored to trim the margin. It is tied for the 10th longest kickoff return in the FCS this season; Evans had a 99-yarder earlier this year against Howard, making him one of five players nationally with two kick returns for touchdowns this season. The senior averaged 46.7 yards on three returns, rushed for seven yards and caught two passes for 16 yards to finish with 163 all-purpose yards. Evans has nine total kickoff returns this season and is averaging 44.38 yards per return.
Others Nominated: Gilbert Brown, Charleston Southern; Julian Patino, Eastern Illinois; Patrick Turner, Lindenwood; Dom LeBlanc, Tennessee Tech; Toriano Tate, Western Illinois.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Tyson Greenwade, RB • 5-11, 210, R-Fr. • Dalton, Ga. • Charleston Southern
Greenwade accounted for 99 all-purpose yards and a touchdown in Charleston Southern's home game with rival Gardner-Webb. He carried the ball 15 times for 68 yards (4.5 ypc) and scored on a 1-yard run in the third quarter to pull his team within three points. The freshman also caught three passes for 31 yards, including a 25-yard reception late in the fourth quarter that led to a CSU touchdown a play later as the Bucs cut the margin to 17-14.
Others Nominated: Quenton Rogers, Eastern Illinois; Sanders, Ellis, Tennessee State; Dom LeBlanc, Tennessee Tech; Jonathon Williams, 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.
 
                                                            WIU                TSU
Points per game                             29.11            25.00
Points allowed                                   43.78            23.67
Total yards per game                       399.3              331.9
First Downs                                        202                158
Rushing yards per game                128.7              98.8
Passing yards per game                   270.67          233.11
Yards allowed per game                  511.9              327.3
Rushing yards allowed per game    256.8              147.0
Passing yards allowed per game      255.11           180.33
Penalties-yards                                 56-514          61-544
Average per punt                              39.91             38.83
Average time of possession               30:56           29:19
Third-down conversions                   53-123           44-119
Fourth-down conversions                12-19                    2-9
Sacks-yards                                        15-108         23-183
Field goals                                          10-12            8-14

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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