2026 Week 11 - WIU vs Gardner-Webb

[ST_Lawson]

 VS 

Opponent: Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs
Game Time: Saturday, November 14 at 1 PM
Location: Hanson Field, Macomb, IL

Last Year: Last year, Gardner-Webb went 7-5 overall with a 5-3 conference record. We won the matchup at their place to end the season, 29-24.
This Year: The Runnin' Bulldogs are 3-7 with a 2-3 conference record. They have wins over North Carolina Central, Charleston Southern, and Southeast Missouri State. Losses to then #18 Austin Peay, Wofford, FBS Liberty (by 1 point), FBS Marshall (by 1 point), Eastern Illinois, UT Martin, and Lindenwood.
History: We've played GWU twice so far, both Leatherneck victories. 45-28 in Macomb in 2024 and 29-24 last year at Boiling Springs, NC

GWU Players to Know:

• RS Senior QB Cole Pennington has is 56.31% on 293 passing attempts with 11 TDs and 7 INTs for a QB rating of 118.83. He has an average of -2 yards per rushing attempts, so doesn't appear to be much of a running threat.
• Top runners are Junior RB Christian Vann (45 ypg) and Grad RB Deuce Young (40.4 ypg w/ 3 TDs)
• Top receiving threat is RS Sophomore WR Kory Jones who has 85.6 ypg and 6 TDs. We should also look out for RS Junior WR Giovanni Adopte (42.9 ypg w/ 2 TDs) and Soph WR Sean Brady (28.9 ypg w/ 2 TDs)
• Defensively, Jr LB Tre Yanez leads the team in tackles with 109 total (55 solo) with 15 for loss and 5 sacks
• Sr DL Trey Weems has 38 tackles, but 12.5 for loss (7.5 sacks) and 3 forced fumbles
• RS Junior DB Jamarion Ravenell has 32 tackles, but also 2 interceptions
• Junior punter Andrew Bontekoe averages 40.8 yards per punt on 29 punts with 4 of 50+ yards, 10 inside the 20, and 2 TBs
• RS Junior kicker Tyler Simpson is 12/18 on FGs with a long of 47
• Localish players: RB Deuce Young (Chicago Hope Academy in Chicago) and OL Nathan Jacobs (Urbandale, IA...suburb of Des Moines)

Projections: 

• Massey Ratings has us at a 56% chance of winning, with a projected score of 31-28
• Sagarin has us at about a 67% chance of a win, with a predicted score of 31-26. They actually have us as the top OVC team in their rankings, five spots ahead of SEMO.

GWU should be a win for us, but they've been unexpectedly good in a few games, so they can be dangerous if we let them stick around. The played two FBS teams and lost to each by 1 point and they beat current conference leader SEMO by 24 points. Regardless of how the rest of the season plays out, this will be our last home game (99.9% sure), so hopefully there's a decent turnout for it.

[sealhall74]

I got us winning in a blowout.  I included predictions for the other meaningful games this week.
We need "Chuck South" to pull off the mild upset.

"11-9": {"team1": "Southeast Mo. St.", "team2": "Charleston So.", "team1Score": 0, "team2Score": 0  },
"11-10": { "team1": "Gardner-Webb", "team2": "Western Ill.", "team1Score": 0, "team2Score": 0 },
"11-11": { "team1": "Lindenwood", "team2": "UT Martin",  "team1Score": 0,  "team2Score": 0 },

9 GameID: 11-9 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 30.02 20.83 Good: TBD TBD
10 GameID: 11-10 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 16.75 40.23 Good: TBD TBD
11 GameID: 11-11 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 22.16 27.48 Good: TBD TBD

[rocki]

I got us winning in a blowout.  I included predictions for the other meaningful games this week.
We need "Chuck South" to pull off the mild upset.

"11-9": {"team1": "Southeast Mo. St.", "team2": "Charleston So.", "team1Score": 0, "team2Score": 0  },
"11-10": { "team1": "Gardner-Webb", "team2": "Western Ill.", "team1Score": 0, "team2Score": 0 },
"11-11": { "team1": "Lindenwood", "team2": "UT Martin",  "team1Score": 0,  "team2Score": 0 },

9 GameID: 11-9 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 30.02 20.83 Good: TBD TBD
10 GameID: 11-10 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 16.75 40.23 Good: TBD TBD
11 GameID: 11-11 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 22.16 27.48 Good: TBD TBD

 

Obviously, I am not a computer person. This means nothing to me - I can't tell who's who, and what scores are predicted.

[ST_Lawson]

Um...so....we're in the "Others Receiving Votes" section of the Stats FCS Top 25 Poll: https://theanalyst.com/articles/fcs-top ... ng-week-10
We are the only OVC team in the ranking. We're the last one in the list, but we're on the list.
 

[ST_Lawson]

I got us winning in a blowout.  I included predictions for the other meaningful games this week.
We need "Chuck South" to pull off the mild upset.

"11-9": {"team1": "Southeast Mo. St.", "team2": "Charleston So.", "team1Score": 0, "team2Score": 0  },
"11-10": { "team1": "Gardner-Webb", "team2": "Western Ill.", "team1Score": 0, "team2Score": 0 },
"11-11": { "team1": "Lindenwood", "team2": "UT Martin",  "team1Score": 0,  "team2Score": 0 },

9 GameID: 11-9 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 30.02 20.83 Good: TBD TBD
10 GameID: 11-10 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 16.75 40.23 Good: TBD TBD
11 GameID: 11-11 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 22.16 27.48 Good: TBD TBD


 

Obviously, I am not a computer person. This means nothing to me - I can't tell who's who, and what scores are predicted.

 

As near as I can tell, it's predicting essentially (rounding the scores to the nearest whole number):
SEMO over Charleston Southern, 30-20
WIU over Gardner-Webb, 40-17
UT Martin over Lindenwood, 27-22

[rocki]

I got us winning in a blowout.  I included predictions for the other meaningful games this week.
We need "Chuck South" to pull off the mild upset.

"11-9": {"team1": "Southeast Mo. St.", "team2": "Charleston So.", "team1Score": 0, "team2Score": 0  },
"11-10": { "team1": "Gardner-Webb", "team2": "Western Ill.", "team1Score": 0, "team2Score": 0 },
"11-11": { "team1": "Lindenwood", "team2": "UT Martin",  "team1Score": 0,  "team2Score": 0 },

9 GameID: 11-9 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 30.02 20.83 Good: TBD TBD
10 GameID: 11-10 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 16.75 40.23 Good: TBD TBD
11 GameID: 11-11 Actual: 0 0 Predicted: 22.16 27.48 Good: TBD TBD



 

Obviously, I am not a computer person. This means nothing to me - I can't tell who's who, and what scores are predicted.


 

As near as I can tell, it's predicting essentially (rounding the scores to the nearest whole number):
SEMO over Charleston Southern, 30-20
WIU over Gardner-Webb, 40-17
UT Martin over Lindenwood, 27-22

 

Thanks for the clarification!!!! If this holds true, it would at least knock Lindenwood out of the tie for a week.
 

[NewNeck]

Um...so....we're in the "Others Receiving Votes" section of the Stats FCS Top 25 Poll: https://theanalyst.com/articles/fcs-top ... ng-week-10
We are the only OVC team in the ranking. We're the last one in the list, but we're on the list.
 


 

 Me neither.  Amazing what Davis and this staff have done.
 

[ST_Lawson]

We're also in the ORV section of the AGS poll, coming in tied at #37 with Dartmouth. For reference, SEMO is #35, UNI is #34, and SIU is #33.
https://www.anygivensaturday.com/forum/ ... 25-week-10

[meganeck]

I've seen a couple post on X (twitter) including one from Coach Davis urging the fans to show up for the game Saturday. So I hope they keep putting stuff out and they have a good crowd, these players deserve a good crowd.

I see they are offering a buy one get one free (BOGO) ticket promotion, which I'm glad to see them doing.This promotion is only available online it sounds like, so you won't be able to show up on game day and take advantage of this.

Also Veterans and first responders will get in free and free camo hats to the first 500 fans.
 

[ST_Lawson]

The band is also bringing in some local HS kids to get a chance to see what college marching band is like. So in addition to my daughter in the color guard (as usual), my son will be hanging out with the drumline this time.


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