Leatherneck Nation

wiu712 wrote:After two straight years of playing 12 games in the regular season, Western will return to the normal 11-game schedule for 2015.

Technically, everyone goes back to 11 games (just the way the calendar worked out last year and this year). In a normal 11-game season, we would have only played one FBS team (like we will next year). Really, the 2nd FBS game is kinda like a "bonus". Yea, it adds another loss to the schedule, but 5-7....5-6...neither record would get us into the playoffs...and it's an extra few hundred thousand $ towards the athletics budget.

The awesome thing about next year's FBS team is (and I'll get into this a bit more in my upcoming 2015 "preview"), we're playing Illinois. As P5 conference teams go, they're one of the easier ones...plus it's close, so we should have a good crowd there. Considering our improvement so far, I see the U of I game as borderline "winnable".

Sycamores are in!,,, jc

Saturday's attendance of 1,783 at Hanson Field was comparable to other teams playing a game on the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Eastern Illinois had 2,170 for their home game with Tennessee-Martin.

Who would have ever thought that a game played on November 22 would have been one of the better days weather-wise for a home football game ????

You might remember that the season started on August 28 with a storm that came thru one hour before kickoff. That resulted in a lightning delay before the game even started.

We all remember that very cold Homecoming day on October 4. The other 2 home games in October were also cooler than normal.

It was a "balmy" 57 on Saturday with no rain. It's still warm on Sunday, but there has been an all day rain which would have not been pleasant for fans sitting outside at a game.

We really lucked out with the weather on Saturday!

I can only say that this has been an incredible and fun ride with the Leatherneck gang! My son made the best of every minute he had on this team, he worked hard he laid it all out there. We have made some lifelong friends and will consider ourself part of the Leatherneck family forever. This game was so much fun - being senior day I fought back tears - but in the end I let them flow - thank you all who came out in support of the team! The team played thier hearts out, it was a great way to go out!! Go Necks - Good luck in the years to come, good things are coming with the Nielson regime.......... #17 and his family will always be a Leatherneck!

Sights and Sounds from Saturday's Game:

They sure went out in style!!! Wish we'd seen that team all year long!

Congrats to all the seniors. We'll miss you, and hope that wonderful things are coming your way.

It's a great time to be a Leatherneck!

I think that everyone left Hanson Field on Saturday with a positive outlook for the future. It was a great way to end the season.

First win on "Senior Day" since 2010.

Anyone hear how Devon Moore is? Apparently they were concerned about him having a concussion Saturday.

Also healing wishes for JJ, as they said he was fighting a staph infection after his surgery.

JJ is having a surgery today for his staph infection - he is still in Macomb Hospital.