Leatherneck Nation

 VS 

Opponent: Tennessee State Tigers
Game Time: Saturday, October 3 at 3 PM
Location: Hanson Field, Macomb

Last Year: Tennessee State went 2-10 overall with wins over North Carolina A&T and Howard. Last year's matchup with WIU was a 17-16 Leatherneck win in Nashville.
This Year: The Tigers are 1-3 so far this season with a loss against Jackson State (26-24), loss at FBS Georgia (63-3), loss at Alabama A&M (30-3), and a win at Florida A&M (29-26).
History: The Leathernecks and Tigers have faced off twice, a 45-20 win for TSU in 2024, and last year's WIU win (17-16). The overall series is 1-1.

Projections: 

• Massey Ratings gives us a 77% chance of victory, with a predicted score of 31-21 for the Leathernecks
• Sagarin says 81% chance of a WIU win, with a predicted score of 30-10

Last weekend's game is definately one we should have won, but a couple of mistakes caused it to slip away. We need to clean those up and reduce the number of sacks allowed and we should be able to come away with a solid win. According to Massey Ratings, this game gives us our best chance of a victory for the rest of the season.
 

 
 

9 one score games in 2.5 years...crazy.  Davis has gotten WIU back to being competitive but have to take another step & come out on the W side of these. 
 

Saw LB Lee Russell being inducted into WIU HOF tomorrow at the game.  He played during my years at WIU.  One bad dude on the football field.

Game Day Weather:
Sunny skies.
High 71.
Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.

Fan Duel lists Western as 11.5-point favorite.
 
 
 

NewNeck wrote: Fri Oct 02, 2026 5:53 pm Saw LB Lee Russell being inducted into WIU HOF tomorrow at the game.  He played during my years at WIU.  One bad dude on the football field.

 

His redshirt freshman year (2000) was he, Hartwell and Junior Robinson at LB's.   He was undersized, especially compared to those guys, but was an absolute stud.  Great 4 year career and one of the many LB greats. Back when we used to get Power 5 LB transfers, it was nice having a home grown stud.  He also teamed up with Cornell Middlebrook and Jason McWilliams (not to be confused with Jason Williams) for 2 solid years of LB's.  Last year with Phil Archer.

WIU has a power 4 transfer starting at MLB (Reinicke/ISU) right now… 

I like our backers this year a lot.  Reinicke was a huge get from ISU.  We've had some athletic ones recently, but finally got some dudes with some mass and be effective stopping the run.
 

Well, this is not looking as hopeful as I had thought it would.

Love that McGill can run, but he is not the best passer.  We need to see what 5 can do and push the ball down field.

First we need to make a stop on D.

You're a D1 coach....you need to pass the ball...McGill is not the guy for that.  Figure it out.