Leatherneck Nation

AT

Game Time: 6PM Central
Location: J. Laurence Walkup Skydome, Flagstaff, AZ (Altitude: 6,910 ft)
Weather: (less relevant, due to being in a dome)


TV: Big Sky Streaming (free), also Pluto TV (streaming apps on various devices, just testing it out now, I’ll report back on how well it works later this week).
Radio: Announcers (Scott Kornberg, Dr. Tom Cody) - Beardstown - WRMS (94.3 FM); Macomb - WJEQ (102.7 FM); Galesburg - WAIK (1590 AM); Quincy - WPWQ (106.7 FM); Clinton, Iowa - (KCLN 1390 AM)
Internet: wrmsfm.com or Tune-In Radio App (Google store and iTunes)
Live Stats: NAU StatMonitr
Game Notes: Western Illinois | Northern Arizona

A bit about Northern Arizona

NAU finished last season a disappointing (considering their preseason expectations) 5-6 overall, 4-4 in the Big Sky conference, including a loss to Western in Macomb as their second game, by a score of 34-20. Part of their struggles later in the season were due to the season-ending injury to their star QB, FCS STATS National Freshman of the Year/Jerry Rice Award Winner Case Cookus in game 4 of their 2016 season. They also have WR threat Emmanuel Butler, OG Tyler Strank, and PK Griffin Roehler who were all named to the preseason All-Conference team this year. Overall, in the Big Sky preseason poll, NAU is expected to finish 3rd (out of 13 teams). In the 62-24 loss to Arizona last week, Cookus threw for 306 passing yards and 2 INT. They had two players go over 100 rushing yards, JR transfer from Boise State, Cory Young (115 yards, 2 TDs), and SO Joe Logan (101 yards, 1 TD). SR WR Elijah Marks was their top receiver with 147 yards.

Series History
Western has played Northern Arizona twice in our history, a 34-20 win in Macomb last season, and a 34-0 loss in Flagstaff in 1967.

Predictions
Massey - 35-30, WIU Victory
Compughterratings.com - 35-29, WIU win
Nationalsportsrankings.com - 33-28, WIU win
5Dimes Odds - WIU -3, Over/Under 65
Sagarin (calculation, doesn't round) - 30.12 to 28.83, WIU win

Rankings
Sagarin (out of all 254 DI teams) - WIU 113, NAU 142
STATS Top 25 - WIU 22, NAU 33 (ORV)
Massey Composite - WIU 16, NAU 43
AGS Poll - WIU 18, NAU 31 (ORV)

My Take
This game should be quite a bit more difficult than our game at TTU last weekend, for a few reasons.

• NAU has a very good offense, both on the ground and through the air. I’m not too worried about the ground game considering our D-Line and LBs, but long passes could be an issue
• Altitude - Flagstaff is at nearly 7,000 feet above sea level (the second-highest DI stadium in the country). If this game is close until late, or if it turns into a “track meet” then our guys have some issues getting winded before theirs do.

I’m not too worried about our offense at this point. Last season, NAU was a middle-of-the-conference defense in a conference not known for having great defenses. We should be able to move the ball fairly well against them. The big question is can we keep up with their offense (or can we shut down their offense like we were mostly able to against Tennessee Tech). NAU is a much better team than TTU, but I think we can still pull out a win, albeit a much closer one. Personally, I think our defense will continue to step up, put pressure on the QB, shut down the run game, maybe give up one or two big passes, but hold them to about 24 points. I say a 30-24 Leatherneck victory.

I've been waiting for the game since it was announced!! I live in Flagstaff and will be there cheering loud. Anyone else joining me in the dome and tailgating??

AZ Neck wrote: Tue Sep 05, 2017 11:39 am I've been waiting for the game since it was announced!! I live in Flagstaff and will be there cheering loud. Anyone else joining me in the dome and tailgating??

I won't be there, so cheer extra loud for me!!!!!!!!!

I have a couple of hometown (Alexis, IL) friends joining me at the game. One is now living in QC area and the other is relocated to Phoenix area and has family who are NAU alums. Not sure who he will rooting for, I might be bringing a traitor.

Dominant Defense: WIU halts the run in week one.

From WGEM Sports with Sean Barie:
http://www.wgem.com/story/36296782/2017 ... n-week-one

Running the ball, stopping the run keys WIU.

From today's McDonough County Voice:
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/sports/20 ... n-keys-wiu

sealhall74 wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2017 5:30 am I have a couple of hometown (Alexis, IL) friends joining me at the game. One is now living in QC area and the other is relocated to Phoenix area and has family who are NAU alums. Not sure who he will rooting for, I might be bringing a traitor.

Sounds good! See you in the lot.

Updated information regarding television coverage for Saturday's game at Northern Arizona:

Northern Arizona Athletics is advising that the game will be televised on Fox Sports Arizona Plus and also on Fox College Sports Pacific.

Fox College Sports Pacific is also available on your computer via Fox Sports Go:
https://www.foxsportsgo.com/program/255 ... rn-arizona

On the Sidelines: Leathernecks head west in search of 2-0 start (WGEM)

Also, from here: http://macombnewsnow.com/local-sports/322167
Interview with Scott Kornberg
[media]http://macombnewsnow.com/assets/files/K ... NAU%20.mp3[/media]

Do they fly out of Peoria or the Quad Cities?