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American college football season
The 2018 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team represented Western Illinois University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Jared Elliott and played their home games at Hanson Field. They were a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). They finished the season 5–6, 4–4 in MVFC play to finish in fifth place.
Preseason[edit]
Award watch lists[edit]
Preseason MVFC poll[edit]
The MVFC released their preseason poll on July 29, 2018, with the Leathernecks predicted to finish in seventh place.[2]
| Predicted finish
|
Team
|
Votes (1st place)
|
| 1 |
North Dakota State |
390 (39)
|
| 2 |
South Dakota State |
270
|
| 3 |
Northern Iowa |
258
|
| 4 |
Youngstown State |
248
|
| 5 |
Illinois State |
248
|
| 6 |
South Dakota |
206
|
| 7 |
Western Illinois |
163
|
| 8 |
Southern Illinois |
139
|
| 9 |
Missouri State |
90
|
| 10 |
Indiana State |
41
|
Preseason All-MVFC Teams[edit]
The Leathernecks placed five at six positions players on the preseason all-MVFC teams.[3]
|
Offense
2nd team
Sean McGuire – QB
Steve McShane – RB
|
Defense
1st team
Khalen Saunders – DL
Justin Fitzpatrick – DB
Steve McShane – RS
2nd team
Quentin Moon – DB
|
Schedule[edit]
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|
| 8:00 p.m. | at Montana State* | | SWX | L 23–26 | 18,507 |
| September 8 | 6:30 p.m. | at Illinois* | | BTN | L 14–34 | 39,252 |
| September 15 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 15 Montana* | | ESPN+ | W 31–27 | 4,011 |
| September 29 | 3:00 p.m. | Youngstown State* | | ESPN3 | W 45–38 | 4,352 |
| October 6 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 15 Illinois State | | ESPN+ | L 16–33 | 8,516 |
| October 13 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 North Dakota State | | ESPN+ | L 7–34 | 2,709 |
| October 20 | 2:00 p.m. | at Missouri State | | ESPN+ | W 31–14 | 12,109 |
| October 27 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 17 Northern Iowa* | | ESPN+ | W 37–17 | 2,832 |
| November 3 | 1:00 p.m. | at Southern Illinois | | ESPN3 | W 34–31 | 4,780 |
| November 10 | 1:00 p.m. | at South Dakota | | ESPN+ | L 12–17 | 8,761 |
| November 17 | 1:00 p.m. | Indiana State* | | ESPN3 | L 13–15 | 5,822 |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Central time
|
Game summaries[edit]
At Montana State[edit]
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
| Leathernecks
|
7
|
6
|
7
|
3 |
23 |
| Bobcats
|
3
|
3
|
14
|
6 |
26 |
At Illinois[edit]
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
| Leathernecks
|
7
|
0
|
7
|
0 |
14 |
| Fighting Illini
|
0
|
14
|
10
|
10 |
34 |
Montana[edit]
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
| No. 15 Grizzlies
|
18
|
0
|
3
|
6 |
27 |
| Leathernecks
|
14
|
3
|
0
|
14 |
31 |
Youngstown State[edit]
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
| Penguins
|
7
|
0
|
10
|
21 |
38 |
| Leathernecks
|
6
|
10
|
14
|
15 |
45 |
At Illinois State[edit]
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
| Leathernecks
|
6
|
7
|
3
|
0 |
16 |
| No. 15 Redbirds
|
2
|
10
|
0
|
21 |
33 |
North Dakota State[edit]
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
| No. 1 Bison
|
3
|
14
|
7
|
10 |
34 |
| Leathernecks
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
0 |
7 |
At Missouri State[edit]
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
| Leathernecks
|
7
|
3
|
7
|
14 |
31 |
| Bears
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
7 |
14 |
Northern Iowa[edit]
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
| No. 17 Panthers
|
3
|
7
|
0
|
7 |
17 |
| Leathernecks
|
0
|
16
|
7
|
14 |
37 |
At Southern Illinois[edit]
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
| Leathernecks
|
7
|
7
|
0
|
20 |
34 |
| Salukis
|
7
|
10
|
14
|
0 |
31 |
At South Dakota[edit]
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
| Leathernecks
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
9 |
12 |
| Coyotes
|
7
|
0
|
3
|
7 |
17 |
Indiana State[edit]
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
| Sycamores
|
3
|
6
|
3
|
3 |
15 |
| Leathernecks
|
3
|
0
|
10
|
0 |
13 |
Players drafted into the NFL[edit]
References[edit]
