West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University’s football team will face Tennessee Tech on Saturday, October 4 at Tucker Stadium in Cookeville, Tennessee. The Leathernecks enter the game with a 1-4 record, while Tennessee Tech is undefeated at 4-0 and ranked ninth.

Kicker Antonio Chadha has been recognized as the conference Special Teams Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks. "Chadha has delivered in pressure situations, showing both consistency and range," according to the team.

Last week, Western Illinois began OVC–Big South conference play with a 31–23 loss to Eastern Illinois at Hanson Field. The Leathernecks ran 80 plays and controlled possession for over 35 minutes but were unable to overcome several long runs by their opponent. Freshman quarterback Cason Carswell completed 16 of 22 passes for 118 yards and threw two touchdowns to senior tight end Alex Williams, who finished with three catches for 20 yards. Senior tight end Tristin Duncan led all receivers with ten catches for 78 yards, while running back Markell Holman rushed for 91 yards on 23 carries.

Tennessee Tech comes into this weekend’s matchup having started conference play strong and relying on a solid run defense, depth in the backfield, and timely plays on both offense and defense. The Golden Eagles are coached by Bobby Wilder.

A win would give Western Illinois its first conference victory of the season and hand Tennessee Tech its first loss. "A win over the Golden Eagles would not only hand Tennessee Tech its first loss of the season, but it would also send a message that Western Illinois is capable of knocking off the league's best," according to team officials.

Fans can find updates about Leatherneck Football at GoLeathernecks.com or follow the team on social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.