The 2023 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team represented Western Illinois University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Myers Hendrickson. The Leathernecks played their home games at Hanson Field in Macomb, Illinois. This was the final season for the Leathernecks in the MVFC before moving to the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) for the 2024–25 season.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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| September 2 | 8:00 p.m. | at New Mexico State* | | ESPN+ | L 21–58 | 17,843 |
| September 9 | 3:00 p.m. | Illinois State | | ESPN+ | L 18–34 | 3,648 |
| September 16 | 6:00 p.m. | Lindenwood* | | ESPN+ | L 40–43 | 3,548 |
| September 23 | 7:00 p.m. | at Southern Utah* | | ESPN+ | L 17–37 | 6,504 |
| October 7 | 1:00 p.m. | at No. 16 North Dakota | | ESPN+ | L 10–49 | 9,758 |
| October 14 | 3:00 p.m. | Missouri State | | ESPN+ | L 7–48 | 2,809 |
| October 21 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 14 North Dakota State | | ESPN+ | L 7–52 | 14,255 |
| October 28 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 11 Southern Illinois | | ESPN+ | L 0–63 | 2,636 |
| November 4 | 1:00 p.m. | at No. 18 Northern Iowa | | ESPN+ | L 6–50 | 8,051 |
| November 11 | 12:00 p.m. | at Indiana State | | ESPN+ | L 6–27 | 3,151 |
| November 18 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 5 South Dakota | | ESPN+ | L 6–48 | 1,935 |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Central time
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[1]
Game summaries
at New Mexico State
Western Illinois Leathernecks at New Mexico State Aggies – Game summary
at Aggie Memorial Stadium, Las Cruces, New Mexico
- Date: September 2
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. MDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 93 °F (34 °C)
- Game attendance: 17,943
- Referee: Rodney Burnette
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Adam Young, Danny Knee, and Tatiana Favela
- Box score, Recap
| Game information
|
First quarter
- NMSU – Star Thomas 20-yard run (kick failed), 11:29. Aggies 6–0. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:24.
Second quarter
- NMSU – Eli Stowers 4-yard run (Ethan Albertson kick), 14:53. Aggies 13–0. Drive: 11 plays, 81 yards, 5:15.
- WIU – Jaylin Jackson 5-yard pass from Matt Morrissey (Owen Valek kick), 8:42. Aggies 13–7. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:11.
- NMSU – Monte Walkins 5-yard run (Ethan Albertson kick), 2:23. Aggies 20–7. Drive: 11 plays, 78 yards, 6:11.
- WIU – Ludovick Choquette 21-yard run (Owen Valek kick), 0:05. Aggies 20–14. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 2:18.
Third quarter
- NMSU – Ethan Albertson 37-yard field goal, 11:34. Aggies 23–14. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 2:21.
- NMSU – Bryce Childress 75-yard pass from Diego Pavia (Ethan Albertson kick), 7:58. Aggies 30–14. Drive: 2 plays, 82 yards, 0:33.
- NMSU – Jonathan Brady 80-yard pass from Diego Pavia (Ethan Albertson kick), 4:38. Aggies 37–14. Drive: 1 play, 80 yards, 0:12.
- WIU – Donald McKinney 26-yard pass from Matt Morrissey (Owen Valek kick), 2:38. Aggies 37–21. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 2:00.
Fourth quarter
- NMSU – Star Thomas 25-yard run (Ethan Albertson kick), 11:18. Aggies 44–21. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:20.
- NMSU – Jordan Parker 63-yard pass from Eli Stowers (Ethan Albertson kick), 8:49. Aggies 51–21. Drive: 2 plays, 65 yards, 0:51.
- NMSU – Makhilyn Young 3-yard run (Ethan Albertson kick), 4:13. Aggies 58–21. Drive: 5 plays, 61 yards, 2:45.
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| Statistics |
WIU |
NMSU
|
| First downs |
17 |
26
|
| Total yards |
278 |
650
|
| Rushing yards |
36 |
270
|
| Passing yards |
242 |
380
|
| Turnovers |
0 |
0
|
| Time of possession |
27:05 |
32:55
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| Team |
Category |
Player |
Statistics
|
| Western Illinois |
Passing |
Matt Morrissey |
17/31, 242 yards, 2 TD
|
| Rushing |
Ludovick Choquette |
11 rushes, 37 yards, TD
|
| Receiving |
Seth Glatz |
3 receptions, 73 yards
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| New Mexico State |
Passing |
Diego Pavia |
16/20, 317 yards, 2 TD
|
| Rushing |
Star Thomas |
12 rushes, 96 yards, 2 TD
|
| Receiving |
Jonathan Brady |
4 receptions, 102 yards, TD
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References
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