CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2017 Western Illinois

8–⁠4 (5–⁠3 Missouri Valley Football Conference).

Schedule and results

Western Illinois in 2017, game by game: won at Tennessee Tech 41–14; won at Northern Arizona 38–20; won at Coastal Carolina 52–10; lost vs. South Dakota 33–38; won at Northern Iowa 38–29; won vs. Missouri State 49–30; lost at North Dakota State 12–24; lost vs. South Dakota State 24–52; won at Illinois State 31–14; won at Indiana State 45–0; won vs. Southern Illinois 28–14; lost at Weber State 19–21+45−28Won 41–14 at Tennessee Tech+27Tennessee TechWon 38–20 at Northern Arizona+18Northern ArizonaWon 52–10 at Coastal Carolina+42Coastal CarolinaLost 33–38 vs. South Dakota-5South DakotaWon 38–29 at Northern Iowa+9Northern IowaWon 49–30 vs. Missouri State+19Missouri StateLost 12–24 at North Dakota State-12North Dakota St…Lost 24–52 vs. South Dakota State-28South Dakota St…Won 31–14 at Illinois State+17Illinois StateWon 45–0 at Indiana State+45Indiana StateWon 28–14 vs. Southern Illinois+14Southern Illino…Lost 19–21 at Weber State-2Weber State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 31atTennessee TechW 41–⁠1447%
Sep 9atNorthern ArizonaW 38–⁠2049%
Sep 23atCoastal CarolinaW 52–⁠1035%
Sep 30vsSouth DakotaL 33–⁠3863%
Oct 7atNorthern IowaW 38–⁠2947%
Oct 14vsMissouri StateW 49–⁠3084%
Oct 21atNorth Dakota StateL 12–⁠2425%
Oct 28vsSouth Dakota StateL 24–⁠5258%
Nov 4atIllinois StateW 31–⁠1435%
Nov 11atIndiana StateW 45–⁠080%
Nov 18vsSouthern IllinoisW 28–⁠1479%
Nov 25atWeber StateL 19–⁠2145%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Weber State 21–⁠19; unranked in the final AP poll; 4th in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

In program history: The best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 53 on file).

Record
8–⁠4
Conference
5–⁠3 4th in Missouri Valley Football Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
410–⁠266
Coach
—
Elo
1454 +129 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
−2.8 No. 4 of 124 in FCS
Recruiting class
No. 176
Offensive coordinators
Doug Malone and Jared Elliott
Defensive coordinator
Tony Grantham

Leaders

Passing yardsSean McGuire QB276 yds
Passing touchdownsSean McGuire QB3 TD
Rushing yardsMax Norris RB80 yds
Rushing touchdownsDevon Sanders RB1 TD
Receiving yardsAdam Conrady TE67 yds
Receiving touchdownsAdam Conrady TE1 TD
TacklesBrett Taylor LB8 tkl
SacksColin Olson DL1 sacks
InterceptionsJustin Fitzpatrick DB2 INT

Top recruits in the 2017 class

Eli Watson WR★★★No. 1744
J’Len Smith WDE★★No. 2358
Shabar Wilson DT★★No. 3925
Isaiah Cherrier RB★★No. 3925
Andre Whitley ILB★★No. 4117

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2017 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Running backs12.00.758
Receivers13.00.816
Defensive line22.00.774
Linebackers12.00.748
Whole class52.20.774

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

2017 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
North Dakota State7–⁠114–⁠1
South Dakota State7–⁠211–⁠3
Northern Iowa6–⁠38–⁠5
Western Illinois5–⁠38–⁠4
South Dakota4–⁠48–⁠5
Illinois State4–⁠46–⁠5
Youngstown State4–⁠46–⁠5
Southern Illinois2–⁠64–⁠7
Missouri State2–⁠63–⁠8
Indiana State0–⁠80–⁠11

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.