CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2024 Western Illinois

4–⁠8 (3–⁠5 Big South–OVC Football Association).

Schedule and results

Western Illinois in 2024, game by game: lost at Northern Illinois 15–54; lost at Indiana 3–77; lost at Illinois State 34–51; won vs. McKendree 49–32; won at Charleston Southern 31–20; lost vs. UT Martin 17–45; won vs. Tennessee Tech 37–21; lost at Lindenwood 38–49; lost at Eastern Illinois 38–45; lost vs. Tennessee State 20–45; lost at Southeast Missouri State 45–54; won vs. Gardner-Webb 45–28+17−74Lost 15–54 at Northern Illinois-39Northern Illino…Lost 3–77 at Indiana-74IndianaLost 34–51 at Illinois State-17Illinois StateWon 49–32 vs. McKendree+17McKendreeWon 31–20 at Charleston Southern+11Charleston Sout…Lost 17–45 vs. UT Martin-28UT MartinWon 37–21 vs. Tennessee Tech+16Tennessee TechLost 38–49 at Lindenwood-11LindenwoodLost 38–45 at Eastern Illinois-7Eastern IllinoisLost 20–45 vs. Tennessee State-25Tennessee StateLost 45–54 at Southeast Missouri State-9Southeast Misso…Won 45–28 vs. Gardner-Webb+17Gardner-Webb
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 31atNorthern IllinoisL 15–⁠548%
Sep 6atIndianaL 3–⁠7710%
Sep 14atIllinois StateL 34–⁠5115%
Sep 28vsMcKendreeW 49–⁠3248%
Oct 5atCharleston SouthernW 31–⁠2029%
Oct 12vsUT MartinL 17–⁠4528%
Oct 19vsTennessee TechW 37–⁠2137%
Oct 26atLindenwoodL 38–⁠4936%
Nov 2atEastern IllinoisL 38–⁠4538%
Nov 9vsTennessee StateL 20–⁠4535%
Nov 16atSoutheast Missouri StateL 45–⁠5413%
Nov 23vsGardner-WebbW 45–⁠2834%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Gardner-Webb 45–⁠28; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 6th in the Big South–OVC Football Association.

In program history: The 46th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 53 on file).

Record
4–⁠8
Conference
3–⁠5 tied for 6th in Big South–OVC Football Association
AP final
Unranked
Points
372–⁠521
Coach
—
Elo
1160 +49 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
−32.2 No. 75 of 129 in FCS
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Brad Wilson
Defensive coordinator
Dan McKeown

Leaders

Passing yardsNate Lamb QB3,372 yds
Passing touchdownsNate Lamb QB21 TD
Rushing yardsCameren Smith RB790 yds
Rushing touchdownsNate Lamb QB8 TD
Receiving yardsMatthew Henry WR1,179 yds
Receiving touchdownsElijah Aragon WR7 TD
TacklesRyan Crandall LB17 tkl
InterceptionsKaRon Coleman S2 INT

Top recruits in the 2024 class

Aric Johnson ATH★★No. 3253
Holden Grieger OT★★No. 3253
Antwon McKay QB★★No. 3253
Brendan Dignan OT
Matthew Montgomery OT

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

The 2024 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks12.00.770
Offensive line12.00.770
Athletes and specialists12.00.770
Whole class32.00.770

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.

Transfers in 5

The 2024 portal
Diego Neri LB★★★from Bowling Green
Isaiah Foote OL★★★from East Carolina
Jeremiah Piper CB★★from Western Michigan
Keion Battle WR★★from Illinois
Tyler Jordan RBfrom Georgia Southern

Transfers out 1

Yaser Al-Awadi OT★★★to Ball State

2024 Big South–OVC Football Association standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Southeast Missouri State6–⁠29–⁠4
Tennessee State6–⁠29–⁠4
UT Martin6–⁠29–⁠5
Tennessee Tech6–⁠27–⁠5
Lindenwood4–⁠45–⁠7
Western Illinois3–⁠54–⁠8
Gardner-Webb3–⁠54–⁠8
Eastern Illinois2–⁠63–⁠9
Charleston Southern0–⁠81–⁠11

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