Running back Avery Knight was one of four Western Illinois players to score a rushing touchdown in Thursday’s 65-14 season-opening victory. (Photo by GoLeathernecks.com)
By Barry Bottino
MACOMB – The start to its 2026 season was anything but pretty for Western Illinois.
One big play fixed that, and plenty more followed in a 65-14 season-opening win for the Leathernecks Thursday at Hanson Field against Northwestern (Iowa) College, the No. 24 team in this week’s NAIA national poll.
After Northwestern turned a Western fumble on the opening kickoff into a 7-0 lead in only two plays, WIU safety Lebron Morgan was in the right place at the right time 6 minutes later.
Morgan scooped up a loose ball created by WIU linebacker Nick Reinecke’s sack and ran 38 yards to even the score.
That started a run of 27 unanswered points for the Leathernecks, who put up their highest point total since a 65-38 win against Illinois State in 2010. The victory was Western’s first in a season opener since 2017.
“It took us a little while to get going,” WIU head coach Joe Davis said. “That was a huge play by (Morgan). We needed that one. I’m so happy for him.”
Central Washington transfer quarterback Kennedy McGill shined brightly in his first game for the Leathernecks, scoring five touchdowns.
“It was a lot of fun out there,” he said. “Everyone as an offense worked collectively together to get the job done. It was incredible. I give all the credit to the talented guys around me and the coaches.
“There’s plenty to get better at,” McGill said. “We’ll be hearing about that tomorrow.”
McGill was 15-for-17 passing for 194 yards and two TDs. His 98 rushing yards featured three touchdowns and helped Western to a 321-3 advantage on the ground.
“That’s one of the best quarterbacks we’ve ever faced,” Northwestern head coach Matt McCarty said. “He’s an elite athlete. His ability to get out of jams and keep drives moving (was key). We got them to third downs, but we just couldn’t get them off the field.”
Western was 9-for-13 on third downs, while Northwestern finished 1-for-13 combined on third and fourth downs.
“Physically, I thought Kennedy just kind of took over at times,” Davis said of the 225-pound McGill, who regularly took on tacklers on runs. “That’s what he’s done in his career. There were multiple plays that could’ve been lost yardage plays that he shakes a tackler and runs. He’s a big, strong athlete.”
RBs Ihson Jackson-Anderson (59 yards) and Avery Knight (49 yards) also had rushing TDs, along with Gage Sturgill, the fourth Western QB to take the field Thursday.
McGill played extensively and led multiple scoring drives. Sophomore Cason Carswell, who started Thursday, finished 5-for-8 passing for 24 yards and an interception.
“In Cason’s series, those weren’t always his fault,” Davis said. “We were moving the ball, so we stuck with Kennedy in the second half.”
Davis said he needed time to determine what happens at QB going forward. “I don’t want to make any decisions until we watch the film. Cason didn’t have the production he wanted tonight, but he’s an excellent quarterback. We’ve seen him in big moments.”
Along with Morgan’s game-shifting play, junior safety Jake Kruger grabbed two interceptions, sophomore linebacker Justin Buckner had a game-high seven tackles and sophomore defensive end Jamesly Jean Louis added 2.5 tackles for loss.
“This group has been together eight months now, and the connection we’ve had throughout the defense helps a lot,” Reinecke said. “We all trust that our buddies are going to do their job. We were able to play really fast and play together.”
Game changers
8:23, 1st quarter: WIU linebacker Lebron Morgan picked up a fumble and sprinted 38 yards to tie the score, 7-7.
2:59, 2nd quarter: Transfer TE David Hargo catches a 2-yard scoring pass to help WIU rip off 27 straight points for a 27-7 halftime lead.
11:23, 4th quarter: McGill threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to WR Aric Johnson for the QB’s fifth total TD of the night.
What it means
Western Illinois has won its first season opener since 2017 and needs only four more victories to surpass last season’s win total.
Nifty ‘Necks
Prairie State Pigskin chooses the top three Western Illinois players in the game:
McGill, QB: The transfer QB produced five touchdowns to help the Leathernecks produce their most points in a game since 2010.
Kruger, S: The junior defensive back, who came to WIU as a walk-on, grabbed two interceptions.
Joel Salien, WR: The WIU sophomore returned six punts for 122 yards, including a long of 43 yards, which set up a second-quarter TD.
What’s next?
WIU hosts Illinois State, the 2025 national FCS runner-up, at 6 p.m. on Sept. 5 at Hanson Field.
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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