Western Illinois defensive lineman Cidney Johnson had a sack and a fumble recovery Saturday in the Leathernecks’ 42-35 victory at Charleston Southern. (Photo by GoLeathernecks.com)
By Barry Bottino
Western Illinois had plenty to celebrate Saturday.
The Leathernecks’ first road win of the season – a 42-35 victory at Charleston Southern — put WIU in a three-way tie for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Getting there, however, had more than enough nervous moments.
“We like to make it interesting,” WIU head coach Joe Davis said. “I’m proud of the resiliency of our team.”
On another highly productive day for Western quarterback Kennedy McGill and the WIU defense, the Leathernecks (5-4 overall, 3-1 OVC) broke open a 14-14 halftime time with 21 third-quarter points.
But McGill threw two second-half interceptions that were returned for touchdowns.
With just under 6 minutes left in the game, McGill’s swing pass to Ihson Jackson-Anderson tipped off the running back’s hands. CSU defensive back Jayden Hancock picked up the fumbled lateral and returned it 19 yards to tie the game at 35-all.
“I have to make better decisions with the football,” McGill said. “When we have a lead, I’ve got to protect it and not allow the other team back into it.”
After a 59-yard CSU punt to the Western 1-yard line, the Leathernecks took over with 3:45 remaining in the game.
Western put together a 10-play drive that included five first downs, including a 32-yard McGill connection with receiver Israel Hiraldo on fourth-and-1 from the CSU 46.
On the next play, Jackson-Anderson busted up the middle for the winning 14-yard TD run with 15 seconds to go.
“To survive four turnovers is really miraculous, and it’s not acceptable,” Davis said. “Nobody panicked. We continued to play the next play. I’m happy for our players to get that win. I’m proud of our ability to finish.”
McGill, the OVC’s leading rusher, ran for 295 yards and four touchdowns, including scoring runs of 50 yards in the first half and 84 in the second half. He also threw a TD pass.
McGill’s effort ranks as the third-best, single-game rushing output in school history. His 84-yard rush was the third-longest scoring run ever at WIU. He currently has 1,185 yards and 15 rushing TDs in nine games.
“Kennedy does what he does,” Davis said. “He’s a very central part of our offense.”
Western’s defense, which is the OVC’s No. 1-ranked unit, allowed only 227 total yards and stood tall in key moments. The Leathernecks kept CSU’s offense scoreless in the second half.
On three consecutive third-quarter drives, WIU forced a turnover on downs, got an interception by defensive back Aa’zoriyon Bonner and forced a fumble on a strip sack by linebacker Nick Reinicke, which was recovered by defensive lineman Cidney Johnson.
“When it mattered most, we got the job done and won the game,” said Reinicke, who had 10 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.
Johnson and linebacker Anthony Stribling each had a sack.
“Defensively, we came out in the second half with a different mindset,” Bonner said. “We kept our heads up.”
Game changers
0:44, 2nd quarter: WIU receiver Xavier Coleman delivered a 64-yard catch and run to inside the CSU 5 after his defender fell down, setting up a WIU touchdown.
7:37, 4th quarter: McGill’s swing pass to Jackson-Anderson tipped off the running back’s hands. The lateral was picked up by CSU DB Jayden Hancock and returned for a game-tying TD.
0:15, 4th quarter: Jackson-Anderson scored on a 15-yard burst up the middle to give WIU the victory.
What it means
Western’s win, along with a loss by Southeast Missouri, moved the Leathernecks into a first-place tie in the OVC with three games to go.
Nifty ‘Necks
Prairie State Pigskin chooses the top three Western Illinois players in the game:
McGill, QB: The probable OVC Offensive Player of the Year piled up 475 total yards, including 295 on the ground, and had five TDs.
Coleman, WR: The true freshman caught four passes for 111 yards. His 64-yard, second-quarter reception set WIU up at the CSU 5-yard line.
Reinicke, LB: WIU’s season leader in tackles had a team-best 10 stops, including two tackles for loss and a sack.
What’s next?
The Leathernecks travel to Eastern Illinois for a 2 p.m. game on Nov. 7 in Charleston.
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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