BLOOMINGTON, Ill - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team begins the 2021 season with a non-conference battle against Franklin College Saturday afternoon, Sept. 4, inside the friendly confines of Tucci Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m.
Erick Stock will call the action on the field, with Joel Swanson adding analysis on the live stream. Live stats will also be available for the contest. Links to both can be found on the football schedule page of iwusports.com.
TALE OF THE TAPE: Saturday's season-opening showdown will mark the third all-time meeting between Illinois Wesleyan and Franklin, with IWU leading the series, 2-0. The Green and White defeated the Bears Sept. 6, 2014 by a 42-35 score at Tucci Stadium before claiming a 34-24 victory at Franklin Sept. 5, 2015.
EXPERIENCED O-LINE: Illinois Wesleyan is slated to start five seniors across the offensive line in Jake Buhe, Nicholas Cyze, Jacob Finfer, AJ Lust, and Jake Tencza. One of the most experienced offensive line units in the country, the group has combined for 47 starts in 23 games.
PRESEASON PRAISE: Senior center Jake Buhe was voted to D3football.com's Preseason All-America Second Team last month. The standout lineman, who earned Second Team praise following the 2020 season, became the first lineman selected as the team's Most Valuable Offensive Player since 1972.
Overall, Buhe was one of 11 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin players to earn preseason recognition.
YEAR 130: In its 130th season, IWU has an overall 1,061-game record of 601-418-42 (.586 winning percentage). Of the 1,061 games, head coach Norm Eash has been involved in 363 of them (326 as a coach, 36 as a player from 1971-74).
Illinois Wesleyan's 35-27 win at Albion on Sept. 13, 2014 was the 1,000th game in Illinois Wesleyan football history. The Titans notched the 600th win in program history with a 12-0 shutout of Augustana last season (March 27, 2021).
LONGEVITY IN LEADERSHIP: Illinois Wesleyan Head Coach Norm Eash is one of the longest tenured head coaches in all of Division III. Now in his 35th season at the helm of the Titans, Eash is the third-longest tenured head coach in the nation behind only Rick Giancola (Montclair St. - 39 seasons) and Rich Lackner (Carnegie Mellon - 36 seasons).
HOME COOKING: The Titans are 117-47 (.713) at home since Norm Eash became head coach in 1987. IWU has won 16 of its past 19 home games dating back to the 2016 season.
200-WIN CLUB: Thirty three-year veteran Norm Eash is one of just nine coaches nationally in NCAA Division III with 200-or-more career wins. Eash, who has won 216 games as the head man at his alma mater, ranks tied for fifth in the country among active head coaches.
IWU IN SEASON OPENERS: IWU is 20-14 (.588) in opening-day games under Norm Eash. The Titans are in search of their first season-opening win since defeating UW-Whitewater 17-10, Sept. 2, 2017.
THE GAUNTLET THAT IS THE CCIW: If preseason polls are any indication, the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin is predicted to be as tough of a conference as there is in Division III. North Central, the 2019 NCAA Division III National Champion, ranks No. 3 in D3football.com's Preseason Top-25. Wheaton is fifth, while both NCC and the Thunder garnered four votes for the top slot in the poll. Illinois Wesleyan received 41 points, narrowly missing the top-25, while Millikin garnered five points.
CCIW PRESEASON POLL: Illinois Wesleyan was predicted to finish third in the annual CCIW Preseason Coaches Poll. IWU's 58 points were behind only Wheaton (78) and North Central (76). WashU ranked fourth with 56 points, while Millikin's 49 points rounded out the top-five.
ON THE HORIZON: After a bye in week two of the season, Illinois Wesleyan treks to Waukesha, Wis. for its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opener at Carroll College. Kickoff off the CCIW clash is slated for 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18.
