BLOOMINGTON, Ill - With half of its season complete, the Illinois Wesleyan University football team returns to Tucci Stadium Saturday, Oct. 15, for a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game against North Park University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
Winners of two of their past three, the Titans sit at 3-2 on the season and 2-2 in the conference standings. IWU is looking to get back on track after a 59-14 loss at Washington University in St. Louis, Oct. 8. Meanwhile, the Vikings venture to Bloomington in search of their first win of the season. NPU is 0-5 on the season and 0-4 in league games and has lost eight straight games dating back to last season.
Fans can tune into a video broadcast with Eric Stock calling the action on the field alongside Joel Swanson, while live stats will also be available for the contest. Links can be found on the football schedule page of iwusports.com.
TALE OF THE TAPE: IWU holds an all-time record of 57-4 against North Park. The Titans have been even more dominant at home, owning a 34-0 record against the Vikings at Tucci Stadium. IWU has won each of the past six matchups with the Green and White defense allowing an average of just seven points.
Last season, the Titans blew out NPU at Tucci Stadium 56-6. Anthony Marre commanded the IWU offense, leading in both receiving yards (72) and rushing yards (256), including a 91 yard scamper.
TITANS IN OCTOBER: The Titans have compiled a 100-53 (.654) record in the month of October under Norm Eash. More recently, in the past five seasons, IWU is 23-6 in October.
HOME COOKING: The Titans are 123-49 (.715) at home since Norm Eash became head coach in 1987. IWU has won 22 of its past 27 home games dating back to the 2016 season. In fact, Illinois Wesleyan has posted a winning record at home in each of the past five seasons dating back to the 2017 campaign.
LONG PASSES: In the third quarter of IWU's game at WashU Saturda, Oct. 8, Myles Kee caught a career long 79-yard touchdown pass from Jay Lemenger. The pass was the longest reception by a Titan since the 2011 season when Tate Musselman hauled in an 82-yard pass from Rob Gallik against Hope College, Sept. 3, 2011.
TRIO WITH DOUBLE-DIGIT STOPS: Anthony Wachal Jr., Joshua Klein, and Artist Benjamin posted single-game career-highs in tackles in Illinois Wesleyan's loss at WashU, Oct. 8. Wachal racked up 16 stops, good for a game-high, while Klein added 13 and 11 tackles, respectively. It marked the first time IWU had three-or-more players with 10+ tackles since Sept. 28, 2019 when Keenan Scott, Ryan Swift, Dave Lux, and Francis Urbanski did so against Augustana.
BEHIND ENEMY LINES: The Titans are the only team in the CCIW with four players in the top-10 in the tackles for the loss category. Zach McNees ranks third in the conference with an average of 1.90 TFLs per game, while Josh Hlavacek ranks tied for fifth with 1.50 per game. Joshua Klein sits ninth with 1.3 tackles for loss per contest and Fernando Chavez is slotted tied for 10th at 1.10 per game.
WHY HAVE ONE, WHEN YOU CAN HAVE TWO?: Illinois Wesleyan is the only team in the CCIW with two receivers ranked inside the league's top-five in receiving yards. Myles Kee tops the CCIW, averaging 105.6 yards per game and leads the conference in receptions per game with 7.4. Charlie Hamilton ranks fourth in the league with 84.0 yards per game, and second in the conference with 6.4 receptions per game.
ON THE HORIZON: The Green and White remain at home next weekend, Oct. 22, as the Titans welcome Carthage College to Tucci Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
KEY TO VICTORY: Timely defensive stops have been key to Illinois Wesleyan's success this season. In wins, IWU's opponents are just 11-for-45 on third down, converting just 24.4 percent of the time, and have been limited to 2-for-6 on fourth down attempts. Meanwhile, in losses opponents have converted on third down 16-of-27 times (59.3 percent) and are 3-for-3 on fourth down.
NO FLY ZONE: Illinois Wesleyan sophomore Artist Benjamin finds himself amid a breakout season for the Titans in the secondary. Benjamin has already set career-highs in just about every statistical category, and IWU still has half the season to play. Nationally, Benjamin is ninth in passes defended, averaging 1.8 breakups per game. He leads the league in the category.
