BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team returns to Tucci Stadium this Saturday, Oct. 19, for a battle with the Big Blue of Millikin University. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
    Both the Titans and Big Blue look to bounce back from losses to nationally-ranked opposition this past Saturday, Oct. 12. IWU was topped by 24th-ranked Wheaton on the road, 42-21, while Millikin was overpowered, 70-14, by No. 1 North Central in Decatur. Illinois Wesleyan returns home with a 2-3 overall record, including a 2-2 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin standing. Still in search of its first win of the year, MU sits at 0-5 overall and 0-4 in the CCIW.
    Fans can tune into a live stream of the game  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.

BATTLES WITH THE BIG BLUE: Illinois Wesleyan and Millikin's 116-game history dates back to 1904. Millikin holds a slim edge 55-54-7 all-time, but IWU has dominated the series as of late. In fact, the Titans have won 16 of the last 20 matchups. The Titans have a slight 29-27 advantage when the teams have met in Bloomington, Ill.
    Last season, the Titans grabbed a 45-17 win at Millikin. The Big Blue struck first with a 26-yard field goal, but IWU followed with 35 unanswered points to take control, 35-3, into the final quarter. Tre Moore hauled in two touchdown passes in the game, while Seth Albin ran for two TDs. Kaden Junge hit a 40-yard field goal and Melchizedek Woodson's 13-yard touchdown reception capped off the scoring. Defensively, Zach McNees had a monster game with five tackles, all of which were for a loss. He notched two sacks and forced a fumble.

QBS BEWARE: The Titans ferocious defense has wreaked havoc in the backfield through the first five games of the 2024 season. The Green and White is averaging 2.60 sacks per game, the 42nd-most in all of Division III and the second-most of any team in the CCIW. The effort is led by Zach McNees, Matt Hansen, and Josh Hlavacek, all of whom rank in the top-115 individually. McNees, the conference leader, is averaging 0.80 QB takedowns per contest, while Hansen and Hlavacek are tied for 113th with 0.60 sacks per game.
    In conference games only, IWU is the only school in the CCIW with three players ranked in the top-10 in total sacks. McNees paces the conference with four alongside Carroll's Jahkai Bohannon, while Hlavacek and Hansen are tied for third with three apiece.

TITANS IN OCTOBER: The Titans have compiled a 103-59 (.636) record in the month of October under Norm Eash. More recently, in the past seven seasons, IWU is 27-11 in October.

HOME SWEET HOME: The Titans are 127-55 (.694) at home since Norm Eash took charge of Illinois Wesleyan in 1987. IWU has won 26 of  its past 37 home games since the 2016 season.

MATCHING UP: Averaging 33.5 points per game since conference play began, Illinois Wesleyan is home to the third-highest scoring offense in the CCIW this season. On the other side of the ball, IWU is limiting opponents to 20.5 points per game, also good for third-best in the conference. Meanwhile, Millikin finds itself ranked ninth offensively with 12.0 points per game. The Big Blue defense is giving up an average of 46.8 points per game, the 10th-ranked average in the CCIW.

FLIPPING THE FIELD: Illinois Wesleyan's Jahari Scott has been a game changer in field positioning for the Titans this season. In fact, through four conference games, Scott leads the league with 44.3 yards per kickoff return. Elmhurst's Taveon Porter is second in the CCIW at 31.6 yards per return.
Over his past two games, Scott is averaging 175.0 yards of all-purpose yards. The Lake Bluff, Ill. native has accrued 100+ yards in kickoff return yards in back-to-back games. He racked up 107 yards on two returns against WashU, Oct. 5, before tallying a season-high 115 return yards at Wheaton, Oct. 12.

WORK OF ART: A returning All-CCIW selection, Artist Benjamin was credited with a career-high five pass breakups in IWU's battle with WashU, Oct. 5. Benjamin's career-high showing upped his career pass breakup total to 32. Among active players across NCAA Division I, II, and III football, Benjamin's 32 PBUs are tied for 14th-most nationally. Futhermore, he is tied for fifth-most in Division III and is one of three CCIW student-athletes in the top-50.

WINNING TRADITION: Veteran head coach Norm Eash is one of just two active coaches nationally in NCAA Division III with 200-or-more career wins. Eash, who has won 230 games as the head man at his alma mater, ranks first in the country among active Division III head coaches. Across all NCAA divisions, Eash is fifth trailing LSU's Brian Kelly (288), North Carolina's Mack Brown (285), Sam Houston's K.C. Keeler (267), and South Dakota's Bob Neilson (233).

LONGEVITY IN LEADERSHIP: Illinois Wesleyan Head Coach Norm Eash enters the 2024 season, his 38th at the helm of the Titans, as the longest tenured head coaches in all of college football across the NCAA. Notably, of the most experienced coaches nationally, Eash is the only one with 33+ years of experience coming at one institution.

ON THE HORIZON: Illinois Wesleyan is back on the road next week, Oct. 26, for a bout at North Park University. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.