Football

Football Previews - Week 12


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This week features four Association games and a non-conference matchup with a FBS foe. UT Martin hosts Charleston Southern and Gardner-Webb travels to Tennessee State in hopes of keeping its postseason hopes alive. Eastern Illinois will play at Lindenwood while Southeast Missouri is at Western Illinois. First-place Tennessee Tech steps out of League play to take on SEC foe Kentucky.

Saturday, November 15
#5/6 Tennessee Tech at Kentucky, 12:30pm CT (SEC Network+)
Southeast Missouri at Western Illinois, 1:00pm CT (ESPN+)
Charleston Southern at UT Martin, 1:00pm CT (ESPN+)
Gardner-Webb at Tennessee State, 1:30pm CT (ESPN+)
Eastern Illinois at Lindenwood, 2:00pm CT (ESPN+)

 



#5/6 Tennessee Tech (10-0) at Kentucky (4-5)
Saturday, November 15 - 12:30pm CT
All-Time Series: Kentucky leads 1-0
Live Video (SECN+): https://bit.ly/485qRUx
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/444rGun

Noteworthy: The Golden Eagles are facing Kentucky for the first time since 1951, and is playing an SEC foe for the second-straight year ... Tennessee Tech is 10-0 for the first time in program history ... TTU’s 15-straight wins is the longest winning streak in program history ... The Golden Eagles are 7-0 in conference play for the first time ever ... Tech has scored in 31 of 40 quarters, with the following by-quarter scoring breakdown: 118-27 (1st); 137-54 (2nd); 98-30 (3rd); 99-35 (4th) ... Tennessee Tech leads the FCS in scoring offense (45.2 points per game) and rushing defense (60.9 yards allowed), and ranks sixth in total defense (279.1).
 




Southeast Missouri (3-7, 2-4) at Western Illinois (3-7, 2-4)
Saturday, November 15 - 1:00pm CT
All-Time Series: SEMO leads 2-0
Live Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/49dcGxY
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3Pyfr2i

Noteworthy: The Redhawks are looking to avoid dropping four consecutive Association games for the first time ever ... SEMO’s two wins over Western Illinois were last year (54-45) and 2009 (27-7) ... In last week’s defeat at Gardner-Webb, QB JAX LEATHERWOOD was 21-of-39 passing for 304 yards and three touchdowns.  In his last three appearances, Leatherwood has thrown for 856 yards (278, 274, 304) for a per game average of 285.3 ... The Redhawks lead the Association in passing offense with 280.60 yards, which is 10th nationally ... SEMO has scored in double-figures in 33 consecutive games.

The Leathernecks are looking to win three consecutive games for the first time since the 2018 campaign ... Western Illinois’ last four contests have been one possession outcomes (2-2 record; combined total of 10 points) ... The Leathernecks rallied from a 21-7 deficit with 17 unanswered points to defeat Lindenwood last week, 24-21.  RB MARKELL HOLMAN posted his third 100-yard rushing effort of the season with 172 -- including 71 in the fourth quarter, along with a touchdown and two-point conversion.  The lone receptions on the day for BRANDON LANIER (17 yards) and ALEX WILLIAMS (8 yards) were touchdown grabs.  In the victory over Lindenwood, Western was nearly balanced offensively with 35 rushes for 179 yards, and 35 pass at-tempts for 175 yards.

 




Charleston Southern (4-6, 3-3) at UT Martin (5-5, 5-1)
Saturday, November 15 - 1:00pm CT
All-Time Series: UTM leads 3-0
Live Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/43ngCs8
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/4oRm7YV

Noteworthy: The Buccaneers are seeking their first 4-game win streak since 2019 when the squad closed out the season with four-straight wins ... The 2019 season was also the last time CSU won three road contests ... The Buccaneers are enjoying their first three-game win streak since 2019, as CSU won at Southeast Missouri, 23-17, in Week 10.  It is the program’s first time with at least three conference wins since 2021 ... Charleston Southern leads the Association in 4th down conversions at 63.6 percent.

The Skyhawks have limited Charleston Southern to 14 points or less in their three previous meetings, while outscoring the Bucs, 99-28 in the head-to-head series ... A win Saturday would give UTM back-to-back seasons with 6 Association victories ... The Skyhawks limited Tennessee State to minus-12 net rushing yards last week, eclipsing the OVC-Big South Association single-game record for fewest net rushing yards allowed.  The previous record was minus-11, set by UTM last year against Southeast Missouri.  UTM’s defense permitted just 153 yards of offense in the victory over TSU ... QB JASE BAUER has nine rushing touchdowns this season -- all of which have come in the last six contests ... UTM is 16-1 against conference foes at home since 2020. 

 


Gardner-Webb (6-4, 4-2) at Tennessee State (2-8, 0-6)
Saturday, November 15 - 1:30pm CT
All-Time Series: TSU leads 2-0
Live Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/49LEQjD
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3b4F8CT

Noteworthy: The Runnin’ Bulldogs are seeking their second 7-win season in three years ... All two games of the series with Tennessee State have been decided by a field goal or less ... The Runnin’ Bulldogs recorded 11 quarterback sacks in its victory over Southeast Missouri last week, tying their Association single-game record they set nearly a year to the day -- 11 vs. Eastern Illinois on Nov. 9, 2024.  GWU finished with 14 tackles-for-loss, and limited the Redhawks to just 4 net yards rushing -- the fourth-fewest allowed in a game in Association annals ... QUASEAN HOLMES is second in the Association in rushing yards with 796.  CARSON GRESOCK’s 12 rushing touchdowns are tops in the conference, and tied for ninth in all of FCS.

The Tigers are looking for their third-straight win over Gardner-Webb, having won last year’s contest, 23-20 as well as the first meeting in 2023 (27-25) ... TAVEON PORTER’s lone rushing attempt last week was good for a 1-yard score in helping he Tigers avoid a shutout at UT Martin.  JAMES STEWART recorded 3.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks against the Skyhawks, and is the Association leader with 16.0 TFL ... Punter MARK SHENOUDA turned in a record-setting performance against UT Martin, highlighted by an 82-yard punt -- tied for the longest in both Tennessee State and OVC-Big South single-game history (it was the longest in an OVC-Big South Conference game).  Shenouda finished the day with seven punts for 343 yards, averaging 49.0 yards per kick, which ranks fourth all-time in conference single-game history.  He also handled kickoff duties following a safety, sending the ball 66 yards downfield.

 




Eastern Illinois (3-7, 2-5) at Lindenwood (4-6, 3-3)
Saturday, November 15 - 2:00pm CT
All-Time Series: Lindenwood leads 2-1
Live Video (ESPN+): https://bit.ly/4hNBdM0
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3BtZfYV

Noteworthy: The Panthers last defeated Lindenwood in 2023, a 16-10 victory in St. Charles ... All three games of the series with Lindenwood has been decided by one possession ... EIU rushed for 137 yards last week against Tennessee Tech, the third time in the last four games the Panthers have surpassed 135 net rushing yards ... CHARLES KELLOM and COLE LaCRUE have alternated as the team’s leading rusher the past five games.  Kellom was the top rusher last week vs. TTU with 80 yards, and is the squad’s season leader with 628 ... Against Tennessee Tech, ALEX HERRERA (7-88) and DeAIRIOUS SMITH (6-77) combined for 15 of EIU’s 17 pass completions and 165 of the team’s 189 yards receiving.

The Lions’ two wins over Eastern Illinois have come on the road, with both being 3-point margins (W, 28-25 in 2024 and 37-34 in 2OT in 2022) ... RB STEVE HALL posted his third consecutive 100-yard rushing game with 148 in the Lions’ setback at Western Illinois.  In his last three games, Hall has rushed for 336 yards (105, 113, 148) for a per game average of 122.0 ... Lindenwood is averaging 32.5 points in its four wins (all 30-plus point efforts), compared to 15.83 points in its six losses (95 total points, including 26 total in two FBS defeats).