The Western Illinois University Leatherneck football season kicks off on August 29th. The Necks will have their work cut out for them in their first two matchups, taking on Big Ten Conference opponents Illinois and Northwestern. Illinois will be WIU’s opener in Champaign, followed by a Friday, September 5th game in Evanston against Northwestern. Although, it could be a rough start to the season for the Leathernecks, WIU Athletic Director Paul Bubb said recently on the WRAM Morning Show that it will be a benefit to the football program as a whole.
The meeting on August 29 will be the fourth time ever that WIU and Illinois will face off against one another, with Illinois winning all three of the previous meetings in 2007, 2015, and 2018. Coming off a (4-8) season in 2024, the Leathernecks had a great offseason, having the number one recruiting class in the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference.
For the entire interview with WIU Athletic Director Paul Bubb, go to the SPORTS PODCAST section.
