The Western Illinois Leathernecks have announced their 2019 football schedule, which includes six home contests.
“We are looking forward to the 2019 season and every opportunity that we will have as a team,” said head coach Jared Elliott. “This year, we have four out-of-conference games leading into Missouri Valley play that will all present different challenges against quality opponents. As always, our Missouri Valley schedule will require us to be at our best every week. Our preparation right now and throughout the course of our entire offseason will be critical to our success. We’re taking it one game at a time starting with North Alabama.”
Western Illinois is scheduled to open the 2019 season with back-to-back road contests, beginning with a trip to face the North Alabama Lions on Thursday, Aug. 29.
The Leathernecks then travel to Fort Collins to take on the Colorado State Rams on Sept. 7, which is their only contest against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent in 2019.
Western Illinois opens their home schedule at Hanson Field in Macomb on Sept. 14 against the Montana State Bobcats, and then the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles visit on Sept. 21.
After their only open date of the season, Western Illinois kicks off Missouri Valley Football Conference action at home against the Missouri State Bears on Oct. 5.
The Leathernecks travel to take on the Indiana State Sycamores on Oct. 12 before they return home to host the Illinois State Redbirds on Oct. 19.
Western Illinois visits the Youngstown State Penguins on Oct. 26, hosts the South Dakota Coyotes on Nov. 2, plays at the North Dakota State Bison on Nov. 9, and then hosts the Southern Illinois Salukis on Nov. 16.
The Leathernecks closes out their 2019 regular-season schedule on the road against the Northern Iowa Panthers on Nov. 23.