The Western Illinois Leathernecks have announced their 2023 football schedule, which includes five home games and 11 contests overall.

“We are very excited about our schedule for our 2023 season,” Western Illinois football coach Myers Hendrickson said. “We open a very strong non-conference schedule with an FBS opponent that won a bowl game last season. Getting to play in the best conference in Division I FCS Football, the Missouri Valley Football Conference, presents a great opportunity.

“Week in and week out we get the opportunity to compete against the best programs in FCS.”

Western Illinois opens the 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2 with a non-conference game on the road against the New Mexico State Aggies. The following week on Sept. 9, WIU opens Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) action at home against the Illinois State Redbirds at Hanson Field in Macomb, Ill.

The Leathernecks step back out of conference action the next two weeks, hosting the Lindenwood Lions on Sept. 16 before traveling to face the Southern Utah Thunderbirds on Sept. 23.

After an open date on Sept. 30, Western Illinois plays seven consecutive MVFC contests — at North Dakota (Oct. 7), vs. Missouri State (Oct. 14; Homecoming), at North Dakota State (Oct. 21), vs. Southern Illinois (Oct. 28), at Northern Iowa (Nov. 4), at Indiana State (Nov. 11), and vs. South Dakota (Nov. 18).

Below is Western Illinois’s complete schedule for the 2023 season, plus a link to their schedule page which will be updated with kickoff times and TV as they are announced:

2023 Western Illinois Football Schedule

• 09/02 – at New Mexico State
• 09/09 – Illinois State*
• 09/16 – Lindenwood
• 09/23 – at Southern Utah
• 09/30 – OFF
• 10/07 – at North Dakota*
• 10/14 – Missouri State*
• 10/21 – at North Dakota State*
• 10/28 – Southern Illinois*
• 11/04 – at Northern Iowa*
• 11/11 – at Indiana State*
• 11/18 – South Dakota*

* MVFC contest.

Western Illinois finished the 2022 season 0-11 overall and 0-8 in MVFC action. It was their first season under head coach Myers Hendrickson.