1996 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team

American college football season March 2026 August 2023 1996 Western Illinois Leathernecks football Gateway Football Conference Gateway 10 9–3 3–2 Randy Ball 7th Hanson Field NCAA Division I-AA First Round L 6–34 at Murray State The 1996 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team represented Western Illinois University as a member of the Gateway Football Conference during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. They were led by seventh-year head coach Randy Ball and played their home games at Hanson Field. The Leathernecks finished the season with a 9–3 record overall and a 3–2 record in conference play. The team received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they lost to Murray State in the first round.Western Illinois Football Record Book https://goleathernecks.com/documents/2021/10/17/Football_Record_Book_Updated_Oct_2021_.pdf Western Illinois University Athletics November 7, 2021 72 Schedule 1996 NCAA Division I-AA The Sports Network August 29 w y 1996 Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers Northwestern Oklahoma State Hanson Field Macomb, IL 44–21 Western Illinois rolls to 44-21 win in opener https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88498055/ November 7, 2021 Daily Republican-Register Associated Press August 30, 1996 5 Newspapers.com September 7 w y y Northern Illinois Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL 17–0 21,370 Nickel Lori Murphy's law haunts Northern loss https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88499704/ November 7, 2021 Chicago Tribune September 8, 1996 3:10 Newspapers.com September 14 w y Alcorn State Hanson Field Macomb, IL 34–17 6,498 Blalock too much for Alcorn https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88499918/ November 7, 2021 Clarion-Ledger September 15, 1996 9D Newspapers.com September 21 w y y 1996 Hofstra Flying Dutchmen Hofstra 14 Hofstra Stadium Hempstead, NY 18–9 3,719 W. Illinois now 4-0; ISU wins in second OT https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88500317/ November 7, 2021 Chicago Tribune September 22, 1996 3:8 Newspapers.com October 5 l 22 Indiana State Hanson Field Macomb, IL 7–10 Indiana State opens conference play with a 10-7 victory over W. Illinois https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88500697/ November 7, 2021 Indianapolis Star October 6, 1996 C4 Newspapers.com October 12 w y y 25 Eastern Illinois 7 O'Brien Field Charleston, IL 10–7 10,133 Western Illinois hands Eastern Illinois defeat https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88500922/ November 7, 2021 The Pantagraph Associated Press October 13, 1996 F5 Newspapers.com October 19 w y 17 Southern Illinois McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL 26–19 11,300 Hardwig Greg Another bitter pill https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88548484/ November 7, 2021 The Southern Illinoisan October 20, 1996 1D Newspapers.com October 26 w y 15 Cal Poly Hanson Field Macomb, IL 51–10 Mustangs knuckle under, 51-10 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88548672/ November 7, 2021 Santa Maria Times Associated Press October 27, 1996 B6 Newspapers.com November 2 w y 13 Southwest Missouri State 7 Robert W. Plaster Stadium Springfield, MO 23–17 15,878 Hecklinski, Western topple SW Missouri https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88548850/ November 7, 2021 The Pantagraph Associated Press November 3, 1996 F8 Newspapers.com November 9 w 10 Illinois State Hanson Field Macomb, IL 28–11 5,714 Leathernecks set up showdown with UNI https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88549039/ November 7, 2021 The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier Associated Press November 10, 1996 D3 Newspapers.com November 16 l y 8 Northern Iowa 3 UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, IA 6–30 15,476 McCool Dan UNI tramples Western Illinois to claim Gateway title outright https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88549198/ November 7, 2021 Des Moines Register November 17, 1996 11D Newspapers.com November 30 l y y 10 Murray State 4 Roy Stewart Stadium Murray, KY NCAA Division I-AA First Round 6–34 2,753 Murray State races by Western Illinois https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88549322/ November 7, 2021 Quad-City Times Associated Press December 1, 1996 3S Newspapers.com References Western Illinois Category:Western Illinois Leathernecks football seasons Western Illinois Leathernecks football Western Illinois