1998 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team

American college football season March 2026 August 2023 1998 Western Illinois Leathernecks football Gateway Football Conference Gateway 4 11–3 5–1 Randy Ball 9th Hanson Field Gateway champion NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal L 14–42 at Georgia Southern The 1998 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team represented Western Illinois University as a member of the Gateway Football Conference during the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season. They were led by ninth-year head coach Randy Ball and played their home games at Hanson Field. The Leathernecks finished the season with an 11–3 record overall and a 5–1 record in conference play, making them conference champions. The team received an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they defeated Montana and Florida A&M before losing to Georgia Southern in the semifinals.Western Illinois Football Record Book https://goleathernecks.com/documents/2021/10/17/Football_Record_Book_Updated_Oct_2021_.pdf Western Illinois University Athletics October 31, 2021 72 The team was ranked No. 4 in The Sports Network's postseason ranking of Division I-AA.Final Div. I-AA poll The Tennessean Nashville, Tennessee December 22, 1998 7C https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11125866/poll_1998_1222_i_aa_final/ Newspapers.com October 31, 2021 Schedule 1998 NCAA Division I-AA The Sports Network September 3 w y 8 1998 St. Cloud State Huskies St. Cloud State Hanson Field Macomb, IL 23–7 7,417 Cook Robin Huskies drop the ball, 23-7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88103902/ October 31, 2021 St. Cloud Times September 4, 1998 1C Newspapers.com September 12 l y y 11 Central Michigan Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI 14–35 26,412 CMU ends nine-game losing streak https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16717629/cmu-ends-nine-game-losing-streak/ October 31, 2021 Lansing State Journal Associated Press September 13, 1998 10C Newspapers.com September 19 w y y 17 1998 Elon Fightin' Christians Elon Burlington Memorial Stadium Burlington, NC 17–7 6,241 Western Illinois 17, Elon 7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88107243/ October 31, 2021 Quad-City Times Associated Press September 20, 1998 2F Newspapers.com September 26 w y 14 1998 Southern Utah Thunderbirds Southern Utah Hanson Field Macomb, IL 31–3 T-Birds can't get job done in 31-3 loss https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88107729/ October 31, 2021 The Spectrum September 27, 1998 B1 Newspapers.com October 3 w 11 1998 Youngstown State Penguins Youngstown State 1 Hanson Field Macomb, IL 14–0 10,304 Leathernecks blank No. 1 Youngstown State https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88109668/ October 31, 2021 The Springfield News-Leader Associated Press October 4, 1998 4C Newspapers.com October 10 w y 5 Southwest Missouri State Robert W. Plaster Stadium Springfield, MO 20–13 12,377 Scranton Lyndal Western deflates SMS https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88119515/ October 31, 2021 The Springfield News-Leader October 11, 1998 1C Newspapers.com October 17 w y 5 Southern Illinois McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL 13–3 12,600 WIU stays unbeaten in Gateway https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88119992/ October 31, 2021 The Pantagraph Associated Press October 18, 1998 F10 Newspapers.com October 24 w 3 Illinois State 18 Hanson Field Macomb, IL 37–10 16,741 Jauss Bill Western Blitzes Ill. St. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86452965/ October 31, 2021 Chicago Tribune October 25, 1998 3:11 Newspapers.com October 31 w y y 3 Buffalo University at Buffalo Stadium Amherst, NY 41–6 18,648 W. Illinois buffaloes Buffalo https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88120605/ October 31, 2021 Chicago Tribune November 1, 1998 3:12 Newspapers.com November 7 w 2 1998 Indiana State Sycamores Indiana State Memorial Stadium Terre Haute, IN 26–9 7,994 Western Illinois beats Indiana State to gain berth in playoffs https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88120836/ October 31, 2021 Evansville Courier Associated Press November 8, 1998 B3 Newspapers.com November 14 l y 2 Northern Iowa UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, IA 6–10 12,118 Cooper Craig UNI stuns Western https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88121096/ October 31, 2021 Quad-City Times November 15, 1998 2F Newspapers.com November 28 w y 4 Montana 14 Hanson Field Macomb, IL NCAA Division I-AA First Round 52–9 3,614 Geise George Ouch! https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88122918/ October 31, 2021 Great Falls Tribune November 29, 1998 1S Newspapers.com December 5 w y 4 Florida A&M 3 Hanson Field Macomb, IL NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 24–21 7,400 Wallace Michael Rattlers fall short https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88123281/ October 31, 2021 Tallahassee Democrat December 6, 1998 1B Newspapers.com December 12 l y y 4 Georgia Southern 1 Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 14–42 11,140 Reese Earnest Eagles win 42-14, arrive at I-AA final https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88123613/ October 31, 2021 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution December 13, 1998 D23 Newspapers.com References Western Illinois Category:Western Illinois Leathernecks football seasons Category:Missouri Valley Football Conference champion seasons Western Illinois Leathernecks football Western Illinois