Everything you need to know for Coastal Carolina vs. Western Illinois

Last meeting

Coastal Carolina won 34-27 on Sept. 19, 2015

Coastal Carolina

Strengths: Offensive line, defensive line

Weakness: Quarterback production

Western Illinois

Strengths: Experience, linebackers

Weakness: Travel

Key matchup

Coastal Carolina’s defensive line vs. Western Illinois offensive line: The Chanticleers have experience and talent on the defensive line, while Western Illinois has experience, talent and size on the offensive line. Four offensive line starters are three-year letter earners, while guard Drew Wagner and tight end Cal Breedlove have two letters. Each offensive lineman is at least 6-3 and 300 pounds. Senior tackle James Torgerson (6-5, 310) has 32 career starts, and senior center Jacob Judd (6-3, 300) and senior tackle Josh Baldus (6-5, 300) each have 26 starts. The line has allowed running back Max Norris to rush for more than 100 yards in each of the first two games while CCU is allowing just 3.4 yards per rush this season.

Players to watch

Coastal Carolina

Senior running back Osharmar Abercrombie: Leads the Chants in just about all rushing categories this season with 224 yards and four rushing touchdowns on 36 carries. He also has two receptions for 19 yards.

Senior defensive end Marcus Williamson: After missing the opener with a neck/shoulder injury, the 6-3 255-pound end had eight tackles, a sack and a blocked extra point kick that was returned for two points.

Senior receiver Chris Jones: He can produce for the team in many ways and last week a catch, a run, a punt return, two kick returns and two-point conversion on an end-around run.

Western Illinois

Sophomore running back Max Norris: He is 5-10, 207 pounds and is averaging 118 yards rushing per game with 238 yards and a touchdown on 42 carries this season.

Junior quarterback Sean Maguire: He has ideal QB size at 6-3 and 228 pounds and has completed 30 of 46 passes for 345 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in two games.

Senior linebacker Brett Taylor: He finished seventh in voting last year for the Buck Buchanan FCS national defensive player of the year award and leads the team with eight solo tackles and 14 assists for 22 total tackles, including one for a loss.

He said it

“We’re pretty amped just because we’ve got another chance to play coming off a loss so we get to go out there and show what we’ve really got. A loss to us leaves a sour taste in our mouths, so we get a chance to get out there and play again in front of our fans.” – CCU senior defensive end Marcus Williamson

“It’s the same thing I saw two years ago. They’re a very physical team, they’re disciplined, they’re normally in the right gap, in the right place. It’s going to be a good game because they’re a pretty tough defense.” – CCU senior running back Osharmar Abercrombie

“One thing I was proud of last week was our guys played extremely hard for four quarters. Now we just have to play smart. We have them playing with great effort, now we just have to eliminate some of the issues that caused us not to be successful Saturday, and we’ve been preparing for that.” – CCU interim head coach Jamey Chadwell

Scouting report

Coastal Carolina had an eight-game winning streak snapped with its 30-23 loss at Alabama-Birmingham last week. The Chants return to Brooks Stadium for their only game against a Football Championship Subdivision program this season. Western Illinois knocked off a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent on the road last year, defeating Northern Illinois 28-23 for its first FBS win since 2003.

Western Illinois, which plays in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, is a top 25 FCS team, ranked 19th in the STATS FCS national poll and 21st in the FCS Coaches Poll. The Leathernecks feature nearly all juniors and seniors in the starting lineup. They have won their opening two games on the road by a combined 45 points, downing Tennessee Tech 41-14 and Northern Arizona 38-20.

“They’re coming down and wanting to be one of the FCS that beats and FBS team, and they’re more than capable of doing that,” CCU interim head coach Jamey Chadwell said. “We could play really well and they could beat us. They’re really good. But I do think if we’ll continue to do the things we’re asking of them we’ll be fine. We just can’t turn it over.”

Coastal turned the ball over three times last week with three interceptions, which contributed greatly to the loss after not committing a turnover in an opening win over Massachusetts. The Leathernecks have a pair of dangerous linebackers in senior Brett Taylor and junior Quentin Moon, who are both 6-2 and 230 pounds. Both have forced a fumble this season and have a combined 4.5 tackles for losses.

Notes

▪ The teams have met twice, both at Brooks Stadium, and have split the games with Western Illinois winning 17-10 in the opening round of the 2010 FCS playoffs and CCU winning 34-27 by overcoming four deficits as the top-ranked team in FCS two years ago.

▪ CCU has forced a turnover in 15 consecutive games with a total of 33 turnovers in that span.

▪ The last time Western Illinois opened the season with three consecutive road games was 1935.

▪ It’s Youth Day at Brooks Stadium, meaning fans 18 and under can purchase tickets for $5 near Gate 4.

Line

No line

Prediction

Coastal Carolina 34, Western Illinois 24: Coastal should be able to overcome Western Illinois with its depth.

This story was originally published September 22, 2017 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Everything you need to know for Coastal Carolina vs. Western Illinois."