Wildcats host Leathernecks in FCS Playoffs

2017 FCS PLAYOFFS

FIRST ROUND

Sat., Nov. 25, 2017 • 2 p.m.

Ogden, UT

Stewart Stadium (17,500)

TV: ESPN3

Online: WatchESPN

Radio: KLO 1430 AM / kloradio.com

Live stats: WeberStateStats.com

Series: Western Illinois leads 2-0

Streak: Western Illinois 2 wins

In Ogden: Western Illinois leads 1-0

Last game: 9/18/76 - UWI 21-19

THE GAME

• After finishing the regular season at 9-2 and claiming a share of the Big Sky title at 7-1, Weber State now prepares for the 2017 NCAA FCS Playoffs Saturday and for the first time ever, the Wildcats will host a home playoff game. Weber State will host Western Illinois in the first round game with both teams ranked in the top 10 in the nation.

• Saturday's game will kickoff at 2 p.m. from Stewart Stadium. It will be broadcast on ESPN3 and on WatchESPN.com with Dave Fellios and Forrest Conoly on the call.

• It will also be broadcast on the radio on 1430 KLO and kloradio.com with Steve Klauke, the 2016 Utah Sportscaster of the Year, and former Wildcat All-American Bo Bolen on the call.

• Live stats will be at WeberStateStats.com.

FIRST AND 10

• Weber State is 9-2 on the season and finished the regular season 7-1 after a 35-7 win over Idaho State that clinched a share of the Big Sky title.

• The Wildcats are now ranked 8th and 11th in the nation in this week's national polls and are the top ranked Big Sky team.

• Western Illinois is 8-3 overall and finished fourth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference at 5-3. The Leathernecks are ranked 9th and 10th in this week's polls.

• Head coach Jay Hill is in his fourth season as head coach at Weber State. He enters Saturday with an 24-22 career record and is 19-12 in Big Sky games.

• Western Illinois is coached by Charlie Fisher who is in his second season.

• This is Weber State's sixth appearance in the FCS Playoffs. The Wildcats also claimed the Big Sky title for the fifth time in school history.

WILDCATS END REGULAR SEASON ON FIVE-GAME WINNING STREAK
Weber State won its fifth Big Sky Conference title as with a 35-7 win over Idaho State Saturday. The win finished the regular season 9-2 overall and 7-1 in Big Sky play. The nine wins is the third most in a season in Weber State history.

The Wildcats finished the regular season on a five-game winning streak, winning at Cal Poly, home to No. 24 Montana, at No. 11 Eastern Washington, at Portland State and home to Idaho State.

The five-game winning streak is tied for the sixth longest winning streak in WSU history.

WEBER STATE CLAIMS BIG SKY CONFERENCE TITLE
With a 7-1 conference record, Weber State finished in a tie for the Big Sky Conference title for the fifth time in its history and the first since 2008.

WILDCATS RANKED IN TOP 10
The Wildcats are ranked eighth in the nation in this week's FCS Coaches poll and come in 11th in the STATS FCS poll. WSU is the highest ranked team in the Big Sky in the polls.

The eighth place ranking is Weber State's highest national ranking since 2008. The Wildcats have been nationally ranked in at least one poll every week this season.

WEBER STATE FCS PLAYOFF HISTORY
This will be the sixth time ever for Weber State in the FCS Playoffs, including an appearance last year. WSU is 2-3 all-time in first round playoff games.

The Wildcats were first selected to the Playoffs in 1987 under head coach Mike Price and defeated conference-foe Idaho in the first round before falling to Marshall in the second round.

In 1991, head coach Dave Arslanian and Walter Payton Trophy Award winner Jamie Martin, led the Wildcats to the Playoffs where they lost at Northern Iowa in the first round.

Ron McBride led Weber State to the playoffs in back-to-back years in 2008 and 2009. WSU won the Big Sky regular season title in 2009 and beat Cal Poly 49-35 in the first round before losing at Montana. In 2009, the 'Cats lost at William & Mary in the first round.

Weber State lost 45-14 at No. 9 Chattanooga last season in the first round of the playoffs.

17 WILDCATS EARN ALL-BIG SKY HONORS
After claiming a share of the conference title and earning a spot in the FCS Playoffs, Weber State football had 17 players earn Big Sky All-Conference honors.

WSU senior cornerback Taron Johnson was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous first team all-conference selection. Wildcat senior tight end Andrew Vollert was also a unanimous first team selection, earning first team honors for the second-straight season.

Weber State had eight players named to the first team, the most of any team in the conference. Junior tackle Iousa Opeta, freshman kicker Trey Tuttle, freshman returner Rashid Shaheed, senior tackle McKay Murphy, junior linebacker Legrand Toia and junior special teams player Brady May all earned first team honors, along with Johnson and Vollert.

May was also named to the second team as a fullback, joining sophomore defensive end Jonah Williams, junior linebacker Landon Stice, senior cornerback Xequille Harry and junior safety Jordan Preator on the All-Big Sky second team.

Harry also earned third team honors as a punt returner. He was joined on the third team by junior offensive guard Baron Bruce, junior running back Treshawn Garrett and senior punter Jacob DeMaio.

Senior wide receiver Drew Batchelor and freshman offensive tackle Tyler Downs both earned honorable mention All-Big Sky honors.

TARON JOHNSON NAMED BIG SKY DEFENSIVE MVP
Weber State cornerback Taron Johnson became just the fourth player in Weber State history to be named Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year. The Sacramento, California native earned all-conference honors for the third time in his career, with this season his first on the first-team. As a senior captain, Johnson has played and started in nine games this season at cornerback and ranks sixth in the Big Sky in passes defended and interceptions. He had three interceptions with two coming in the final regular season game against Idaho State.

He joins Brady Fosmark (2004), Scott Shields (1998) and Mike Humiston (1980) as the only players from Weber State to be named Big Sky Defensive MVP. He is Weber State's career leader in pass breakups with 40.

ANDREW VOLLERT IS UNANIMOUS FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG SKY SELECTION
Weber State senior tight end Andrew Vollert joined Johnson as the only unanimous selections to the All-Big Sky first team.

Vollert has played in all 11 games and led the Wildcats in receptions and receiving yards for the second-straight season. He finished the regular season with 44 receptions for 557 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 50.6 receiving yards per game. Vollert was also a WSU team captain this season has more than 100 receptions in his two seasons at Weber State.

The San Matteo, California native is the 28th player in Weber State history to earn first team All-Big Sky honors twice in his career and the first in six years. He earned All-American honors and was named Big Sky Newcomer of the Year in 2016.

DEFENSIVE DOMINATION
Throughout the season Weber State has boasted one of the top defenses in the Big Sky Conference and the country. Currently the Wildcats lead the Big Sky in total defense (338.2), scoring defense (16.6), rushing defense (117.3), pass efficiency defense and red zone defense, while ranking second in passing defense.

On a national level, the Wildcats are 11th in the nation in scoring defense and have not given up more than 33 points in any game this season. In the nine wins, the Wildcats are holding opponents to an average of 13.3 points per game and have not given up more than 24 in any game.

Weber State is also seventh in the country in interceptions with 16 on the season.

RED ZONE DEFENSE
The Wildcats have also been one of the top teams in the nation in red zone defense throughout the season. WSU is currently fourth in the country in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on 60.7 percent of its chances in the red zone. WSU has allowed opponents to score 17 times inside the red zone with nine touchdowns and eight field goals.

TIME OF POSSESSION
Weber State ranks second in the nation in time of possession, averaging 34:17 per game. The Wildcats have led their opponent in time of possession in 10 of the 11 games this season, including leading by 17:56 in last week's win over Idaho State.

TURNOVER MARGIN
The Wildcats are second in the Big Sky and 13th in the nation in turnover margin at +10. Weber State has forced at least one turnover in nine games this season and has forced 14 turnovers in the last five-game winning streak.
Weber State has forced nine fumbles and has 16 interceptions this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Weber State is sixth in the country in kickoff returns this season with an average of 25.2 yards per return. WSU freshman Rashid Shaheed is second in the nation in kickoff returns at 31.7 per return and is one of four players in the nation with at least two kickoff returns. He had a 100-yard return against Southern Utah and a 90-yard return against Portland State for touchdowns.
The Wildcats are also 10th in the nation in punt returns at 13.4 per game with senior Xequille Harry ranking second nationally at 18.8 per return. WSU also ranks eighth in the country in net punting.

TEAM CAPTAINS
Coach Hill has named five captains for the Wildcats for this season, two on offense and three on defense. The two offensive captains are senior quarterback Stefan Cantwell and senior tight end Andrew Vollert. The three defensive captains are senior cornerback Taron Johnson, senior defensive tackle McKay Murphy and junior linebacker LeGrand Toia.

EXTRA POINTS
WSU head coach Jay Hill has a career record of 24-22. He is also 20-12 in Big Sky play. Since starting his WSU career 2-12, he is 22-10 in his last 32 games...In addition, his .625 winning percentage in Big Sky games is the best conference winning percentage of any coach in Weber State history...WSU junior running back Treshawn Garrett moved into 11th place in WSU history in career rushing yards, now with 1,764 yards and 16 carries...The Wildcats are dominating the first two quarters of games this season...WSU is outscoring its opponents 105-37 in the first quarter and 166-60 in the second quarter...WSU has led at halftime in eight of the 11 games this year.

LOOKING AHEAD
The winner of Saturday's game will play at Southern Utah in the second round of the Playoffs next Saturday, Dec. 2, at 6 p.m. in Cedar City.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Drew Batchelor

Baron Bruce

Stefan Cantwell

Jacob DeMaio

Tyler Downs

Treshawn Garrett

Xequille Harry

Taron Johnson

Brady May

McKay Murphy

Jordan Preator

Rashid Shaheed

Landon Stice

LeGrand Toia

Trey Tuttle

Andrew Vollert

Jonah Williams

Weber State University Athletics