(WIU Sports Information)
MACOMB, Ill. – Seniors Jaelon Acklin and Brett Taylor re-wrote the Western Illinois record book on Saturday (Sept. 30), but the Leathernecks came up just short in what would have been the biggest comeback in program history, falling 38-33 to South Dakota. It was the home opener and Homecoming for the 13th-ranked Leathernecks (3-1 overall), as both teams opened Missouri Valley Football Conference play.
Down 38-6 with just under six minutes left in the third quarter, Acklin teamed with Sean McGuire to spur the comeback. Acklin set program records making 19 catches for 343 yards and caught three touchdowns during that span. The yardage not only set a MVFC record but finished as the fourth-highest single-game total by an NCAA FCS player.
While the offense kept rolling over the final 20 minutes, the defense blanked USD in that time, led by Taylor’s career-high 28 tackles. He tied with NFL great Rodney Harrison (at Western Kentucky, 1993) for the WIU single-game record, and recorded the fifth-most in MVFC history.
USD (4-0), ranked 10th nationally, recovered a fumble in the endzone to go ahead 38-6 with 5:44 left in the third. On the second play of the next Western drive, McGuire connected with Acklin on a 62-yard touchdown, needing just 35 seconds for the tally. Less than five minutes later, Steve McShane took over. The junior running back started with a 77-yard punt return. A penalty moved the ball back 15 yards, but McShane caught a 22-yard pass and he punched it in from one yard out to make it 38-20.
The fourth quarter saw Western force a USD punt. The offense staged a 19-play drive, taking up 6:32 on the clock. McGuire found Acklin on an 11-yard TD pass to make it an 11-point game.
Western forced another punt, and once again it was Acklin who delivered. The senior wide receiver broke three tackles en route to a 41-yard touchdown catch-and-run. The two-point conversion went incomplete.
USD took over with 2:10 left when the Coyotes recovered the onside kick. The defense held on 3rd-and-1 when Taylor and Riggs Baxter recorded a stop. On 4th-and-2, Chris Streveler tried another quarterback sneak, but Taylor and Shabar Wilson made the stop to turn the ball over on downs with 30 seconds left.
Taking over on its own 34, McGuire tried another shot down the left sidelines, but Danny Rambo intercepted the pass and ended Western’s comeback hopes.
McGuire’s career-high 441 passing yards were the third-most in program history.
The Coyotes ended a five-game losing streak to Western. Streveler threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns while adding another 89 yards and a score.
Western returns to the road, traveling to UNI next Saturday (Oct. 7). Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
GAME NOTES:
Acklin shattered Frisman Jackson’s previous receiving records of 14 catches for 286 yards against Indiana State in 2001… His 343 all-purpose yards were the fourth-most in WIU history…
