The 1959 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team represented Western Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1959 college football season. They were led by third-year head coach Lou Saban and played their home games at Hanson Field. The Leathernecks finished the season with a perfect 9–0 record overall and a 6–0 record in conference play, winning the IIAC title.[1] Despite its record, the team was unable to participate in a postseason bowl game, as the Illinois state teachers college board banned its schools from participating in postseason sporting events.[2]
| 1959 Western Illinois Leathernecks football | |
|---|---|
IIAC champion | |
| Conference | Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| Record | 9–0 (6–0 IIAC) |
| Head coach |
|
| Home stadium | Hanson Field |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Western Illinois $ | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 17 Northern Illinois State | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central Michigan | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southern Illinois | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Illinois | 1 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Michigan | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois State Normal | 0 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Schedule
edit| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 19 | at St. Ambrose* | Davenport, IA | W 40–7 | [3] | ||
| September 24 | Bradley* | W 56–31 | [4] | |||
| October 3 | at Central Michigan |
| W 26–20 | 4,800 | [5][6] | |
| October 10 | Southern Illinois | No. T–18 |
| W 33–6 | 4,300 | [7][8] |
| October 17 | at Northern Illinois | W 18–13 | [9] | |||
| October 24 | at Arkansas State* | No. 17 | W 22–19 | [10] | ||
| October 31 | at Eastern Illinois | No. 11 | Charleston, IL | W 28–8 | [11] | |
| November 7 | Illinois State Normal | No. 10 |
| W 58–0 | [12] | |
| November 14 | Eastern Michigan | No. 9 |
| W 22–0 | [13] | |
| ||||||
References
edit- ^ "Western Illinois Football Record Book" (PDF). Western Illinois University Athletics. p. 69. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ "Stratton in Favor of Dropping Ban on Post-Season Games". Herald and Review. Associated Press. November 11, 1959. p. 9. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "St. Ambrose Is 40-7 Loser". Des Moines Register. September 20, 1959. p. 6S. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Western Illinois Thumps Bradley Braves, 56-31". Journal Gazette. Associated Press. September 25, 1959. p. 5. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Central Michigan Bows to Western Illinois, 26-20". Lansing State Journal. UPI. October 4, 1959. p. 62. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
- ^ "Western Hands Southern 33-6 Loss; Garron Runs 99 Yards". The Southern Illinoisan. October 11, 1959. p. 13. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
- ^ "Huskies Bow to Western". The DeKalb Daily Chronicle. October 19, 1959. p. 12. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wheaton, After 7th Title, Meets Wesleyan This Week". Freeport Journal-Standard. Associated Press. October 26, 1959. p. 8. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Western Tops Eastern, 28-8". Herald and Review. November 1, 1959. p. 18. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Coffman, Ron (November 8, 1959). "Unbeaten Western Drubs ISNU, 58-0". The Pantagraph. p. 27. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "West. Illinois Wins Ninth in Row, 22 to 0". Chicago Tribune. November 15, 1959. p. 2:6. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Brief Summary of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
 | This college football 1950s season article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |