Up next: Western Illinois
Up next for Gophers football: vs. Western Illinois
The FCS Leathernecks went 2-9 last year and opened their season Thursday with a 42-25 loss at Tennessee-Martin
September 3, 2022 at 1:36AM
11 a.m. Sept. 10, Huntington Bank Stadium, BTN, 100.3-FM
The skinny: Western Illinois, an FCS program that went 2-9 last year, opened its season Thursday night with a 42-25 loss at Tennessee-Martin, the No. 15-ranked team in the FCS coaches' preseason poll. The Fighting Leathernecks gave up 577 total yards in losing for the seventh time in their past eight games.
Western Illinois tied the score 7-7 early in the second quarter on Henry Ogala's 31-yard touchdown pass to Jafar Armstrong before the Skyhawks scored 21 consecutive points to pull away. Wide receiver Naseim Brantley, a graduate transfer from Sacred Heart, caught six passes for 171 yards, including touchdown grabs of 51, 44 and 32 yards.
Nick Davenport completed nine of 19 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns for the Leathernecks, while Ogala went 12-for-19 for 105 yards and a score. Davenport led Western Illinois with 62 yards on 10 carries.
Thursday's game was the Leathernecks debut for coach Myers Hendrickson, who went 30-6 in three seasons at NAIA-level Kansas Wesleyan.
Amisha Ramlall burst on to the recruiting scene last season as a freshman and colleges, including the Gophers, quickly took notice.
