Illinois Wesleyan (0-1) vs. Aurora (0-1)
Sat., Sept. 15 • 6 p.m.
Illinois Wesleyan Stadium, Bloomington, Ill.

NIGHT GAME, SPECIAL DAY: This is the first night game at IWU since 1971. The last night game at home was on Oct. 2, 1971, when Carthage beat IWU, 22-19. It is also the annual "McLean County Appreciation Day", sponsored by the Illinois Wesleyan Student Senate.

LAST WEEK: IWU fell, 17-14, at Washington U. last Saturday, breaking a string of five straight season-opening wins. Senior Aaron Telford (Bloomington, Central Catholic) rushed for 115 yards on 22 carries and one TD and caught two passes for 22 yards and another TD. Senior Kyle Eash (Bloomington HS) was 7-of-16 for 69 yards passing and rushed for another 47 yards. Mike Clark (Joliet, West HS) and Will Augustine (Downers Grove, North HS) each recorded 10 tackles to lead IWU while senior Joe Abruzzo (Crystal Lake, Hoffman Estates HS) had an interception and recovered a Bears’ fumble.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Chosen by Titan coaches to honor top players in the week’s game and practices.
OFFENSE: Aaron Telford, senior, back, Bloomington (Central Catholic)
DEFENSE: Joe Abruzzo, senior, back, Crystal Lake (Hoffman Estates HS)
SPECIAL TEAMS: Josh Addis, sophomore, back, Essex (Reed-Custer HS)
SCOUT (Offense): Josh Holtgrewe, freshman, end, Millstadt (Belleville West HS); Steve Lucas, freshman, quarterback, Grant Park (Kankakee HS)
SCOUT (Defense): Patrick Kinsella, sophomore, end, Bolingbrook (Joliet Catholic HS); Jared Wagner, sophomore, line, Lexington (HS).

FOR THE RECORD: IWU teams are 26-9-1 in September in the Norm Eash era and last week’s loss was the first by IWU in September since 1995. . .Prior to last week, IWU had won 11 straight regular season non-league games, dating back to a 24-21 loss to Simpson in 1995 . . .The Titans are 50-14 (.778) at home and 42-25-1 on the road (.634) under Eash. . .IWU is 39-7 (.841) at Wilder Field in the last 10 years . . .Dating back to 1995, IWU has won 44 of its last 54 games (.815) and has been over the .500-mark for seven straight years and 11 of the last 12 years. Of those 10 losses, four have been to Wheaton, three to Millikin, and one each to Washington U., Augustana and Mount Union.

RANKINGS, HONORS: IWU, ranked No. 28 in the preseason Don Hansen’s Football Gazette rankings, is not in the top 40 in the publication this week. Millikin (22) and Augustana (33) are in this week’s rankings. . . Senior defensive back Brad Andrekus (Carol Stream, Glenbard North HS) was named to the fourth team of the preseason All-American squad chosen by Don Hansen’s Football Gazette. Andrekus was honorable mention All-American last season on both the Hewlett-Packard and usafootball.com teams.

THE COACHES: Norm Eash, a 1975 IWU graduate, is in his 15th season as head coach at Illinois Wesleyan. He has an overall record of 92-39-1 (.706) and a CCIW mark of 71-31-1 (.694) with conference titles in 1992, 1994, 1996 and 2000. Eash is fifth in all-time CCIW coaching wins and is second in victories at IWU, behind Don "Swede" Larson (166 wins in 33 years, 1954-86). . . Jim Scott is in his 17th season at Aurora and has a 79-55-3 record with the Spartans. Scott is a 1961 graduate of Luther College.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS: Aurora lost to Bethel (Minn.), 47-22, in their season opener last weekend and allowed 492 yards of offense. The Spartans got on the board first as they blocked a Bethel punt in the endzone for a safety, but then allowed 28 unanswered points and didn't score until the third quarter. Aurora quarterback Garrett Meyer was sacked five times as the Spartans managed 188 total yards, including 60 yards rushing on 47 carries. Meyer was 16 of 32 for 128 yards and a TD.. . Aurora was an NCAA Division III playoff team last season, losing in the first round to Wittenberg, 31-20. Aurora was 7-4 last year and was 7-0 in winning the Illini-Badger Conference.

THE SERIES: Dating back to a 1992 Division III playoff game, IWU has a 2-0 lead in the series against Aurora. The Titans won, 7-6, at Aurora last year as Shawn Emerson caught a 5-yard TD pass to account for the only IWU scoring. Joel Dodson was CCIW "Defensive Player of the Week" as he made 12 solo tackles. Brad Andrekus (Carol Stream, Glenbard North HS) had a late interception.
1992 IWU 21, Aurora 12
2000 IWU 7, @ Aurora 6

ON THE AIR: The IWU/Aurora game will be broadcast on cable channel 10 for Bloomington-Normal subscribers at 10 tonight. The game will also be shown tomorrow and Thursday at 8:30 p.m. and on Nov. 17 at 8 a.m. The "Titan Coaches Show" will be on the air a half hour prior to each game broadcast.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Titans play another non-conference game next week, hosting NAIA Taylor at 1 p.m. The following week, Sept. 29, IWU opens CCIW play at North Park.

OFFICIALS: The officials for the Aurora game are Steve Heldstab, Ken Henshaw, Dave Menning, Brian Simpsen, Ron Jones, and Rick Fahnestock.

MEDIA GUIDE: The 2001 Illinois Wesleyan football media guide, complete with player and coach profiles and all-time records, is available for $5 via mail. Send a check to: Sports Information Director, Illinois Wesleyan, P.O. Box 2900, Bloomington, IL 61702-2900.