Western Illinois Leathernecks LINES, ODDS, PICKS AND REVIEWS

The Western Illinois Leathernecks are the teams and athletes that represent Western Illinois University, located in Macomb, Illinois, in NCAA Division I sports. The school`s primary conference affiliation is with The Summit League; its football team is a member of the Division I FCS (formerly Division I-AA) Missouri Valley Football Conference. WIU`s nickname, the Leathernecks, and its mascot, the English bulldog, are taken from the traditions of the United States Marine Corps.

The university has had permission to use the official nickname and mascot of the Corps since 1927, when Ray Hanson, then-athletic director and coach of the baseball, basketball and football teams, gained permission to use…