October 25, 2025 — Tennessee State fell 17-16 to Western Illinois at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, dropping to 2-6 overall and 0-4 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Despite dominating possession time 39:13 to 20:47 and outgaining Western Illinois 351-196 in total yards, costly turnovers and missed opportunities doomed Tennessee State.

Tennessee State controlled the game statistically but couldn’t convert dominance into points when it mattered most. Tennessee State scored on all three red zone trips but managed just one touchdown, relying heavily on kicker Freddy Perez, who converted three of five field goal attempts.

Quarterback Performance

Byron McNair faced constant pressure from the Western Illinois defensive front, getting sacked six times while trying to keep drives alive. Quarterback

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