Southern Illinois pulls away from Indiana State, 45-24

TERRE HAUTE, IN – The Southern Illinois football program pulled away for a 45-24 win over Indiana State on Saturday afternoon. Southern’s defense only allowed 122 yards total offense over the final 53 minutes of the game.

Indiana State (0-7, 0-4 MVFC) hit on long passes on each of its first two drives. The Sycamores got the ball first and hit a 61-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead. After SIU tied the game, Indiana State hit a 40-yard pass that set up a touchdown. After that, SIU’s defense forced four turnovers and gave Southern’s offense the fuel to run away with its second-straight victory. 

“We didn’t come out and start the way we wanted to, but we’re going to enjoy this ride home any way we can get it,” SIU head coach Nick Hill said. “I’ve never beaten Indiana State since I’ve been coaching in college, and our guys came over here and found a way to get a win. It was sloppy at times, but I would rather win ugly than lose pretty.”

Southern’s offense was feast or famine for most of the game. The Salukis (4-3, 2-2 MVFC) committed four turnovers, but they also punted just four times while scoring six touchdowns and a field goal. 

“We did just enough to get the big explosive plays going,” Hill said. “We ran the ball just enough. Anytime you have 530 yards and 45 points, you did some good things, and that’s just a credit to our defense continuing to get us the ball back.”

After Indiana State took an early 14-7 lead, the Sycamores scored only twice more the rest of the game. The first score was actually a win for the SIU defense—a wild snap on a punt handed Indiana State the ball at the 8-yard line, and Southern’s defense held the Sycamores to a field goal. The other score was a fourth-quarter interception return for a touchdown. 

“Outside the first two drives, when (Indiana State) did what it wanted, our defense settled down and played lights out,” Hill said. “We gave them the ball at the 8-yard line because of the punt, and we forced a field goal. A pick-six is the only time they scored outside those first two drives. They couldn’t really do much.”

Saluki WR Darell James in yesterday’s win at Indiana State (siusalkis.com)

Other than the four turnovers, SIU’s offense moved the ball at ease all day. The Salukis ran 97 plays and had 30 first downs, compared to just 52 plays and 11 first downs for Indiana State. SIU went 10-for-18 on third downs, and the SIU defense held the Trees to 0-for-10. Quarterback Sam Straub threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns, and the running game poured in 184 yards and three touchdowns. Both Darrell James (154 yards) and Raphael Leonard (104) had career-best receiving games, just the fifth time in program history SIU has had two 100-yard receivers. 

“We’re seeing a little more about our team playing team football,” Hill said. “There will be times when one side of the ball is struggling and can’t get anything going. Somebody has to help us out. Special teams continued to play really good, except for the snap, and I really can’t say enough about (long snapper) Dan (Heilbron). He’s a true freshman. We haven’t said his name, which is a great thing. I’m proud of him. He came back with a couple backed-up punts and did a great job. He’ll clean it up. He’s a great kid and we have all the confidence in the world in him.”

The Salukis won the an MVFC road game for the first time since November 2014 at Missouri State. The Salukis snapped a three-game losing streak in the series with Indiana State. After the Sycamores wrecked SIU’s Homecoming last year in Carbondale with a 22-14 win, the Salukis returned the favor on Indiana State’s Homecoming weekend this year. 

UP NEXT

SIU travel to South Dakota for a battle with the Coyotes in the DakotaDome. South Dakota was ranked fourth nationally this week prior to losing at Illinois State earlier this afternoon. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT in Vermillion, S.D. 

“We control our own destiny,” Hill said. “You take it one week at a time, but the only time you guarantee you’re going to the playoffs it to win eight games. We have four wins with four to play. Every game is a must-win. We can’t look ahead. In this league, I keep saying Indiana State will beat somebody. They haven’t put a full game together, but they will. They have a great coaching staff that gets them ready to play. There’s never a lack of effort out there, and they have great scheme.

Box Score Link

http://www.siusalukis.com/boxscore.aspx?path=football&id=7836