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Southern Illinois (1-0, 0-0 MVFC) at Ole Miss (1-0, 0-0 SEC)
Date & Time	Sept. 8, 2018 | 3 p.m. CT
Location	Oxford, Miss. | Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (64,038)
TV/Video Stream	SEC Network ALT: Mike Morgan, John Congemi, Alyssa Lang
Live Stats	Provided by Ole Miss
Radio	Saluki Radio Network with Mike Reis (play-by-play), Gene Green (analysis) and Connor James (analysis)
Radio Stream	TuneIn (free)
SIU	Game Notes (PDF) | Stats | Media Guide (PDF)
MISS	Game Notes (PDF) | Stats | Media Guide
MVFC	Weekly Notes | Stats
All-Time Series	SIU trails series, 0-2 (H: 0-0, A: 0-2) Last: SIU lost, 42-24, Sept. 10, 2011 in Oxford.
Social Media	@SIU_Football   |  @SIUSalukis   |  Saluki Football

Series versus Ole Miss 
The Salukis and Ole Miss have met twice before, with Southern losing, 59-3, in 1994 and 42-24 in 2011. In the 2011 matchup, the Rebels scored three touchdowns in the first six minutes of the contest to take a 21-0 lead. From that point forward, Southern outscored Ole Miss, 24-21. For the game, the Salukis out-gained the Rebels in total yardage, 420-315.

Salukis tie school record with three defensive touchdowns
In the season opener at Murray State, the Salukis tied a school record with three defensive touchdowns. Qua Brown (23-yard fumble return), Airan Reed (0-yard interception return) and Michael Elbert (77-yard fumble return) each recorded their first-career touchdowns.SIU forced six turnovers in the game — the most since forcing six at Eastern Illinois on Nov. 28, 2009.

S Jeremy Chinn has created 10 turnovers in last 13 games
In the last 13 games, S Jeremy Chinn (6-2, 211, Jr.) has four interceptions and six forced fumbles. A preseason All-MVC pick, he is tied for second all-time at Southern in forced fumbles (6), trailing only Tyler Williamson (8, 2012-14). Chinn has started 18-straight games at safety for SIU — the longest active starting streak on the team.

QB Sam Straub on CFPA Watch List for Player of Year
QB Sam Straub (6-4, 247, Sr.) is one of 36 FCS players on the College Football Performance Awards preseason watch list for its National Performer of the Year Trophy. Straub has a 7-5 career record as a starter. He started the final three games in 2016 and the first eight games in 2017, before a season-ending wrist injury. For his career, Straub has completed 56.5 percent of his passes with 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also has two rushing TDs. Straub is the only quarterback in school history to complete 30+ passes in a game three times and is tied with Sherard Poteete for the most 300-yard passing games with five. His career best in passing was a school-record 450 yards against Western Illinois on Nov. 19, 2016.

RB D.J. Davis with first-career 100-yard game
In the 23rd game of his SIU career, RB D.J. Davis (5-8, 168, Jr.) topped 100 yards rushing for the first time, gaining 127 last week at Murray State. All of his rushing yards came in the first half. His 19 rushing attempts surpassed his previous career high of 12. Davis led all MVFC running backs with 35 receptions in 2017. As a rusher, receiver and kick returner, he led the team with 1,373 all-purpose yards, averaging 124.8 yards per game, which ranked 18th in the FCS.

Darrell James tied for fifth in career receiving yards
With 1,629 career receiving yards, WR Darrell James (6-0, 197, Sr.) is tied with Billy Swain (1,629) for fifth all-time in receiving yards at SIU. James recently became the 14th player in school history with 100 career receptions. 
 
Pass-catching streaks
Three players enter the Ole Miss game with double-digit streaks of consecutive games with at least one reception — Darrell James, 6-0, 209, Sr. (18 games), Raphael Leonard, 6-2, 193, Sr. (12 games),
D.J. Davis, 5-8, 168, Jr. (10 games).

No seniors in starting lineup on defense
SIU’s starting defense features six juniors, four sophomores, one redshirt freshman and no seniors. Of the 22 players on the two-deep, only two are seniors (LB Withney Simon and CB C.J. Jennings).

Saluki debuts
Against Murray State, three players made their first-career starts (WR Landon Lenoir, LB Bryce Notree and S Qua Brown). Twenty-three players made their Saluki debut, including five true freshmen — QB Javon Williams, WR Je’Quan Burton, CB Chance Bush, LB Oliver McDowell and FB Jacob Garrett. 

Did you know? SIU …

• Is 0-4 all-time against SEC opponents (two losses to Mississippi, lost to Kentucky in 1988 and South Carolina in 1990.
• Has been outscored by SEC teams by a combined margin of 163-50.
• The Salukis are 3-30 all-time against FBS opponents and have lost their last 10.
• The wins came in 1983 (New Mexico State), 2006 (Indiana) and 2007 (Northern Illinois).
• Nick Hill was SIU’s quarterback for the last two wins.
• Ole miss offensive coordinator Phil Longo was SIU’s OC from 2008-09.

Week One flashback

• S Jeremy Chinn had two forced fumbles, S Qua Brown had two fumble recoveries. S Michael Elbert had a 77-yard fumble recovery for TD.
• SIU’s defense held Murray State to 0-for-7 on 3rd down conversions in the first half and 2-for-12 in the game.
• SIU’s 295 rushing yards were the most in the Nick Hill era and the most since gaining 385 vs. Missouri State on Oct. 10, 2015.
• TE Nigel Kilby’s (6-8, 250, Jr.) first-career catch at SIU was a 29-yard touchdown at Murray State.

Dawg Bites 

• Seven players have already earned their undergraduate degrees — S Julian Hylton, WR Matt Quarells, FB Jaylon Graham, WR Darrell James, RB Jonathan Mixon, QB Sam Straub, OT Bryce Wagner.
• The Salukis have five players from Jones High School in Orlando — WR Je’Quan Burton, CB C.J. Jennings, OLB Withney Simon, DT Tyree Jackson and G Calvin Francis Jr.
• Starting OT Ben Bailey (6-5, 266, Sr.) weighed 225 pounds when he first arrived at SIU in 2014.
• Originally a walk-on, OT Bryce Wagner (6-8, 346, Sr.) was awarded a scholarship prior to fall camp in 2017.
• Starting CB James Ceasar (5-10, 186, Jr.) began his career at SIU at cornerback in 2016, switched to safety in 2017, before returning to corner.