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South Dakota (1-2, 0-0 MVFC) at Southern Illinois (1-2, 0-0 MVFC)
Date, Time & Tickets	Sept. 29, 2018 | 6 p.m. CT | Buy Tickets
Location	Carbondale, Ill. | Saluki Stadium (15,000) | Gameday & Parking Info.
Promotions	Family Weekend | Salukis Blackout Cancer | Scout Night | Special Olympics Night
TV/Video Stream	ESPN+: Mike Trude, Darren Kinnard, Connor Onion
Live Stats	Provided by SIU
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 (PDF) | Media Guide (PDF)
South Dakota	Game Notes (PDF) | Stats | Media Guide (PDF)
MVFC	Weekly Notes | Stats
All-Time Series	Series tied, 2-2 (H: 2-0, A: 0-2)
Social Media	@SIU_Football   |  @SIUSalukis   |  Saluki Football

Series versus South Dakota
The teams have met each of the last four years, with the home team winning each time. Last year at South Dakota, Salukis’ QB Sam Straub broke his wrist on the second series of the game and was lost for the rest of the season. Two years ago at home versus the Coyotes, Straub made his first-career start and passed for  339 yards and two touchdows, plus 68 yards rushing in a 35-28 win.

Quick Facts 

• SIU has scored 40 points in three-straight games for the first time since the 2009 season. The school record for consecutive 40-point games is four (in 1999 and 2002) and has never been done four-straight times to start a season.
• SIU has 1,176 yards of total offense in the last two games combined — the most in a two-game span since it had 1,227 combined versus Missouri State and Indiana State in 2015.
• SIU has scored on 11 of its last 14 first-half possessions (8 TDs, 3 FGs), dating back to the Murray State game.
• QB Sam Straub has passed for more than 300 yards twice this season. He now has seven 300-yard passing games in his career — a school record.
• WR Raphael Leonard has posted back-to-back career highs in receiving yards with 117 against Ole Miss and 124 versus SEMO. He has four TDs in the last two games.
• Eleven different players have scored touchdowns for SIU this season, including three players on defense.

Salukis in the FCS rankings
The Salukis are in the top 10 in three statistical categories among 116 FCS programs — Scoring Offense (7th, 44.7), Total Offense (5th, 540.7) and Time of Possession (2nd, 35:33).

RB D.J. Davis three-straight consecutive 100-yard games
RB D.J. Davis (5-8, 168, Jr.) has become SIU’s feature back, surpassing 100 yards in all three games this season. The last Saluki to do that was Malcolm Agnew in 2014. The last Saluki with four-straight 100-yard games was Deji Karim in 2009. Davis is coming off a career-high 35 carries against SEMO. Also a prolific receiver and return man, Davis is just the eighth player in school history to surpass 3,000 all-purpose yards. He has 3,104.

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 7-7 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. Straub is the only quarterback in school history to complete 30+ passes in a game three times. His career best in passing was a school-record 450 yards against Western Illinois on Nov. 19, 2016.

Pass-catching streaks
Two players enter the South Dakota game with double-digit streaks of consecutive games with at least one reception — Darrell James, 6-0, 209, Sr. (20 games) and Raphael Leonard, 6-2, 193, Sr. (14).

Landon Lenoir leads in catches
WR Landon Lenoir (5-11, 190, So.) is tied with Raphael Leonard for the team lead with 19 catches. Lenoir has two relatives currently in the NFL. Brother Lance Lenoir (age 23), who holds the Western Illinois school record for career touchdown catches (28), is currently a member the Dallas Cowboys. Cousin Laquon Treadwell (age 23) is a wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings.

S Jeremy Chinn has created 10 turnovers in the last 15 games
In the last 15 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 20-straight games at safety for SIU — the longest active starting streak on the team. He leads the team in tackles (20) this season.

Anthony Knighton is SIU’s sack leader
DE Anthony Knighton (6-4, 253, So.) leads SIU with 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. He had sacks on back-to-back plays versus SEMO on Sept. 15. Knighton was a Freshman All-American by HERO Sports and Phil Steele Magazine and the runner-up for MVFC Freshman of the Year in 2017. He started all 11 games and set SIU freshman records with 11.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. 

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).

Did you know? SIU ….

• Has averaged 38 points per game at home in two games versus South Dakota.
• TE Nigel Kilby has caught three passes this year and two have been for TDs.
• Backup TE Logan Crouse is a true freshman who played three seasons of pro baseball in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system prior to SIU.
• K Nico Gualdoni (6-0, 227, So.) remains perfect in his kicking career. He is 7-for-7 on field goals and 25-for-25 on PATs. His career long is 39 yards. SIU was 12-for-22 (55.0%) on 4th Down Conversions last year and is 5-of-7 (71.4%) so far this year.
• Started the same 21 of 22 players in all three games.
• SIU was 12-for-22 (55.0%) on 4th Down Conversions last year and is 5-of-7 (71.4%) so far this year.

Darrell James ranks fifth in career receiving yards
With 1,720 career receiving yards, WR Darrell James (6-0, 197, Sr.) needs just 90 yards to move past Justin Roebock (1,809) into fourth all-time in receiving yards at SIU. James is 10th in career receptions with 110. 

Saluki offensive line protects its QB
The Saluki offensive line surrendered just 10 sacks in 2017 for an average of 0.91 sacks per game. That mark led the MVFC and ranked 10th in the nation. The Salukis have allowed just four sacks through three games in 2018.