Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Football Ranked #25 in Latest I-AA Poll
10/14/2002 | 12:00:00 | Football
Oct. 14, 2002
For the first time since the 1999 season, the Southern Illinois football program is ranked in the Top 25 in I-AA football. The Salukis entered The Sports Network poll at #25 this week after beating nationally ranked opponents Northern Iowa and Western Illinois the last two weeks.
"I think it's great for our program and the community that we're getting national media attention," Saluki head coach Jerry Kill said. "But if we're up there at the end of the season, that's what counts to me."
The Salukis were ranked #25 in 1999 after opening the season with three wins, but that team dropped its next five and finished the year 4-7. Southern Illinois is 4-3 this season and looking for its first winning campaign since 1991.
"We're taking it one game at a time," Kill said. "That's the approach I've always taken in coaching. I don't look at very many stats. I look at turnover ratio and scoring offense and defense. (The national ranking) is nice, but we have a lot of work to do."
