Salukis Take Down Southeast

Sept. 6, 2003

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Saluki fans had every reason to be optimistic coming into Saturday's clash with Southeast Missouri State. But nobody could have fathomed this.

In a flat-out dominating display, the Southern Illinois University football team picked up its first road victory over a Division I-AA team since 2000, rolling to a 28-7 upset of No. 22 SEMO.

The Salukis (2-0) ?just ?missed recording their first shutout of I-AA team since 1986, holding the nationally-ranked Indians scoreless until the last play of the game.

The performance left a record-breaking Houck Stadium crowd of 11,100 in stunned silence.

It even left ever-quotable head coach Jerry Kill nearly speechless.

"We're all overjoyed and excited as a football team,'' Kill said. " I'm kind of at a loss for words. It was just a great deal. And I'll tell you what, I'm going to have to move my mom to Saluki-land because I have lost very few games when my mom's there. And she ?was here tonight. She said 'you're going to have to move me in big boy.''

The outcome was great for SIU, but could have been even better.

Despite the cushy 21-point margin of victory, ?SIU probably should have ?won by five or six touchdowns.

But all in all, the Salukis can go into next weekend's game against Murray State feeling pretty good about themselves.

"It's definitely a momentum-builder,'' said SIU tailback Muhammad Abdulqaadir. "The biggest thing is that we haven't beat SEMO in what, four years? Not to mention that we haven't had a road win in I don't know how long. So it lets us know what caliber team we have.''

The Salukis rolled up 410 yards of total offense, but it was their defense that stole the show.

SIU recorded three sacks, two interceptions and had an impressive red zone stand in the third quarter that kept SEMO from gaining any momentum.

Trailing the Salukis 14-0 -- thanks to a pair of Abdulqaadir touchdown runs in the first half -- SEMO looked like it was about to get back in the game early in the third quarter. The Indians quickly drove to SIU's 13-yard line on their first possession of the second half.

But SEMO quarterback Jerome McDowell fumbled a snap that went right into the hands of SIU's Lionel Williams, and Williams took the ball all the way in for what appeared to be an SIU touchdown and a crushing blow to any SEMO comeback.

But instead, it was ruled that McDowell was down when the ball came loose, giving the ball back to the Indians. Instant replay clearly indicated that McDowell never had control of the ball.

SEMO looked to take advantage of the break, driving to the four yard line, but SIU's defense came up huge in a couple situations that it struggled in a year ago.

Showing its improvement up front, SIU stopped the Indians short of the endzone on 3rd-and-goal from the 4 and 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line. Frank Johnson and Melvin Vance teamed up to stuff a McDowell run on the latter play, sending the Saluki sideline into a frenzy.

The defensive stop was crushing for SEMO, and any thoughts of a comeback were soon squashed on SIU's ensuing possession.

Things looked real bad initially, as SIU took over at their own three yard line and came up with nothing on their first two plays. Abdulqaadir then had to leave the game at the 5:48 mark due to leg cramps, as SIU came up on 3rd-and-10.

But instead of panicking, the Salukis stepped up in the senior All-American's absence. In perhaps the biggest play of the game, Sambursky hooked up with Brent Little for a 41 yard gain.

"I'll tell you what, I think Brent Little made the play ?of the game,'' Sambursky said. "Not taking away ?from anybody else -- especially our defense -- but I really felt that Brent Little made the play of the game with that catch because that got us going. It got us a little bit out of the ?hole, so to speak.''

The play was the highlight of a breakout game for Little. The sophomore finished with 73 yards on three receptions.

?Koutsos then stepped in for Abdulqaadir and led SIU deep into SEMO territory. A five-yard run to the endzone by Sambursky then gave SIU a commanding 21-0 lead late in the third quarter.

SIU's defense tightened the clamps even further after that. The Saluki "D" wound up holding the Indians to 286 net ?yards, including just 59 yards rushing on 34 carries.

?"I ?wanted ?it ?bad,'' SIU safety Alexis Moreland said of the near shutout, "But as long as we got the "W" it's all right.''

Offensively, SIU was led by Abdulqaadir and Koutsos, who combined for 196 of the Salukis 279 yards rushing. Abdulqaadir ran for all 93 of his yards and two touchdowns in the first ?half, while Koutsos added 99 of his 103 yards rushing in the second half.

Koutsos had a big game despite a lingering knee injury from last weekend's game. The fifth-year senior responded with a gutsy performance, highlighted by a 61 yard run.

??"I really didn't think I was going to play ?because my knee was still real sore,'' Koutsos said. "When Mo went down with those cramps he (Kill) just said 'you got to play."

"I just played with pain."

"Tom kind of ran with a chip on his shoulder,'' said SIU quarterback Joel Sambursky. "He ran real, real hard. Not that it surprises me, because ?he always ?runs hard. But he ?seemed to have a little extra in him, even with his knee kind of banged up.

"I'll tell you what, when you've got the ?depth that we've got at tailback right now it's going to cause trouble.''

Sambursky had 167 yards of total offense, completing 7-of-13 passes for 123 yards and running for 44 yards on eight carries. He also got great protection, as he wasn't sacked all night.

"Our offensive line dominated,'' Sambursky said. "I'll tell you what, they played a great game.''

The Salukis added another score in the third quarter, as Brandon Robinson found Courtney Abbott for an eight-yard touchdown pass on a halfback option. The trick play capped a near flawless evening for SIU.

?Other than its game-ending score, SEMO (0-2) only seriously threatened to score on one other occasion. ?? ? ? ?SIU had lost 12 straight road games overall, and was 0-11 away from ?home under head coach Jerry Kill. ?? ? ? ?Jerome McDowell completed 16-of-24 passes for 140 ?yards and one touchdown to lead SEMO, while Corey Kinsey had 76 yards rushing on 21 carries for the Indians.

SIU will be back in action on Saturday, hosting Murray State at 6 p.m.

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