Southern Illinois University
6-2 , 4-1
Western Kentucky
6-2 , 4-1
Football upsets #1-ranked Western Kentucky, 31-20
10/27/2005 | 12:00:00 | Football
Oct. 27, 2005
Final Stats | Photo Gallery | Postgame Podcast
By Tom Weber
www.SIUSalukis.com
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Southern Illinois rallied from a second-half deficit to stun #1-ranked Western Kentucky, 31-20, in a nationally televised game on ESPNU Thursday night.
The #8-ranked Salukis (6-2, 4-1) desperately needed the win to keep their conference championship and playoff hopes alive. A loss would have virtually ended Southern's chances of a third-straight title.
Now, the Salukis and Western Kentucky (6-2, 4-1) both trail unbeaten Youngstown State (7-1, 4-0) by half a game. SIU hosts Youngstown next Saturday.
"It's a huge win for us up here on the road," Saluki head coach Jerry Kill said. "This gets us right back in it, and we are back into controlling some things."
Southern was anything but in control until late in the third quarter.
Trailing 13-7, and with the season hanging in the balance, the Saluki offense came to life.
Quarterback Joel Sambursky, who had thrown a pair of first-half interceptions, marched his team 72 yards in eight plays for a momentum-shifting touchdown with 2:35 to go in the quarter. Arkee Whitlock's 11-yard TD scamper gave SIU a 14-13 lead and breathed life into the Saluki bench.
Simultaneously, the wheels seemed to fall off for Western Kentucky.
The Hilltoppers' next drive stalled at their own 25. Tanner Stewart's punt was then blocked by SIU's Braden Jones, and scooped up and returned for a touchdown by Jamarquis Jordan.
"Coach (Jay) Sawvel told me there was a good chance a hole would open up for me, and I would be able to get back there and make a play on the ball," said Jones, who has blocked two punts this season. "My hat is off to coach for coming up with a good scheme and putting me in a position to make a play."
The Salukis' second TD in less than two minutes put them ahead, 21-13, with 56 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
It also left the Hilltoppers dazed.
Things went from bad to worse for Western Kentucky on its next drive. On 4th-and-1 at their own 15, Stewart ran an unsuccessful fake punt. The official spot was so close to the first-down mark that referees had to kneel down for a closer look. But they signaled first down for SIU, and the Saluki sideline erupted in celebration.
Five plays later, the Salukis settled for an 18-yard Craig Coffin field goal to take a 24-13 lead.
The Salukis finished off the Hilltoppers with an 87-yard,10-play drive midway through the fourth quarter that culminated in Whitlock's third rushing TD of the game.
Whitlock turned in a gem of a performance, rushing for a career-high 207 yards. It was the most yards by a Saluki back since Muhammad Abdulqaadir rushed for 209 against Northern Iowa three years ago.
"Today, I got the hard yards that we needed, and that is the difference," said Whitlock. "It definitely was one of my best games."
Sambursky, who completed 14-of-19 passes for 159 yards, said the running game was Southern's key to controlling the tempo of the contest.
"When we are able to run the ball, it's no mystery, we are going to win," he said. "Arkee played a great game, and our offensive line played their best game, I think. I have never seen our offensive line handle their defensive line the way they did."
The much-maligned Saluki pass defense turned in a strong performance, also, holding Western to 197 yards through the air. It was the first time in the last six games Southern has held a team to less than 200 yards passing.
"Our secondary coaches have done an outstanding job with all the adversity we have had back there," Kill said.
The victory marks the Salukis' first win against a #1-ranked team in school history.
"I said this team would not peak too early," Kill said. "We are getting better, and we got a lot better tonight than we did all year, but we got better as a team."
Team Stats
SIU 0, WKU 3
WKU - James, Chris 43 yd field goal 4 plays, 7 yards, TOP 1:36
SIU 7, WKU 3
SIU - Whitlock,Arkee 45 yd run (Coffin,Craig kick), 6 plays, 77 yards, TOP 3:04
SIU 7, WKU 10
WKU - Haddix, Justin 2 yd run (James, Chris kick), 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 4:33
SIU 7, WKU 13
WKU - James, Chris 29 yd field goal 9 plays, 52 yards, TOP 4:25
SIU 14, WKU 13
SIU - Whitlock,Arkee 11 yd run (Coffin,Craig kick), 8 plays, 72 yards, TOP 3:38
SIU 21, WKU 13
SIU - Jordan,J. 24 yd punt return (Coffin,Craig kick)
SIU 24, WKU 13
SIU - Coffin,Craig 18 yd field goal 6 plays, 15 yards, TOP 3:23
SIU 31, WKU 13
SIU - Whitlock,Arkee 1 yd run (Coffin,Craig kick), 10 plays, 87 yards, TOP 5:22
SIU 31, WKU 20
WKU - Clemons, Cory 3 yd pass from Haddix, Justin (James, Chris kick) 11 plays, 81 yards, TOP 2:13