Southern Illinois University
7-2 , 5-1
Youngstown St.
7-3 , 4-2
Football rallies to beat Youngstown State, 31-17
11/05/2005 | 12:00:00 | Football
Nov. 5, 2005
By Tom Weber
www.SIUSalukis.com
Final Stats | Photo Gallery I | Photo Gallery II | Postgame Podcast
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Driving into the teeth of a staggering 30-mph wind, Southern Illinois scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull off a 31-17 victory Saturday against Youngstown State and clinch at least a tie for the Gateway Conference championship.
The win puts the #5-ranked Salukis (7-2, 5-1) alone atop the Gateway, with an opportunity to win the title outright and secure the league's automatic playoff berth if they beat Northern Iowa next Saturday.
The #15-ranked Penguins (7-3, 4-2) lost their second-straight conference game and dropped into a three-way tie for second place with Northern Iowa and Western Kentucky.
Although Southern Illinois scored 24 unanswered points in the second half, none were bigger than the fourth quarter TD that came on a Joel Sambursky to Kellen Allen 9-yard fade pass to the left corner of the endzone with 4:51 remaining in the game.
"There wasn't one person going into halftime that didn't believe we would win the game," Sambursky said. "We just really believed in each other."
Not only did the Allen touchdown give the Salukis a 24-17 lead, but the drive itself consumed more than five minutes on the clock and defied a fierce wind that threatened to knock down each Sambursky pass. Nevertheless, the Saluki quarterback completed four tosses on the 10-play, 69-yard march, including a clutch 21-yard screen pass to Brent Little on a 3rd-and-14 play at the Youngstown 46.
"The conditions with the wind were crazy," Sambursky said. "But good teams find a way to win."
Saluki head coach Jerry Kill echoed those sentiments.
"Sometimes, it's not real pretty, but we are just finding a way to get it done," he said. "It has a lot to do with our seniors and our senior quarterback."
A sophomore punt returner, Craig Turner, put the finishing touches on the victory with a sensational 85-yard punt return for a TD with 3:05 remaining. It was the longest punt return for a score by a Saluki since Donnell Daniel ran one back 85 yards on Oct. 29, 1983.
"It looked like he was shot out of a rocket," Kill said. "It was probably as good a football play and as fun a play to watch as you ever look for, and it was a critical play in the game."
"We always talk about someone has to stand up and make a big play," Turner said. "The offense and defense both made big plays, and we needed someone on special teams to step up. I was given the opportunity."
Youngstown controlled the game in the first half, as quarterback Tom Zetts threw for 180 yards and two touchdowns to give the Penguins a 17-7 halftime lead.
Zetts was held to just 101 yards in the second half, though, as the Saluki defense rose to the ocassion, shutting out Youngstown in the third and fourth quarters. Southern recorded six sacks on the day, including a pair by Mark Philipp, raising its league-leading team total to 31 on the season.
One of the surprise heroes of the game for SIU was Braden Jones. The senior tight end has been hobbled by injuries much of the year and came into the game with six catches on the season. By the end of the night, he had doubled his season output with six more catches for 89 yards, including a pretty, 5-yard diving grab for Southern's first score.
"Joel just laid it up there, and I knew I was about to go out of bounds, so I just planted my feet and kind of leaned out and was fortunate to grab it," Jones said. "It's been frustrating for me, this possibly being my last year and my only year here. I wanted to come out and have a good season, and I think I have finally gotten things rolling and just want to keep it going."
Much is at stake next week in the UNI Dome as the winner will claim the Gateway's automatic playoff bid.
Kill pointed out after the game that the Salukis have lost nine in a row to Northern Iowa at the dome.
"We haven't beaten them in the dome," Kill said. "Our seniors have accomplished a lot of things, but that is not one of them. So that will be a motivating factor.
"You can't feel too good, and you can't get too high or low. I don't think we have reached our peak as a football team, which is a good thing. So you just got to go back to work and take it one game at a time. Nothing is easy."
Sambursky said he can't wait until next Saturday.
"It is going to be a crazy game next week at UNI," he said. "We are a confident group, but we really respect UNI and their program. It's a tough place to play, so as confident as we are, we understand the task at hand."
Team Stats
YSU 7, SIU 0
YSU - King, Max 17 yd pass from Zetts, Tom (Palmer, Brian kick) 7 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:41
YSU 7, SIU 7
SIU - Jones, Braden 5 yd pass from Sambursky,Joel (Coffin,Craig kick) 11 plays, 53 yards, TOP 5:36
YSU 14, SIU 7
YSU - Marshall, Aaron 72 yd pass from Zetts, Tom (Palmer, Brian kick) 1 plays, 72 yards, TOP 0:11
YSU 17, SIU 7
YSU - Palmer, Brian 30 yd field goal 4 plays, 0 yards, TOP 1:08
YSU 17, SIU 14
SIU - Allen,Kellen 16 yd pass from Sambursky,Joel (Coffin,Craig kick) 3 plays, 57 yards, TOP 1:14
YSU 17, SIU 17
SIU - Coffin,Craig 19 yd field goal 14 plays, 78 yards, TOP 6:35
YSU 17, SIU 24
SIU - Allen,Kellen 9 yd pass from Sambursky,Joel (Coffin,Craig kick) 10 plays, 69 yards, TOP 5:05
YSU 17, SIU 31
SIU - Turner,Craig 85 yd punt return (Coffin,Craig kick)