Football cruises by Southern Utah, 44-10

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Sept. 15, 2007

Final Stats -- Photo Gallery

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CEDAR CITY, Utah - Nick Hill threw for a career-high 252 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 6 Southern Illinois University (3-0) to a dominating 44-10 win over Southern Utah (0-3) earlier tonight at Eccles Coliseum.

Hill guided SIU to 21 points in the first 13 minutes of the game, and the rout was on.

SIU set the tone early when Brandon Williams forced a fumble on the second play from scrimmage. Williams popped Nick Miller on the far sideline and Craig Turner scooped up the ball and returned it 19 yards to the Thunderbird 7-yardline.

Three plays later, Deji Karim scored on a 1-yard run, and just like that, SIU led 6-0 less than a minute into the game (Kyle Dougherty missed the PAT).

SIU, which put the ball in the end zone on three of its first four drives, scored twice more to build a 21-0 first-quarter lead.

Hill threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Justin Allen, capping a 10-play, 45-yard march with 4:57 left. Nearly three minutes later, Hill delivered a 24-yard strike to a wide open Lucien Walker.

After Hill's 14-yard pass to Rick Burgess extended SIU's lead to 28-0 with 7:12 remaining in the second quarter, SUU finally got on the board.

Steve Pulver made a 52-yard field goal to bring the score to 28-3 at the half. SIU scored 87 unanswered points against the Thunderbirds prior to Pulver's field goal.

SIU continued to have its way with SUU in the second half.

The Salukis used a good balance of running and passing plays to string together an 18-play, 80-yard scoring drive the first time they had the ball.

Hill's 6-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Kernes pushed SIU's lead to 34-3 with 8:06 left in the third quarter.

After SUU went three-and-out on its next possession, SIU took over on downs at its own 29.

On the third play of the drive, Hill hooked up with Damian Sherman for a 41-yard pass, setting up the Dawgs' sixth TD.

Karim took over from there, running for 13 yards to give SIU a first down at the SUU 2. He then plunged into the end zone from two yards out to up the lead to 41-3.

Dougherty's 37-yard field goal and Wes Marshall's 16-yard pass to Jeremy Edwards was the last of the scoring.

Hill completed 16-of-23 passes on the night and threw TD passes to four different receivers in the game for the second time in his career.

SIU had 500 or more yards of total offense for the second time against SUU. The Salukis racked up 103 points and 1,071 yards of total offense in two games against the Thunderbirds.

Larry Warner, filling in for the injured John Randle, who did not play due to an injured ankle, rushed for 92 yards on 12 carries. True freshman Joe Allaria added 63 yards on the ground, as the Dawgs had 227 rushing yards.

Defensively, SIU posted four takeaways, including one fumble and three interceptions. The Salukis now have 12 takeaways in three games this year.

Game Notes: Alan Turner extended his streak to 30 consecutive games with a catch...SIU scored a combined 87 unanswered points against Southern Utah before Steve Pulver broke the Thunderbirds' drought with a 52-yard field goal in the second quarter...SIU put up 103 points and 1,071 yards of total offense in two games against SUU...Nick Hill has thrown for 490 yards and seven touchdowns in his last two starts.

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