Football ranked No. 6 in final 2009 polls
12/21/2009 | 12:00:00 | Football
Dec. 21, 2009
By Jason Clay
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University football team ended the 2009 season ranked No. 6 in the final FCS Coaches and Sports Network Top 25 polls that were released Monday. The Salukis finished the season with an 11-2 record and reached the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons.
The ranking is the third highest to end a season in program history, behind a No. 3 finish to end the 2007 season and the No. 1 ranking when the Dawgs claimed the 1983 National Championship.
SIU has finished 10th or higher in seven consecutive season-ending Coaches polls, as the Salukis have won 70 games since 2003. Only Montana (80) and Appalachian State (74) have more wins in the Football Championship Subdivision in that time frame.
Southern Illinois captured the 2009 Missouri Valley Football Conference Championship, its fifth in seven years, by becoming the first team to go 8-0 since the conference expanded to nine teams two seasons ago. The Salukis won 11-straight games throughout the course of the year, which is the third longest winning streak in program history.
Villanova, who won the 2009 FCS National Championship, received all available first-place votes and was followed by Montana in both polls. William and Mary, who knocked SIU out of the playoffs in the quarterfinals, finished tied for third with Appalachian State in the Coaches poll and fourth in The Sports Network Poll, behind the Mountaineers. Richmond filled the No. 5 spot ahead of the Salukis.
