Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Football wins rollercoaster game over UNI in overtime
10/09/2010 | 12:00:00 | Football
Oct. 9, 2010
By Jason Clay
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Chris Dieker hit Jeff Evans on a 7-yard touchdown pass to lift No. 21 Southern Illinois over No. 15 Northern Iowa in overtime, 45-38, on Homecoming Saturday at Saluki Stadium.
Dieker led SIU (3-3, 2-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference) back from a 38-31 deficit with 4:36 to play and his 3-yard touchdown run with 1:11 left pushed the game into overtime.
The Salukis were on offense first in the overtime period and on a third-and-3 from the seven, he lobbed a pass to Evans and he was able to get two feet in-bounds at the back of the end zone.
Southern's defense then came up big and forced Northern Iowa (2-3, 2-1) into a fourth-and-18 with the help of a sack form Kayon Swanson and Chance Coda. Panther quarterback Tirrell Rennie tried to hit Montari Lenoard in the end zone, but SIU's Buck Buchanan Award candidate Korey Lindsey swatted the ball away to secure the Saluki victory.
The win was SIU's 13th in a row at home in MVFC games and ninth-straight homecoming victory. Head coach Dale Lennon's squad has now won back-to-back games after losing three-straight to end the month of September.
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