Salukis fall just short of FBS upset at Florida Atlantic

Saturday, September 3

Boca Raton, Fla.

5:00 PM

Southern Illinois University

0-1

Florida Atlantic

1-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Southern Illinois	14	10	0	6	30
FAU	14	7	14	3	38

09/03/2016 | 8:34:00 | Football

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By: By John Lock, SIUSalukis.com

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BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Southern Illinois football program fell in the season opener at Florida Atlantic, 38-30, on Saturday night at FAU Stadium. Southern held a 24-21 halftime lead and came within one possession of an FBS win for the third time in the last four seasons.

"We got on the plane to win the game," head coach Nick Hill said. "We don't feel good about playing close. This was a game I felt like we could win, and there's a locker room full of guys who expected to win."

Southern Illinois (0-1) got the ball to start the game but went 3-and-out. Greg Howell then took Florida Atlantic's second play from scrimmage 48 yards for a touchdown.

Southern's offense was dominant throughout the first half. In his first start at SIU, graduate transfer quarterback Josh Straughan hit Connor Iwema for a 54-yard gain early in the first quarter, which eventually led to a game-tying touchdown and started an SIU offensive outburst.

Billy Reid caught a 25-yard pass, and Austin Johnson hit a 48-yard field goal. True freshman D.J. Davis had a 20-yard rush on a swing pass, and Daquan Isom ripped off a 69-yard touchdown run to give the Salukis a 24-21 halftime lead.

At halftime, Southern already had 329 yards and had outgained the Owls by 60 yards. FAU had three big plays in the first half, a 48-yard TD run, a 37-yard TD run and an 85-yard fluke TD pass that bounced off three other players before Tavaris Harrison caught it behind the defense. Outside of those three plays, the Owls had 90 yards on the 31 other plays in the first half.

Florida Atlantic (1-0) won the game in the third quarter. SIU shut down the big plays, but the Owls started grinding through drives, scoring on a 12-play drive on the half's opening possession. SIU went 3-and-out, and FAU marched on a 14-play touchdown drive to take a 35-24 lead.

The Owls outgained SIU 160-21 in the third quarter, but SIU flipped the script in the fourth quarter, outgaining FAU 180-32 in the final frame.

"I would never question the ability to stay in the game and keep competing," Hill said. "Character is all over that locker room. They're going to keep competing; that's just what our program is about."

Trailing by two scores in the fourth quarter, SIU was driving when Straughan's helmet came off, so he had to leave the game and Sam Straub entered. Straub scrambled to get an errant snap, scrambled and threw up a pass towards the end zone. FAU's defender saw a sure interception bounce off his helmet, and Kyle Newquist caught it for a touchdown that brought SIU within 38-30.

Southern's defense held to give the ball back to the offense with a chance to tie the game, but Aaron Stanton lost a fumble at the SIU 35-yard line trying to gain yards after the catch. FAU ran out the clock to preserve the win.

In his first start at SIU, Straughan was outstanding at quarterback. The fifth-year graduate transfer from Stillman College went 36-for-51 with 367 yards and a touchdown and didn't turn the ball over. He spearheaded an offensive attack that put up 530 yards against a defense that allowed only 405 per game last season, one of the best marks in Conference USA.

"I was really happy with Josh, just trusting him and executing what we're asking him to do," Hill said of Straughan. "We put a lot on him, and he executed our offense. He made plays when things weren't there. He was smart with the football. I'm sure there will be a few that he's going to want back when we watch film; there always is, but I'm proud of Josh and his effort."

Head coach Nick Hill—who was the starting quarterback in two of the program's three FBS wins all-time—came close to opening his head coaching career with an FBS win. Instead, SIU turns its attention to Southeast Missouri, which beat SIU last year in Cape Girardeau. This year's game marks the home opener for Hill and the 2016 Salukis.

"We have the ability to be good. Now, it's a long season. We play in a great conference. We have to take it one week at a time. We need a great week of practice leading up to SEMO next week."