SIU vs. MSU Game Notes & Links

Southern Illinois (4-4, 2-3 MVFC) vs. Missouri State (2-6, 1-4 MVFC)
Date & Time	Nov. 4, 2017 \| 1 p.m. CT
Location	Carbondale, Ill. \| Saluki Stadium (15,000 // FieldTurf) \| Weather \| Game Day Fan Guide
Run With Us	877-SALUKIS \| SIUSalukis.com \| Promotions
Video Stream	ESPN3 with Darren Kinnard (play-by-play), Mike Trude (analysis) and Connor Onion (sideline)
Live Stats	Sidearm Stats
Radio	Saluki Sports Network with Mike Reis (play-by-play), Gene Green (analysis) and Connor James (analysis)
Audio Stream	Saluki All-Access (Free all season)
SIU	Game Notes \| Stats \| Media Guide
Missouri St.	Game Notes \| Stats \| Media Guide
MVFC	Weekly Notes \| Stats
All-Time Series	SIU leads, 20-19 \| In Carbondale: SIU leads, 11-8 \| Streak: MSU W1 \| Last: MSU 38, SIU 35 (2016)
Social Media	@SIU_Football \| @SIUSalukis \| Saluki Football

QUICK HITS

The Salukis host Missouri State at 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 4.
SIU leads the all-time series with Missouri State, 20-19. The Salukis have an 11-8 advantage in games played in Carbondale. The Salukis have won six of the last seven meetings with Missouri State in Carbondale.
Quarterback Sam Straub injured his hand last week against South Dakota. Tanner Hearn is expected to make his first career start on Saturday against the Bears. Hearn, a redshirt sophomore from Orlando, threw for 231 yards last week against the Coyotes.
Southern's defense held South Dakota to 280 total yards, including just 86 yards of total offense in the second half. The Coyotes entered the game leading the nation in total offense at more than 560 yards per game.
Before last Saturday, South Dakota's fewest yards in a game was 486 (vs. Youngstown State). The Salukis held USD to 280 yards -- 206 fewer yards than the Yotes previous season low.

SALUKIS VS. MISSOURI STATE

Southern Illinois host Missouri State on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Saluki Stadium. The Salukis are at home for the first time since October 14, a 42-7 win over Illinois State.
SIU leads the all-time series with Missouri State, 20-19. Each team has won 11 of its 19 home games in the series.
The Salukis have won six of the last seven games against MSU in Carbondale, dating back to 2003.
The Salukis have won 11 of the last 14 games in the series, but the teams have split the last four meetings.
Southern's 42-7 win over No. 15 Illinois State marked the 16th consecutive season SIU has beaten at least one ranked opponent.
Over the last three seasons, SIU is 13-7 at home (.650) and 4-18 on the road (.182).

SALUKIS TURN TO TANNER HEARN AT QB

Sam Straub, who started the first eight games of the season at quarterback, was injured in the first quarter of last week's loss at South Dakota.
Head coach Nick Hill announced on Monday that Straub will miss at least 4-6 weeks with the injury.
SIU turns to Tanner Hearn, a redshirt sophomore from Orlando, Fla.
Before last week, Hearn had attempted 12 passes in his SIU career. Last week, in relief of Straub, Hearn went 14-for-33 with 231 yards.
Hearn becomes the 10th starting quarterback at SIU since Joel Sambursky began the program's resurgence in 2002. The previous nine starting QBs went 7-2 in their first career start.
Last season, Sam Straub made his first career start with three games to play in the season. Straub beat South Dakota and No. 23 Western Illinois in going 2-1 down the stretch.
Hearn threw his first career touchdown pass earlier this season in the win over Mississippi Valley State.
Coming out of high school, Hearn was rated as the No. 25 prospect in central Florida by the Orlando Sentinel. He passed for 3,150 yards and 34 touchdowns as a senior and was the Central Florida All-Star game offensive MVP.
Hearn is a multi-sport athlete who also competed in track and field and is a 6-handicap golfer.

SALUKI DEFENSE SHINES VS. SOUTH DAKOTA

Despite the lopsided 42-0 score in last week's loss at South Dakota, SIU's defense was outstanding.
South Dakota was leading the nation in total offense, averaging more than 560 yards per game. The Salukis held the Coyotes to 280 yards.
USD's previous lowest offensive output of the season was 486 yards against Youngstown State. Southern held South Dakota to 206 yards fewer than that total.
South Dakota hadn't been held under 300 yards since Oct. 1, 2016, at Youngstown State a span of 15 games.
Southern Illinois held USD to 86 yards of total offense in the second half and only four first downs.
SIU held South Dakota to 4.0 yards per play. The Yotes had been averaging 6.7 yards per play.

TURNOVERS ARE KEY

The Salukis have forced 19 turnovers, which ranks 14th nationally and second in the MVFC behind North Dakota State.
Southern's 19 forced turnovers are already the most for the program since forcing 24 turnovers in 2012.
In Southern's four wins, the Salukis are +7 in turnover margin. In the four losses, SIU is -8 in turnover margin.
In four wins, the Salukis have forced 16 turnovers.
In four losses, the Salukis have forced just three turnovers.

SALUKI DEFENSIVE NOTES

In terms of yards per game, the Salukis are the third-most improved defense in the MVFC (63.3 yards per game improvement from 2016).
North Dakota State is the league's most improved unit. Despite allowing just 319.6 yards per game last year, the Bison are 131.3 yards per game better this year on defense (188.3 yards per game allowed, which leads the nation). South Dakota (122.7 ypg improvement) is the second-most improved defense.
SIU limited Mississippi Valley State to negative-eight yards rushing in the season opener.
With three games to play, the Salukis already have 20 sacks this year, which matches last year's total.
After the SEMO win, SIU defensive back Ryan Neal was named MVFC Defensive Player of the Week. Neal had a game-high eight tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery in the win.

PUNTING / PUNT RETURNING

SIU punter Lane Reazin is averaging 44.6 yards per punt, which leads the MVFC and ranks sixth in the nation.
The Salukis also rank fourth nationally in punt return defense, allowing only 2.26 yards per return.
SIU's net punting (38.67) ranks 14th nationally and second in the MVFC.
Southern's success is in line with the team's "worst to first" goal for the punt unit; SIU was last in the MVFC last season in net punting.
Conversely, the Salukis are averaging 10.0 yards per punt return. Craig James is averaging 9.6 yards per punt return, which ranks second in the MVFC.

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