SIU vs. UNI Notes & Links

Southern Illinois (2-1, 0-0 MVFC) vs. No. 20 Northern Iowa (1-2, 0-0 MVFC)
Date & Time	Sept. 30, 2017 \| 6 p.m. CT
Location	Carbondale, Ill. \| Saluki Stadium (15,000 // FieldTurf) \| Weather
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)
Southern Illinois	Game Notes \| Stats \| Media Guide
UNI	Game Notes \| Stats
MVFC	Weekly Notes \| Stats
All-Time Series	UNI leads, 19-16 \| In Carbondale: SIU leads, 12-5 \| Streak: UNI W3 \| Last: UNI 42, SIU 21 (2016)
Social Media	@SIU_Football \| @SIUSalukis \| Saluki Football

QUICK HITS

Southern Illinois hosts Northern Iowa on Saturday for Family Weekend. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. The game will be streamed nationally through ESPN3.
The Salukis and UNI played in the UNI-Dome each of the last two seasons. The last time the Panthers came to Carbondale was 2014. Only five SIU players who are on the 2017 roster (Cameron Walter, Markese Jackson, Ryan Neal, Hans Carmien, and Connor Iwema) played in that game.
SIU and UNI are 1-2 in the MVFC in net punting. The Salukis lead the nation in net punting, and the Panthers rank fourth nationally.
The Salukis have beaten at least one ranked opponent in 15 consecutive seasons. Saturday's game against No. 20 Northern Iowa marks the first opportunity of 2017 for Southern to face a ranked opponent. Six of the eight teams SIU will face during MVFC play are ranked in this week's top-25.
Austin Olsen is the MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week after leading SIU to 393 yards, 31 points and no sacks allowed last week at Memphis. Olsen also earned the honor once in 2015.

SALUKIS FACE NORTHERN IOWA

SIU host Northern Iowa for Family Weekend and the Black Out Cancer game.
UNI has won three-straight games in the series to take an all-time 19-16 lead. The three-game win streak is the longest for either team since SIU won three-straight from 2008-10.
The game is Family Weekend at SIU. For more information about all the events and opportunities around Family Weekened, visit FamilyWeekend.SIU.edu.
The Saluki Kickoff 5K will be run Saturday morning. The run finishes in Saluki Stadium. To register, visit https://thesouthern.com/forms/promos/saluki5kickoff-2017/saluki_kickoff_5k_2017/
Group ticket rates are available to groups of 15 or more. Contact Bryce Williams at 618-453-1803 to secure your group ticket rate.
Since the start of the 2015 season, Southern Illinois has lost only four games by more than one possession. Two of those four games were at the hands of Northern Iowa (49-28 in 2015 and 42-21 last year).
- The other two games were against Illinois State in 2015--the year after the Redbirds played in the national championship game--and last week at Memphis, which is ranked in the top-30 of the FBS.
The Salukis have beaten at least one ranked opponent in 15 consecutive seasons. Saturday's game against No. 20 Northern Iowa marks the first opportunity of 2017 for Southern to face a ranked opponent. Six of the eight teams SIU will face during MVFC play are ranked in this week's top-25.
Over the last three seasons, SIU is 12-6 at home (.667) and 3-16 on the road (.158).

ABOUT THE BLACK OUT CANCER GAME

The Black Out Cancer game was an idea from former Saluki defensive back Mike McElroy in 2011.
Fans bid on game-worn jerseys on SalukisBlackOutCancer.com. The top 80 bids are awarded a game-worn jersey from the game.
In bid order, fans can select the jersey number of their choosing and put a customized name on the back of the jersey. Most bidders choose to honor a loved one affected by cancer by putting their name or nickname on the jersey nameplate.
All of the proceeds from the jerseys go to the Southern Illinois Healthcare Cancer Institute, which is the first comprehensive cancer treatment center in southern Illinois.
- This year, the jerseys raised $28,036 for the SIH Cancer Institute.
- In the six year partnership with SIH, the football jerseys have raised $227,933 for the SIH Cancer Institute.
In the seven total years of the Black Out Cancer game (the first year's proceeds went to the American Cancer Society and Coaches vs. Cancer), the jerseys have raised nearly $350,000 to fight cancer in southern Illinois.
McElroy wrote letters to the NCAA to get a special exemption to allow the game to happen in 2011.
The Salukis are 5-1 all-time in the Black Out Cancer games, including last year's 50-17 win against Murray State.

UNDER THE LIGHTS

The Salukis and Panthers kick off at 6 p.m. on Saturday night in Saluki Stadium.
Since 2002, when lights were reinstalled at McAndrew Stadium, Southern Illinois is 31-8 under the lights in Carbondale.
SIU is 12-5 under the lights in MVFC play.
SIU and UNI have only met under the lights in Carbondale twice in that span. SIU beat No. 12 UNI 42-13 in 2002 and topped No. 5 UNI 27-24 in 2008.
The Salukis are 1-0 this year, having beaten Mississippi Valley State 55-3 in the season opener. SIU-UNI is the final home night game of the 2017 season.
Since 2014, the Salukis are 11-2 under the Carbondale lights, with the lone losses coming to No. 24 Indiana state in 2014 and No. 12 South Dakota State last season.

APPROACHING MILESTONES

Daquan Isom surpassed 2,000 career all-purpose yards in the season opener. Isom has 2,138 all-purpose yards in 17 career games (125.8 yards per game).
Isom surpassed 1,000 career rushing yards in the game at Memphis. Isom has 1,028 yards, becoming the 35th Saluki with 1,000+ career rushing yards.
Cameron Walter is 219 yards away from 1,000 career rushing yards. Cam has 781 yards in 35 career games.
Darrell James is three yards away from 1,000 career receiving yards.
Jimmy Jones is 198 yards away from 1,000 career receiving yards.
Connor Iwema is 82 yards away from 1,000 career receiving yards.
Markese Jackson and Ryan Neal both passed the 150-tackle mark in the win at SEMO.

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