Southern Illinois University
Missouri St.
Football hosts Missouri State on Saturday
11/05/2019 | 11:55:00 | Football
Free tickets available to military veterans, SIU faculty/staff and Brown Dawg Kids Club members
All military — both veterans and those in active duty — will receive a free ticket to the game by presenting their military ID. Military members may also purchase additional tickets for family for $8. The game is also SIU Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day, in which all faculty and staff receive free admission to the game by presenting their faculty ID or employee number at the ticket window.
Other promotions include the Touch-A-Truck Event from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in which children of all ages are able to explore a variety of different vehicles including tractors, semis, fire trucks, buses, a helicopter, and more. Vehicles will be placed around Saluki Row and the stadium. Reminder that Brown Dawg Kids Club members can receive a free ticket for this game by presenting their membership lanyard. Sign-ups are available before the game. Also, area Youth Sports Teams are invited to form a tunnel on the field before the game. Contact Bryce Williams at 618-453-1803 for group ticket discounts.
PURCHASE TICKETS
| Missouri State (1-7, 1-5) at Southern Illinois (5-4, 3-2) | |
| Date & Time | Nov. 9, 2019 | 2 p.m. CT |
| Location | Carbondale, Ill. | Saluki Stadium (15,000) |
| TV/Video Stream | ESPN3, Scott Warmann, Danan Hughes, Kelly Burke |
| Live Stats | Provided by SIU |
| Radio | Saluki Radio Network Connor Onion, Gene Green, Connor James |
| Radio Stream | TuneIn (free) |
| Southern Illinois | Game Notes (PDF) | Stats | Media Guide |
| Missouri State | Game Notes (PDF) | Stats | Media Guide (PDF) |
| MVFC | Weekly Notes | Stats |
| All-Time Series | Series: Salukis lead, 21-20 (H: 11-9, A: 9-11, N: 1-0) |
| Social Media | @SIU_Football  | @SIUSalukis  | Saluki Football  |
| Video Channel | Vimeo |
Series versus Missouri State
Southern Illinois has won 12 of the last 16 meetings with Missouri State, including a 6-2 mark at home during that span. SIU won last year in Springfield, 49-35. That win snapped a six-game losing streak. After falling behind, 21-14, in the second quarter, Southern scored four unanswered touchdowns. Quarterback Matt DeSomer completed 19-of-24 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 92 yards on the ground.
Salukis aiming for four-straight wins
A win versus Missouri State would give the Salukis their first four-game winning streak in a season since winning 11-straight during the 2009 season. That was also the last time SIU made the playoffs. Southern has won consecutive road games for the first time since 2013 when it beat South Dakota State and Northern Iowa back-to-back.
Javon Williams Jr. named to Jerry Rice award watch list — leads Division I freshmen with 15 touchdowns
RB Javon Williams Jr. (6-1, 239, rFr.) has scored 15 touchdowns on the season (13 rushing, 2 receiving) — the most by a freshman in Division I. He is tied with Memphis RB Kenny Gainwell. No other FCS freshman has more than 10 touchdowns. The 15 TDs is a freshman record at SIU and seventh overall in FCS this year. It's the most by a Saluki player since RB Jewel Hampton had 17 in 2011. In the game against Youngstown State, Williams Jr. became the first player in school history to rush for a TD, catch at TD and pass for a TD in the same game. Williams Jr. Frequently operating out of the Wildcat formation, Williams averages 7.0 yards per carry and his 659 rushing yards ranks second among freshmen in SIU history. Tom Koutsos holds the mark with 1,052 in 1999.
S Jeremy Chinn second in MVFC in INTs
Despite missing two games with a foot injury, preseason All-American S Jeremy Chinn (6-3, 212, Sr.) is second in the MVFC with four interceptions. Chinn has moved into fifth place in career interceptions (13) at SIU with. He is also second in pass breakups (26) and second in forced fumbles (6). A starter since his freshman season and with 32 career starts, Chinn was named the "Top FCS Target" by the Senior Bowl heading into the season. A year ago Delaware's Nasir Adderley earned the Senior Bowl's distinction and ended up as a San Diego Chargers 2nd round pick.
RB D.J. Davis surpasses 5,000 all-purpose yards
During last week's game, RB D.J. Davis (5-8, 170, Sr.) became just the third player in school history to surpass 5,000 career all-purpose (rushing, receiving, return yardage) yards. He has 5,072 and trails Tom Koutsos by five yards. Arkee Whitlock is the school record holder with 5,601. Davis, who missed two games this season with a dislocated elbow, is coming off a season-high 160 yards at Indiana State. He has recorded 10 100-yard rushing games in his last 18 outings. Davis ranks sixth in career rushing at SIU (2,388). He is on the 2019 watch list for the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) FCS National Performer of the Year trophy.
DE Anthony Knighton is 5th in career sacks
DE Anthony Knighton (6-4, 260, Jr.) has started every game (31) of his Saluki career and is fifth all-time in sacks at SIU with 20.0, including 5.0 this season. He is four sacks shy of the school record held by James Phillips (1977-80). His 8.5 sacks in 2018 ranked seventh all-time at SIU and were the most by a Saluki since James Cloud had 8.5 in 2007. He also has 33.0 tackles for loss in his career, which is sixth all-time at SIU.
Salukis 6th in the nation in sacks
SIU's defense ranks 6th in the nation, averaging 3.44 sacks per game. Twelve different players have recorded sacks. Southern tied a school record with nine sacks versus Youngstown State.
WR Avante Cox 4th in MVFC in receiving yards
WR Avante Cox (5-10, 175, So.) ranks fourth in the MVFC 34 catches for 472 yards. The Wyoming transfer has five touchdowns (3 receiving, 2 rushing) and 176 rushing yards (10.4 ave). He was named both the MVFC Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week vs. South Dakota (113 receiving yards, 80 rushing yards, 3 TDs) and Newcomer of the Week against Arkansas State (142 receiving yards).
• After five conference games, SIU's defense leads the MVFC in 3rd down conversion percentage (24.6%). MVFC opponents are on 15-of-61 on 3rd down.
• The Salukis rank No. 5 in the nation in kickoff return defense, allowing 14.75 yards per return.
• SIU is the only MVFC team to recover an onside kick, having done so in the game against Illinois State.
• Eight different players have caught at least one TD pass for the Salukis this year. Last year, only five different players caught touchdowns.
• leads the team with a 6.8 yard average per carry. He had his first 100-yard game versus Illinois State (109 yards).
• True freshmen who have played key roles this season include RB Romeir Elliott (5-5, 188, Fr.), WR Tanner Corum (5-11, 185, Fr.), CB PJ Jules (6-2, 233, Fr.) and CB Zay Frazier (6-3, 177, Fr.) have each played more than four games this season. Elliott has rushed for 423 yards and a 6.0 yard average. Jules leads the team in special teams tackles with 7. True freshmen can play up to four games and still apply for a redshirt.
Qua Brown 5th in the nation in solo tackles
Although Jeremy Chinn grabs the headlines as one of the nation's top safeties and NFL prospects, S Qua Brown (5-11, 203, Jr.) is fifth in the nation in solo tackles per game (6.3) and 25th in total tackles (9.2). He had 16 tackles at SEMO and 14 at UMass. He also has five pass breakups to his credit.
Makel Calhoun third in MVFC-only games with 4.5 sacks
OLB Makel Calhoun (6-3, 216, So.) ranks third in MVFC-only games with 4.5 sacks. For the season, he leads the team with 5.5 sacks. Calhoun recorded 2.0 sacks in both the Youngstown State and Indiana State games.
The Leg from Down Under
A native of Melbourne, Australia, P Jack Colquhoun (6-2, 190, Jr.) is the first Australian to play for the Salukis since Wayne Cowley punted in 1973. Colquhoun has 11 kicks of 50+ yards this season, including an 80-yard boot at South Dakota State that was the third-longest in school history. Three of his 50+ yarders came against Youngstown State, as he was named the MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Colquhoun had never seen an American football game in person prior to his college debut at SEMO on Aug. 29. Colquhoun (pronounced KUH-hoon) was a decorated rugby player back home.
OLB Cody Crider bounces back
After undergoing the third knee surgery of his career in 2018, OLB Cody Crider (5-11, 218, Sr.) is back and having his best season at SIU with 67 tackles (2nd on the team), 8.5 TFLs and 2.0 sacks. All of those numbers have surpassed his previous single-season career highs.
WR Landon Lenoir is active leader in receptions
WR Landon Lenoir (6-0, 190, Jr.) is the team's active leader in receiving with 82 catches for 887 yards. Lenoir has two relatives currently in the NFL. Brother Lance Lenoir (age 24), who holds the Western Illinois school record for career touchdown catches (28), is currently a member the Dallas Cowboys. Cousin Laquon Treadwell (age 24) is a wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings.
QB Karé Lyles has not thrown INT in 64-consecutive passes
After losing his first three starts, Junior college transfer Karé Lyles (6-1, 225, Jr.) has won three-straight. During the winning streak, he has completed 28-of-48 (.583) passes for 423 yards, 4 TDs and no interceptions. Lyles has not thrown a pick in 64-consecutive attempts. Lyles replaced injured starter QB Stone Labanowitz (5-10, 187, So.) during the first series of the UT Martin game on Sept. 14 (SIU went on to win). Labanowitz, who hurt his right shoulder but his healthy again, won a three-way competition during training camp, in which redshirt freshman Nic Baker (5-8, 191, rFr.) was the leader at the start of camp.
