Saturday, November 20
Carbondale, IL
12:00 PM
Southern Illinois University
7-4 , 5-3
18
vs
35
Youngstown St.
3-7 , 2-6
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Youngstown St.
14
14
7
0
35
Southern Illinois
3
15
0
0
18
Football drops regular-season finale to Youngstown State, awaits FCS Playoffs fate
11/20/2021 | 4:51:00 | Football
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois lost its season finale to Youngstown State on Saturday, 35-18, and now awaits word of its FCS Playoffs fate when the bracket is announced at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday on ESPNU.
The No. 15-ranked Salukis (7-4, 5-3) matched last season's win total and will hope that a fourth-place finish in the toughest conference in the FCS is worthy of a playoff berth. Last spring, five teams from the Missouri Valley Football Conference, including SIU, made the field.
Until then, Southern will have to live with knowing it missed an opportunity to control its own fate by not handling the Penguins (3-7, 2-6).
"You line up and play the blue bloods of FCS football every week," said SIU head coach Nick Hill. "This (Youngstown) team beat Missouri State (8-3), this team beat Incarnate Word that's 9-2 and going the playoffs in the Southland (Conference). This team beat us."
For the second time this season, the Salukis out-gained an opponent by a sizable margin (430-359), but were undone by costly mistakes. Three second-half drives deep in YSU territory yielded no points, the offense converted just 1-of-11 third-down opportunities, and Southern turned the ball over three times.
"We're pounding the ball down the field, but we have to punch the ball in," said Saluki running back Justin Strong, who rushed for 107 yards on nine carries. "We know we're capable, but that comes with execution and we did not execute well enough down there."
Youngstown State's first drive was a sign of things to come. Southern's defense appeared to get a stop, but the Penguins perfectly executed a fake punt that went for 16 yards and later set up a Jaleel McLaughlin touchdown run. The slippery running back gashed SIU for 185 yards and three TDs on the day.
"You have to tip your hat to the other team," Hill said. "I felt like Youngstown came out here and played a good football game. We knew they could run the football, we knew they could move the ball."
After falling behind, 21-3, the Salukis appeared to gain momentum in the second quarter. Strong busted loose for a 67-yard run and Javon Williams Jr. finished the drive with a one-yard TD plunge. On the final drive before halftime, quarterback Nic Baker drove the team 70 yards for a score, completing a 20-yard strike to Avante Cox and capping the drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Strong, to close to within 10 points at 28-18.
Although Youngstown State took the opening drive of the third quarter 75 yards for a touchdown, Southern's defense held them to just two first downs and no points the rest of the way.
"I still believe we're a championship-contending team but we wanted to get this win to solidify our spot in the playoffs rather than leaving it up to the playoff selection committee," said SIU safety Qua Brown, who led the team with nine tackles. "Just trying to stay in good spirits and have high hopes for tomorrow that we have an opportunity to continue playing."
The Salukis struggled in the red zone in the second half. On separate occasions, they drove to the YSU 14, the YSU 4 and the YSU 3 — yet came away with zero points. The offensive line, which played without its right side of Chase Evans (flu) and Lucas Davis (knee), committed multiple false-start penalties, and SIU was flagged 11 times for 89 yards on the day.
"We have to be better and that starts with me," said Hill, who hugged each of his 22 seniors during a pregame Senior Day ceremony. "I wanted it for those guys. I talked a lot about what that group of guys means to me. We talked in the locker room. They know how I feel. I'm proud of our team. I'm not proud of our performance today — that starts with me. You're always going to look inwardly first and do a better job for them."
Southern won't have long to wait to find out if this group gets to make a return trip to the playoffs.
"I believe that everybody in the country knows we could rattle off a few wins," Hill said. "I realize we just came off the field in a game we needed to win, but I think our body of work, what we were able to do last spring in the playoffs — I think when you look at the top teams in the country, we deserve to be in there."
The No. 15-ranked Salukis (7-4, 5-3) matched last season's win total and will hope that a fourth-place finish in the toughest conference in the FCS is worthy of a playoff berth. Last spring, five teams from the Missouri Valley Football Conference, including SIU, made the field.
Until then, Southern will have to live with knowing it missed an opportunity to control its own fate by not handling the Penguins (3-7, 2-6).
"You line up and play the blue bloods of FCS football every week," said SIU head coach Nick Hill. "This (Youngstown) team beat Missouri State (8-3), this team beat Incarnate Word that's 9-2 and going the playoffs in the Southland (Conference). This team beat us."
For the second time this season, the Salukis out-gained an opponent by a sizable margin (430-359), but were undone by costly mistakes. Three second-half drives deep in YSU territory yielded no points, the offense converted just 1-of-11 third-down opportunities, and Southern turned the ball over three times.
"We're pounding the ball down the field, but we have to punch the ball in," said Saluki running back Justin Strong, who rushed for 107 yards on nine carries. "We know we're capable, but that comes with execution and we did not execute well enough down there."
Youngstown State's first drive was a sign of things to come. Southern's defense appeared to get a stop, but the Penguins perfectly executed a fake punt that went for 16 yards and later set up a Jaleel McLaughlin touchdown run. The slippery running back gashed SIU for 185 yards and three TDs on the day.
"You have to tip your hat to the other team," Hill said. "I felt like Youngstown came out here and played a good football game. We knew they could run the football, we knew they could move the ball."
After falling behind, 21-3, the Salukis appeared to gain momentum in the second quarter. Strong busted loose for a 67-yard run and Javon Williams Jr. finished the drive with a one-yard TD plunge. On the final drive before halftime, quarterback Nic Baker drove the team 70 yards for a score, completing a 20-yard strike to Avante Cox and capping the drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Strong, to close to within 10 points at 28-18.
Although Youngstown State took the opening drive of the third quarter 75 yards for a touchdown, Southern's defense held them to just two first downs and no points the rest of the way.
"I still believe we're a championship-contending team but we wanted to get this win to solidify our spot in the playoffs rather than leaving it up to the playoff selection committee," said SIU safety Qua Brown, who led the team with nine tackles. "Just trying to stay in good spirits and have high hopes for tomorrow that we have an opportunity to continue playing."
The Salukis struggled in the red zone in the second half. On separate occasions, they drove to the YSU 14, the YSU 4 and the YSU 3 — yet came away with zero points. The offensive line, which played without its right side of Chase Evans (flu) and Lucas Davis (knee), committed multiple false-start penalties, and SIU was flagged 11 times for 89 yards on the day.
"We have to be better and that starts with me," said Hill, who hugged each of his 22 seniors during a pregame Senior Day ceremony. "I wanted it for those guys. I talked a lot about what that group of guys means to me. We talked in the locker room. They know how I feel. I'm proud of our team. I'm not proud of our performance today — that starts with me. You're always going to look inwardly first and do a better job for them."
Southern won't have long to wait to find out if this group gets to make a return trip to the playoffs.
"I believe that everybody in the country knows we could rattle off a few wins," Hill said. "I realize we just came off the field in a game we needed to win, but I think our body of work, what we were able to do last spring in the playoffs — I think when you look at the top teams in the country, we deserve to be in there."
Team Stats
Penguins
SIU
Total Yards
359
430
Pass Yards
91
166
Rushing Yards
268
264
Penalty Yards
19
89
1st Downs
22
19
3rd Downs
7
1
4th Downs
1
2
TOP
35:29
24:31
1st Quarter
Penguins 7, SIU 0
Penguins - McLaughlin,Jale 6 yd run (McFadden,Colt kick), 12 plays, 76 yards, TOP 6:24
Penguins 14, SIU 0
Penguins - Oliver,Bryce 5 yd pass from Crenshaw,Demeat (McFadden,Colt kick) 2 plays, 30 yards, TOP 0:35
Penguins 14, SIU 3
SIU - Gualdoni, Nico 30 yd field goal 8 plays, 63 yards, TOP 3:18
2nd Quarter
Penguins 21, SIU 3
Penguins - Oliver,Bryce 5 yd pass from Crenshaw,Demeat (McFadden,Colt kick) 16 plays, 75 yards, TOP 7:11
Penguins 21, SIU 10
SIU - Williams Jr.,J 1 yd run (Gualdoni, Nico kick), 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:53
Penguins 28, SIU 10
Penguins - McLaughlin,Jale 38 yd run (McFadden,Colt kick), 8 plays, 79 yards, TOP 4:14
Penguins 28, SIU 18
SIU - Strong, Justin 4 yd pass from Baker, Nic (Strong, Justin rush) 10 plays, 70 yards, TOP 1:42
3rd Quarter
Penguins 35, SIU 18
Penguins - McLaughlin,Jale 35 yd run (McFadden,Colt kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:08
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
1
TD
0
YDS
40
INT
0
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
OT
/ Football
G
/ Football
RB
/ FootballRB
/ FootballInside Saluki Athletics - September 23rd
Wednesday, September 24
9.15.25 | Saluki Spotlight Presented by SIU Alumni Association: Penny Warner (Soccer)
Wednesday, September 24
9.24.25 | Jorge Moreno with Rodney Watson
Wednesday, September 24
9.22.25 | Saluki Basketball Begins In Season Practice
Monday, September 22