Southern Illinois University
3-2 , 2-0
Illinois St.
2-2 , 0-1
Football tops Illinois State, 19-14, for third-straight win
10/01/2022 | 10:49:00 | Football
NORMAL, Ill. — A clutch fourth-down sack by Richie Hagarty helped Southern Illinois preserve a 19-14 win over Illinois State on Saturday and extend SIU's win streak to three games.
The No. 19-ranked Salukis (3-2, 2-0) jumped out to a 19-0 halftime lead, but the Redbirds (2-2, 1-1) scored a pair of second-half touchdowns and were facing 4th-and-8 at the SIU 13 with less than two minutes remaining.
SIU linebacker Louis Wilbert collapsed the left side of the pocket, and Hagarty swooped in from the opposite side to level ISU quarterback Zack Annexstad. Southern took possession of the ball and ran out the clock.
"It was just an amazing feeling to get that stop," said Hagarty. "We knew (ISU) was coming back, we knew our offense was struggling a little bit. We had no doubt in our mind we were going to get that stop and we got that stop."
Southern's defensive line has been stout against the run, holding four teams under 100 yards rushing, including the 80 yards on 37 carries by the Redbirds tonight. Meanwhile, Hagarty continues to terrorize opposing QBs, picking up his fourth sack in the last three games
"Richie's a player, we've known that for a long time," said SIU head coach Nick Hill. "I think our defensive front has played really well all season eliminating chunk runs. It starts with stopping the run first."
SIU did all of its scoring in the second quarter. QB Nic Baker found the end zone on a one-yard quarterback sneak on the first play of the period, and then wide receiver D'Ante' Cox put on a show with a pair of explosive plays that set up two more Saluki touchdowns.
Midway through the second stanza, Cox blew past a defender for a 67-yard reception down to the ISU 2.
"I ran a double move and got past the corner," Cox explained. "Nic put a good ball out there and I just had to run it down and make a play on it."
Javon Williams Jr. ran the ball in for a Saluki touchdown on the next play out of the Wildcat formation.
Later, Cox had a 43-yard reverse that set up a Ro Elliott two-yard touchdown run. Elliott was the game's leading rusher with 74 yards.
Coming off consecutive seasons with serious knee injuries, Cox has blossomed into a big-play threat, just like his twin brother, Avante, who is a preseason Peyton Award candidate.
"They're really interchangeable," Hill said. "We don't tell them who's at Z and who's at X (on a given play). Multiple times in this game, Avante told D'Ante' 'take the slot, I'll block for you.'"
D'Ante Cox finished with six catches for 102 yards, plus the 43-yard carry.
With a big halftime lead, Baker attempted only 19 passes in the contest, completing 15 of them for 143 yards, as Southern only threw the ball five times in the second half.
"To get in that locker room with a win — that's what we came up here to do," Hill said. "Each game is just a season of its own. Each game brings different flows, adversity, ups-and-downs."
The Salukis won their fifth-straight game against an in-state opponent.
"From where we were in Week 1, the commitment to grow individually, to get connected, not listen to any outside noise, the team has taken a big step," Hill said.
Team Stats
SIU 7, ISU 0
SIU - Baker,Nic 1 yd run (Baumgarte,Jake kick), 10 plays, 51 yards, TOP 04:47
SIU 13, ISU 0
SIU - Williams Jr.,Javon 2 yd run (), 3 plays, 78 yards, TOP 01:06
SIU 19, ISU 0
SIU - Elliott,Ro 2 yd run (), 9 plays, 85 yards, TOP 04:28
SIU 19, ISU 7
ISU - Lampkin,Rashad 6 yd pass from Annexstad,Zack (Jasek,Josh kick) 9 plays, 50 yards, TOP 03:39
SIU 19, ISU 14
ISU - Sobkowicz,Daniel 2 yd pass from Annexstad,Zack (Jasek,Josh kick) 13 plays, 83 yards, TOP 03:44
