Saturday, November 25
Carbondale, IL
2 PM
Southern Illinois University
8-4 , 4-4
35
vs
0
Nicholls
6-5 , 6-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Nicholls
0
0
0
0
0
Southern Ill.
21
0
14
0
35
Recap | Football shuts down Nicholls State, 35-0
11/25/2023 | 6:23:00 | Football
Salukis advance to play No. 4-seed Idaho next Saturday at 9 p.m. CT.
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois waited 13 years to host its first playoff game at Saluki Stadium, and the team and its fans enjoyed every minute of a 35-0 takedown of Nicholls State on Saturday.
The Salukis (8-4) were dominant from the start, scoring three, first-quarter touchdowns. They added two more TDs in the third quarter and were never threatened by the Colonels (6-5), thanks to an efficient offense and a defense that hasn't given up a touchdown in its last two games.
"It was a special day for our program and Saluki Nation," said SIU head coach Nick Hill. "When I got this job, you have a vision of playing a lot of playoff games in that place. It's been a goal of ours to play one, and for our guys to come out and not just be satisfied with being here but to play really well, team football. I'm proud of the guys."
Southern's offense had nearly perfect balance through the air (181 yards) and on the ground (177 yards).
Quarterback Nic Baker was 12-for-22 passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns. He hit tight end Aidan Quinn for a TD from 14 yards out in the first quarter, and fired a 7-yard slant pass to Vinson Davis III for a score that put SIU up, 35-0, in the third. Baker became the career leader in touchdown passes at Southern with 67, moving past Joel Sambursky.
Running back Ro Elliott, who recently returned from a painful turf-toe injury, carried nine times for 111 yards to lead the rushing attack. Elliott capped off the first drive of the game with a three-yard TD run, two plays after he broke free for a 22-yard gain. Later, the 5-foot-5 tailback took the first handoff of the third quarter and sprinted 60 yards up the middle for a touchdown to push Southern's lead to 28-0.
"I don't know how he does the stuff he does, but he maneuvers, cuts," Baker said. "He's little, but he takes on (defenders), breaks tackles. He's a beast and it's good to have him back."
Southern's defense continued its dominant play, marking the fourth time this year it has not allowed a touchdown.
The closest Nicholls came to scoring was just before halftime. The Colonels went for it on 4th-and-goal at the SIU 2. Quarterback Pat McQuaide kept the ball on the option and safety PJ Jules dropped him for a four-yard loss.
"There were a few points of momentum, and that was big for us to be jogging in to the locker room 21-0, instead of 21-7 and them getting the ball first in the second half," Hill said. "To have a good defense, you have to have great players. There's a lot of them we could name."
Among the stars of the game on defense was tackle Kam Bowdry, who had two sacks on the day.
"He's the anchor," Hill said. "He's the leader of that defensive line, makes plays every week."
It was Bowdry who plugged up the middle of the field on the goal line stand.
"Just 11 guys playing with their hair on fire," he said. "We're stingy down there, don't like to give up points."
Southern had two interceptions, one by cornerback DJ Johnson and one by linebacker Branson Combs, and both led to Saluki touchdowns.
"We played complementary football," Hill said. "We scored, we got a turnover, we scored again."
Linebacker Zach Burrola, who missed the last two weeks with a knee injury, returned to record nine tackles.
"We thought he was out for the season," Hill said. "When we got in the playoffs, on Monday Burrola says he's going to try to play. He's still going to have to have surgery after the season, but he flew around like the Burrola we all know. That was a shot in the arm for everybody."
Southern may have been a playoff bubble team due to its 7-4 record, but Hill said playing in the rugged Missouri Valley Football Conference has prepared his team for a playoff run.
"We got in to the playoffs because of the respect of this conference," Hill noted. "It was time for us to go prove those guys right."
Added Quinn, "Our conference kind of prides itself on being the best at this level. We really wanted to come out and send a message that we're more physical than you, and I think we did a good job on that."
The Salukis advance to play No. 4-seed Idaho next Saturday at 9 p.m. CT.
The Salukis (8-4) were dominant from the start, scoring three, first-quarter touchdowns. They added two more TDs in the third quarter and were never threatened by the Colonels (6-5), thanks to an efficient offense and a defense that hasn't given up a touchdown in its last two games.
"It was a special day for our program and Saluki Nation," said SIU head coach Nick Hill. "When I got this job, you have a vision of playing a lot of playoff games in that place. It's been a goal of ours to play one, and for our guys to come out and not just be satisfied with being here but to play really well, team football. I'm proud of the guys."
Southern's offense had nearly perfect balance through the air (181 yards) and on the ground (177 yards).
Quarterback Nic Baker was 12-for-22 passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns. He hit tight end Aidan Quinn for a TD from 14 yards out in the first quarter, and fired a 7-yard slant pass to Vinson Davis III for a score that put SIU up, 35-0, in the third. Baker became the career leader in touchdown passes at Southern with 67, moving past Joel Sambursky.
Running back Ro Elliott, who recently returned from a painful turf-toe injury, carried nine times for 111 yards to lead the rushing attack. Elliott capped off the first drive of the game with a three-yard TD run, two plays after he broke free for a 22-yard gain. Later, the 5-foot-5 tailback took the first handoff of the third quarter and sprinted 60 yards up the middle for a touchdown to push Southern's lead to 28-0.
"I don't know how he does the stuff he does, but he maneuvers, cuts," Baker said. "He's little, but he takes on (defenders), breaks tackles. He's a beast and it's good to have him back."
Southern's defense continued its dominant play, marking the fourth time this year it has not allowed a touchdown.
The closest Nicholls came to scoring was just before halftime. The Colonels went for it on 4th-and-goal at the SIU 2. Quarterback Pat McQuaide kept the ball on the option and safety PJ Jules dropped him for a four-yard loss.
"There were a few points of momentum, and that was big for us to be jogging in to the locker room 21-0, instead of 21-7 and them getting the ball first in the second half," Hill said. "To have a good defense, you have to have great players. There's a lot of them we could name."
Among the stars of the game on defense was tackle Kam Bowdry, who had two sacks on the day.
"He's the anchor," Hill said. "He's the leader of that defensive line, makes plays every week."
It was Bowdry who plugged up the middle of the field on the goal line stand.
"Just 11 guys playing with their hair on fire," he said. "We're stingy down there, don't like to give up points."
Southern had two interceptions, one by cornerback DJ Johnson and one by linebacker Branson Combs, and both led to Saluki touchdowns.
"We played complementary football," Hill said. "We scored, we got a turnover, we scored again."
Linebacker Zach Burrola, who missed the last two weeks with a knee injury, returned to record nine tackles.
"We thought he was out for the season," Hill said. "When we got in the playoffs, on Monday Burrola says he's going to try to play. He's still going to have to have surgery after the season, but he flew around like the Burrola we all know. That was a shot in the arm for everybody."
Southern may have been a playoff bubble team due to its 7-4 record, but Hill said playing in the rugged Missouri Valley Football Conference has prepared his team for a playoff run.
"We got in to the playoffs because of the respect of this conference," Hill noted. "It was time for us to go prove those guys right."
Added Quinn, "Our conference kind of prides itself on being the best at this level. We really wanted to come out and send a message that we're more physical than you, and I think we did a good job on that."
The Salukis advance to play No. 4-seed Idaho next Saturday at 9 p.m. CT.
Team Stats
NSU
SIU
Total Yards
252
358
Pass Yards
177
181
Rushing Yards
75
177
Penalty Yards
85
15
1st Downs
12
23
3rd Downs
6
8
4th Downs
0
0
TOP
28:50
31:10
1st Quarter
NSU 0, SIU 7
SIU - Elliott,Ro 3 yd run (Baumgarte,Jake kick), 9 plays, 74 yards, TOP 02:51
NSU 0, SIU 14
SIU - Strong,Justin 1 yd run (Baumgarte,Jake kick), 5 plays, 35 yards, TOP 02:18
NSU 0, SIU 21
SIU - Quinn,Aidan 14 yd pass from Baker,Nic (Baumgarte,Jake kick) 7 plays, 80 yards, TOP 02:08
3rd Quarter
NSU 0, SIU 28
SIU - Elliott,Ro 60 yd run (Baumgarte,Jake kick), 1 plays, 60 yards, TOP 00:11
NSU 0, SIU 35
SIU - Davis III,Vinson 7 yd pass from Baker,Nic (Baumgarte,Jake kick) 7 plays, 39 yards, TOP 03:53
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
2
TD
0
YDS
13
INT
0
Players Mentioned
DT
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
TE
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