Saturday, November 2
Springfield, MO
2 PM
Southern Illinois University
at
Missouri State
News | Football travels to #17 Missouri State on Saturday
10/29/2024 | 12:11:00 | Football
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois will try to snap a five-game losing streak when it plays at No. 17 ranked Missouri State on Saturday at 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
The Salukis (2-6, 0-4) are coming off a tough loss at Indiana State, 20-17, in a game they led at halftime, 17-0. SIU committed three costly turnovers in the second half.
"Using this game (of football) to teach them about life — you have to be resilient in life as well," said SIU head coach Nick Hill. "Tough people aren't developed during easy times. You develop your toughness in tough times and (seeing) what you can withstand."
After opening the season with two losses, the Bears (6-2, 4-0) have won six-straight games.
Hill said his team's approach to practice continues to be upbeat.
"The word family gets used a lot in sports — that's what you have to be," he said. "We still have to enjoy coming to work, being around each other. We're being challenged right now and meeting those challenges with a good attitude. I continue to see that from our guys."
Series versus Missouri State
The Salukis have won four of the last six meetings with Missouri State, including their most recent trip to Springfield, a 38-21 win on Oct. 8, 2022. In that game, SIU fell behind, 14-0, before reeling off 38-straight points to win its fourth-consecutive game. Javon Williams Jr. tallied 45 yards rushing, 37 yards passing, 39 yards receiving, 43 return yards, plus two touchdown runs.
Salukis have played toughest schedule in the FCS
The Salukis have played the toughest schedule in the nation, according to WarrenNolan.com and the third-toughest according to the Massey power ratings. SIU played a stretch of five-straight games against ranked, FCS opponents, finishing 1-4 with a win versus No. 12 Incarnate Word. Only twice in school history (1999 and 2005) has SIU played five-straight ranked teams. In addition, SIU's FBS opponent this season, BYU, is currently 9-0 and ranked No. 9.
True freshman Jake Curry takes over at quarterback
True freshman quarterback Jake Curry has started the last two games for SIU, making his first-career start versus No. 2 North Dakota State on Oct. 12. It has been 35 years since the Salukis started a true freshman at quarterback. The last player to do it was Brendon Prenger, a true freshman walk-on QB, who started at Northern Iowa on Nov. 11, 1989. The Edwardsville, Ill. native is the third quarterback to start for SIU this season. Both DJ Williams (3 starts, broken hand) and backup Hunter Simmons (3 starts, broken tibia) are sidelined with major injuries.
Salukis activate QB Michael Lindauer
With three of the team's four quarterbacks out with injuries (freshman ET Harris suffered a season-ending injury during training camp), the Salukis received an NCAA waiver to activate quarterback Michael Lindauer. The Evansville, Ind. native retired from football after the 2024 spring ball season to become a graduate assistant coach for Southern. In three seasons at SIU (2021-23), Lindauer played in one game and did not attempt a pass in the game at Western Illinois in 2023. Last Saturday at Indiana State, Lindauer completed all three of his passes, including a one-yard touchdown throw to Keontez Lewis. Lindauer also rushed for 60 yards on three carries.
Indiana State recap
Playing with a broken bone in his left hand, WR Keontez Lewis still ranks 16th in the nation in receiving yards (650) and 22nd in receiving yards per game (81.3). Through eight games, he has 38 catches, including 3 touchdowns. He also has seven carries for 102 yards and a TD. The Wisconsin transfer recorded a career-high 153 receiving yards versus Illinois State.
LB Ben Bogle is 4th in nation in TFL
Sophomore LB Ben Bogle ranks fourth in the the nation with 14.0 tackles for loss. He also ranks 28th in the nation in sacks with 5.5. Bogle had a school-record 3.5 sacks at Austin Peay in Week 2, in which he earned FCS national player-of-the-week honors. SIU's single-game season record for TFL is 18.0 (Bart Scott, 2001) and for sacks is 12.0 (James Phillips, 1978).
Steed, Brown headline secondary
S Ubayd Steed (61 tackles) and S Iverson Brown (57 tackles) rank second and third on the team in tackles this season. Brown has one interception and four pass breakups, while Steed has two forced fumbles.
Dawg bytes
The Salukis (2-6, 0-4) are coming off a tough loss at Indiana State, 20-17, in a game they led at halftime, 17-0. SIU committed three costly turnovers in the second half.
"Using this game (of football) to teach them about life — you have to be resilient in life as well," said SIU head coach Nick Hill. "Tough people aren't developed during easy times. You develop your toughness in tough times and (seeing) what you can withstand."
After opening the season with two losses, the Bears (6-2, 4-0) have won six-straight games.
Hill said his team's approach to practice continues to be upbeat.
"The word family gets used a lot in sports — that's what you have to be," he said. "We still have to enjoy coming to work, being around each other. We're being challenged right now and meeting those challenges with a good attitude. I continue to see that from our guys."
Series versus Missouri State
The Salukis have won four of the last six meetings with Missouri State, including their most recent trip to Springfield, a 38-21 win on Oct. 8, 2022. In that game, SIU fell behind, 14-0, before reeling off 38-straight points to win its fourth-consecutive game. Javon Williams Jr. tallied 45 yards rushing, 37 yards passing, 39 yards receiving, 43 return yards, plus two touchdown runs.
Salukis have played toughest schedule in the FCS
The Salukis have played the toughest schedule in the nation, according to WarrenNolan.com and the third-toughest according to the Massey power ratings. SIU played a stretch of five-straight games against ranked, FCS opponents, finishing 1-4 with a win versus No. 12 Incarnate Word. Only twice in school history (1999 and 2005) has SIU played five-straight ranked teams. In addition, SIU's FBS opponent this season, BYU, is currently 9-0 and ranked No. 9.
True freshman Jake Curry takes over at quarterback
True freshman quarterback Jake Curry has started the last two games for SIU, making his first-career start versus No. 2 North Dakota State on Oct. 12. It has been 35 years since the Salukis started a true freshman at quarterback. The last player to do it was Brendon Prenger, a true freshman walk-on QB, who started at Northern Iowa on Nov. 11, 1989. The Edwardsville, Ill. native is the third quarterback to start for SIU this season. Both DJ Williams (3 starts, broken hand) and backup Hunter Simmons (3 starts, broken tibia) are sidelined with major injuries.
Salukis activate QB Michael Lindauer
With three of the team's four quarterbacks out with injuries (freshman ET Harris suffered a season-ending injury during training camp), the Salukis received an NCAA waiver to activate quarterback Michael Lindauer. The Evansville, Ind. native retired from football after the 2024 spring ball season to become a graduate assistant coach for Southern. In three seasons at SIU (2021-23), Lindauer played in one game and did not attempt a pass in the game at Western Illinois in 2023. Last Saturday at Indiana State, Lindauer completed all three of his passes, including a one-yard touchdown throw to Keontez Lewis. Lindauer also rushed for 60 yards on three carries.
Indiana State recap
- The Salukis led, 17-0, at halftime, but committed three costly turnovers in the second half, losing 20-17.
- S Ubayd Steed made a career-high 15 tackles.
- After missing the first 7 games with a knee injury, G Derek Harden Jr. made his 18th career start.
- WRs Allen Middleton and Bradley Clark made their first-career starts.
Playing with a broken bone in his left hand, WR Keontez Lewis still ranks 16th in the nation in receiving yards (650) and 22nd in receiving yards per game (81.3). Through eight games, he has 38 catches, including 3 touchdowns. He also has seven carries for 102 yards and a TD. The Wisconsin transfer recorded a career-high 153 receiving yards versus Illinois State.
LB Ben Bogle is 4th in nation in TFL
Sophomore LB Ben Bogle ranks fourth in the the nation with 14.0 tackles for loss. He also ranks 28th in the nation in sacks with 5.5. Bogle had a school-record 3.5 sacks at Austin Peay in Week 2, in which he earned FCS national player-of-the-week honors. SIU's single-game season record for TFL is 18.0 (Bart Scott, 2001) and for sacks is 12.0 (James Phillips, 1978).
Steed, Brown headline secondary
S Ubayd Steed (61 tackles) and S Iverson Brown (57 tackles) rank second and third on the team in tackles this season. Brown has one interception and four pass breakups, while Steed has two forced fumbles.
Dawg bytes
- Paul Geelen handles both the kicking and punting duties for SIU and is ranked 17th in the nation in punting (44.1). On kickoffs, 17 of his 31 kicks have gone for touchbacks.
- The Salukis rank 27nd in the nation in passing offense (236.1), 105th in scoring offense (17.9) and 119th in red zone scoring (0.593).
- Three of SIU's four captains have missed the last six games due to injuries — TE Aidan Quinn, DE Dewey Greene and LB Colin Bohanek. The only captain to play was C Chase Evans.
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