Saturday, November 1
Murray, KY
4 PM
Southern Illinois University
at
Murray State
No. 16/17 Football Heads Back Out on Road to Face Murray State on Saturday
10/28/2025 | 10:30:00 | Football
CARBONDALE, Ill. - After its 31-17 win over Northern Iowa on Homecoming, the No. 16/17 Southern Illinois University football team (5-3, 2-2 MVFC) will begin a two-game road trip on Saturday at 4 p.m. against Murray State.
Game Details
- Date and Time:Â Saturday, November 1, 2025 | 4:00 p.m. CT
- Location:Â Roy Stewart Stadium - Murray, Ky.
- Opponent: Murray State - Missouri Valley Football Conference
- Live Stats:Â Follow Along Here
- Watch:Â ESPN+
- Listen: The Varsity Network or Listen Locally on 101.5 CIL-FM
Recap of Northern Iowa
The Salukis snapped a two-game losing skid with a 31-17 win over Northern Iowa on Homecoming. Southern Illinois was sparked by a dominant first half performance where it out-scored UNI, 24-3.
Southern's defense held the Panthers in check for most of the game, limiting the visitors to 247 yards of offense and just 127 passing yards. SIU forced a punt on five of UNI's first six drives (with the other being an interception) before its first three points, which came on a late field goal in the second quarter.
On the other end, Southern Illinois compiled 433 total yards with 203 passing and 230 rushing. This marks the fourth time this season where the Salukis have rushed for over 200 yards and in those games, they are 4-0.
Quarterback DJ Williams went 19-of-23 for 190 passing yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions while also rushing for 49 yards. Two different Salukis posted over 80 rushing yards, as Edward Robinson ran for 86 yards and Chandler Chapman ran for 81 and a touchdown. Jay Jones led the team in receiving with 52 yards and a touchdown, while tight end Aidan Quinn scored his first touchdown since 2023.
Cornerback Jeremiah McClendon had a career day, registering an interception, a sack, two pass breakups, and five tackles against the Panthers. As a team, the Salukis totaled four sacks, which is tied for the most in a game this season (also had four at SEMO on Sept. 20).
Series History
Southern Illinois leads the series, 12-10-2, against Murray State and is on a five-game winning streak vs. the Racers. The winning streak dates back to 2003 and in the five matchups since, SIU has out-scored Murray State, 220-40.
The last time the two sides met was in Carbondale on Nov. 23, 2024, a game the Salukis won by a final score of 62-0. This was the first shutout in the series since SIU blanked Murray State, 31-0, in 1986. Michael Lindauer, who began the 2024 season as a graduate assistant on the coaching staff and is in that role now, broke the Southern Illinois single-game passing touchdown record with seven touchdowns in the win.
Murray State's last win over the Salukis was on Sept. 14, 2002, in Murray, Ky. The Racers are 8-4 at home against Southern Illinois in the series.
Looking at the Racers
Murray State is 0-8 overall and 0-4 in conference play. The Racers are looking for their first win since Sept. 14, 2024, vs. Mississippi Valley State and are on a 17-game losing streak.
The last time the Racers won a conference game was on Sept. 30, 2023, when they defeated Indiana State, 30-28, with DJ Williams as their quarterback. Murray State is 1-19 in conference play since joining the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
On the season, Murray State is averaging 19.9 points-per-game, which ranks ninth in the Valley. The Racers are allowing a league-worst 44.1 points-per-game on the other end.
Tae Marrero Jr. Named MVFC Special Teams POTW
Senior Tae Marrero Jr. was named the MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday after scoring an 81-yard punt return touchdown against the Panthers on Saturday. This is the first time in Marrero's career he has received the honor.
The punt return touchdown was SIU's first in 6,944 days, with its last being on Oct. 21, 2006, via Craig Turner against Western Kentucky. It was also the 20th in program history.
Southern Illinois has now had a player earn this accolade twice this season, with kicker/punter Paul Geelen also receiving the honor on Sept. 15 after SIU's win at UT Martin two days prior.
Southern Illinois' Rushing Success
The Salukis are one of three teams in the Valley averaging over 200 rushing yards-per-game (204.3) and are the nation's 14th-ranked rushing offense. SIU rushed for 200+ yards for the fourth time this season on Saturday and is 4-0 when reaching this mark.
This is the first time SIU has rushed for 200+ yards in four of its first eight games since the 2019 campaign. The 2019 Salukis finished with eight such games and closed out the season with five consecutive 200-yard rushing performances.
SIU has two of the Valley's top 12 rushers with DJ Williams ranking ninth in the league with 479 yards and Chandler Chapman ranking 11th with 396.Â
DJ Williams Closing in On Milestones
Senior quarterback DJ Williams has scored 11 rushing touchdowns in 2025, which ranks second among all quarterbacks in the FCS and are the most by a Saluki since 2023 (Ro Elliott, 11). Williams' 12th rushing touchdown will put him in a tie for the 11th most in a single season in program history with Arkee Whitlock ('04), Tom Koutsos ('99), and Amos Bullocks ('60).
The last time a Saluki reached 12 rushing touchdowns in a single season was in 2019 with Javon Williams Jr. who finished the year with 17, which is tied for fifth all-time.
Williams' 479 rushing yards are the fifth-most by an SIU quarterback in a season, and the senior is eight yards away from tying Joel Sambursky ('02) for fourth at 487. The single-season record belongs to Mark Iannotti ('15) who rushed for 716 yards.
Across the FCS, Williams is fifth in the nation in points responsible for (150), seventh in total offense (averaging 291.4 yards-per-game), 18th in passing yards (1852), and is tied for sixth in rushing touchdowns (11).
Vinson Davis III's Career Year
Vinson Davis III is leading the conference and ranks 16th in the country in receiving with 653 yards on the year. Davis is seven receiving yards away from setting a new career-high, surpassing his total of 659 from 2023, his first season as a Saluki. The veteran wide receiver is also fourth in the MVFC and tied for 27th in the FCS in all purpose yards, averaging 112.00 per-game.
Earlier this season, Davis posted 185 receiving yards at SEMO on Sept. 20. This was the 21st 150+ yard receiving game in program history and is tied for the eighth-most in a single game. The 185 yards were the most by a Saluki receiver since Avante Cox had 187 yards at SEMO on Sept. 2, 2021.Â
Jeremiah McClendon Coming Off Career Best Performance
Cornerback Jeremiah McClendon filled the statsheet in SIU's win over Northern Iowa. The senior recorded an interception, a sack, two pass breakups, and five tackles. All were season-best marks or tied a season-high for McClendon.
This was the corner's first interception since Oct. 5, 2024, vs. Illinois State and the third of his career (had one in 2022 as a member of Charleston Southern).
McClendon's 11 pass breakups are the most the senior has ever had in a season and are currently tied for the second-most in the FCS. The last time a Saluki reached 11 pass breakups was in 2023 (PJ Jules, 11). The last time a Saluki surpassed this mark was in 2020 (James Ceasar, 14).
Other Defensive Numbers to Note Â
Southern has been one of the Valley's top defenses against the pass so far in 2025. The Salukis are second in the conference, allowing 187.6 yards-per-game through the air. SIU has held three of its last four opponents below 130 passing yards, with the exception being at No. 1 North Dakota State on Oct. 11.
The Salukis had four sacks on Saturday against UNI, the second time this season they've reached this mark. Southern also did this twice in 2024, but haven't had more than two four-sack games in a season since 2023. Defensive end Vontrell Chairse leads the team with four sacks on the year, followed by fellow defensive end Donnie Wingate's three. Chairse is tied for second in the MVFC in the category.
Senior linebacker Colin Bohanek leads the team with 50 tackles, with 25 solo, 2.5 TFL, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery. Bohanek is followed by safety Vinny Pierre Jr. who has 48 tackles on the season. Linebacker Shug Walker is third with 46.
Where the Dawgs are Ranked
Southern Illinois is ranked No. 16 for the second-straight week in the latest Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, which was released on Monday. North Dakota State, with 56 first-place votes, is ranked No. 1 after defeating South Dakota State, 38-7, on Saturday.
The Salukis are now ranked No. 17 in the latest AFCA FCS Coaches Poll after being No. 18 last week. North Dakota State remains No. 1 with 25 first-place votes, while South Dakota State fell from No. 2 to No. 5.Â
Follow the Salukis
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter at @SIU_Football, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiFootball and on Instagram at @SIU_Football. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.
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Game Details
- Date and Time:Â Saturday, November 1, 2025 | 4:00 p.m. CT
- Location:Â Roy Stewart Stadium - Murray, Ky.
- Opponent: Murray State - Missouri Valley Football Conference
- Live Stats:Â Follow Along Here
- Watch:Â ESPN+
- Listen: The Varsity Network or Listen Locally on 101.5 CIL-FM
Recap of Northern Iowa
The Salukis snapped a two-game losing skid with a 31-17 win over Northern Iowa on Homecoming. Southern Illinois was sparked by a dominant first half performance where it out-scored UNI, 24-3.
Southern's defense held the Panthers in check for most of the game, limiting the visitors to 247 yards of offense and just 127 passing yards. SIU forced a punt on five of UNI's first six drives (with the other being an interception) before its first three points, which came on a late field goal in the second quarter.
On the other end, Southern Illinois compiled 433 total yards with 203 passing and 230 rushing. This marks the fourth time this season where the Salukis have rushed for over 200 yards and in those games, they are 4-0.
Quarterback DJ Williams went 19-of-23 for 190 passing yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions while also rushing for 49 yards. Two different Salukis posted over 80 rushing yards, as Edward Robinson ran for 86 yards and Chandler Chapman ran for 81 and a touchdown. Jay Jones led the team in receiving with 52 yards and a touchdown, while tight end Aidan Quinn scored his first touchdown since 2023.
Cornerback Jeremiah McClendon had a career day, registering an interception, a sack, two pass breakups, and five tackles against the Panthers. As a team, the Salukis totaled four sacks, which is tied for the most in a game this season (also had four at SEMO on Sept. 20).
Series History
Southern Illinois leads the series, 12-10-2, against Murray State and is on a five-game winning streak vs. the Racers. The winning streak dates back to 2003 and in the five matchups since, SIU has out-scored Murray State, 220-40.
The last time the two sides met was in Carbondale on Nov. 23, 2024, a game the Salukis won by a final score of 62-0. This was the first shutout in the series since SIU blanked Murray State, 31-0, in 1986. Michael Lindauer, who began the 2024 season as a graduate assistant on the coaching staff and is in that role now, broke the Southern Illinois single-game passing touchdown record with seven touchdowns in the win.
Murray State's last win over the Salukis was on Sept. 14, 2002, in Murray, Ky. The Racers are 8-4 at home against Southern Illinois in the series.
Looking at the Racers
Murray State is 0-8 overall and 0-4 in conference play. The Racers are looking for their first win since Sept. 14, 2024, vs. Mississippi Valley State and are on a 17-game losing streak.
The last time the Racers won a conference game was on Sept. 30, 2023, when they defeated Indiana State, 30-28, with DJ Williams as their quarterback. Murray State is 1-19 in conference play since joining the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
On the season, Murray State is averaging 19.9 points-per-game, which ranks ninth in the Valley. The Racers are allowing a league-worst 44.1 points-per-game on the other end.
Tae Marrero Jr. Named MVFC Special Teams POTW
Senior Tae Marrero Jr. was named the MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday after scoring an 81-yard punt return touchdown against the Panthers on Saturday. This is the first time in Marrero's career he has received the honor.
The punt return touchdown was SIU's first in 6,944 days, with its last being on Oct. 21, 2006, via Craig Turner against Western Kentucky. It was also the 20th in program history.
Southern Illinois has now had a player earn this accolade twice this season, with kicker/punter Paul Geelen also receiving the honor on Sept. 15 after SIU's win at UT Martin two days prior.
Southern Illinois' Rushing Success
The Salukis are one of three teams in the Valley averaging over 200 rushing yards-per-game (204.3) and are the nation's 14th-ranked rushing offense. SIU rushed for 200+ yards for the fourth time this season on Saturday and is 4-0 when reaching this mark.
This is the first time SIU has rushed for 200+ yards in four of its first eight games since the 2019 campaign. The 2019 Salukis finished with eight such games and closed out the season with five consecutive 200-yard rushing performances.
SIU has two of the Valley's top 12 rushers with DJ Williams ranking ninth in the league with 479 yards and Chandler Chapman ranking 11th with 396.Â
DJ Williams Closing in On Milestones
Senior quarterback DJ Williams has scored 11 rushing touchdowns in 2025, which ranks second among all quarterbacks in the FCS and are the most by a Saluki since 2023 (Ro Elliott, 11). Williams' 12th rushing touchdown will put him in a tie for the 11th most in a single season in program history with Arkee Whitlock ('04), Tom Koutsos ('99), and Amos Bullocks ('60).
The last time a Saluki reached 12 rushing touchdowns in a single season was in 2019 with Javon Williams Jr. who finished the year with 17, which is tied for fifth all-time.
Williams' 479 rushing yards are the fifth-most by an SIU quarterback in a season, and the senior is eight yards away from tying Joel Sambursky ('02) for fourth at 487. The single-season record belongs to Mark Iannotti ('15) who rushed for 716 yards.
Across the FCS, Williams is fifth in the nation in points responsible for (150), seventh in total offense (averaging 291.4 yards-per-game), 18th in passing yards (1852), and is tied for sixth in rushing touchdowns (11).
Vinson Davis III's Career Year
Vinson Davis III is leading the conference and ranks 16th in the country in receiving with 653 yards on the year. Davis is seven receiving yards away from setting a new career-high, surpassing his total of 659 from 2023, his first season as a Saluki. The veteran wide receiver is also fourth in the MVFC and tied for 27th in the FCS in all purpose yards, averaging 112.00 per-game.
Earlier this season, Davis posted 185 receiving yards at SEMO on Sept. 20. This was the 21st 150+ yard receiving game in program history and is tied for the eighth-most in a single game. The 185 yards were the most by a Saluki receiver since Avante Cox had 187 yards at SEMO on Sept. 2, 2021.Â
Jeremiah McClendon Coming Off Career Best Performance
Cornerback Jeremiah McClendon filled the statsheet in SIU's win over Northern Iowa. The senior recorded an interception, a sack, two pass breakups, and five tackles. All were season-best marks or tied a season-high for McClendon.
This was the corner's first interception since Oct. 5, 2024, vs. Illinois State and the third of his career (had one in 2022 as a member of Charleston Southern).
McClendon's 11 pass breakups are the most the senior has ever had in a season and are currently tied for the second-most in the FCS. The last time a Saluki reached 11 pass breakups was in 2023 (PJ Jules, 11). The last time a Saluki surpassed this mark was in 2020 (James Ceasar, 14).
Other Defensive Numbers to Note Â
Southern has been one of the Valley's top defenses against the pass so far in 2025. The Salukis are second in the conference, allowing 187.6 yards-per-game through the air. SIU has held three of its last four opponents below 130 passing yards, with the exception being at No. 1 North Dakota State on Oct. 11.
The Salukis had four sacks on Saturday against UNI, the second time this season they've reached this mark. Southern also did this twice in 2024, but haven't had more than two four-sack games in a season since 2023. Defensive end Vontrell Chairse leads the team with four sacks on the year, followed by fellow defensive end Donnie Wingate's three. Chairse is tied for second in the MVFC in the category.
Senior linebacker Colin Bohanek leads the team with 50 tackles, with 25 solo, 2.5 TFL, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery. Bohanek is followed by safety Vinny Pierre Jr. who has 48 tackles on the season. Linebacker Shug Walker is third with 46.
Where the Dawgs are Ranked
Southern Illinois is ranked No. 16 for the second-straight week in the latest Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, which was released on Monday. North Dakota State, with 56 first-place votes, is ranked No. 1 after defeating South Dakota State, 38-7, on Saturday.
The Salukis are now ranked No. 17 in the latest AFCA FCS Coaches Poll after being No. 18 last week. North Dakota State remains No. 1 with 25 first-place votes, while South Dakota State fell from No. 2 to No. 5.Â
Follow the Salukis
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter at @SIU_Football, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiFootball and on Instagram at @SIU_Football. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.
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