Southern Illinois University
6-3 , 3-2
Murray State
0-9 , 0-5
Salukis Earn 27-7 Road Win at Murray State on Rainy Night in Kentucky
11/01/2025 | 9:24:00 | Football
MURRAY, Ky. - On a cold, rainy evening in Murray, Ky., the No. 16/17 Southern Illinois University football team (6-3, 3-2 MVFC) defeated Murray State, 27-7.
"This was a fun game," head coach Nick Hill said in a postgame interview with Saluki Radio. "I felt our guys had the right mentality. It rained hard the entire game, so we had to have the right mentality. This would be an easy game to come out and look sloppy, but we got turnovers and our defense played huge getting those turnovers."
The Salukis relied on the ground game in the wet conditions, rushing for 233 yards on Saturday. Southern Illinois has run for at least 230 yards in back-to-back games for the second time this season (also did this in three-straight games from Sept. 13 to Oct. 4).
Running back Edward Robinson led the team with 109 yards on 18 attempts, averaging 6.1 yards-per-carry. Quarterback DJ Williams rushed 17 times for 90 yards and two touchdowns, giving the senior 13 rushing scores on the year. The 13 rushing touchdowns are the 11th-most by a Saluki in a single season in program history.
Williams also threw for 171 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions in the win. The senior's lone passing touchdown went for 40 yards to running back Lem Wash early in the fourth quarter. This was Wash's first receiving touchdown as a Saluki.
Southern's defense controlled the game early and often, limiting the Racers to just one score, which came late in the second quarter. SIU forced three turnovers, one via a fumble and the other two both being interceptions by safety Cejai Parson. Parson is the first Saluki to record two interceptions in a game since Nov. 27, 2021, when safety Qua Brown had two at South Dakota.
Linebacker Shug Walker had a team-high nine tackles, while defensive lineman Caden Reeves recovered a fumble.
Southern Illinois put together a lengthy, 15-play opening drive that went for 72 yards and lasted seven and a half minutes. The drive was capped off by a one-yard rushing touchdown by Williams for the first score of the game. The veteran quarterback has now rushed for a touchdown in eight of nine appearances this season (did not rush for one vs. UNI last week).
The Salukis made a statement on defense their first time on the field, as Murray State advanced the ball to the SIU 21-yard line before making the stop on 4th-and-1, leading to a turnover on downs.
Murray State's following possession started in the first quarter, went into the second, and got inside the opposing 15-yard line before Parson intercepted a pass from quarterback Jim Ogle. The safety returned it 54 yards to the Murray State 36-yard line. This was Parson's first-career interception.
The turnover set up a 23-yard field goal by senior Paul Geelen to give the Salukis a 10-0 lead with 8:29 remaining in the second quarter.
After a Murray State punt, the Salukis found the endzone courtesy of a five-yard run by Williams, his second of the game. This marks the fourth time this season where Williams has rushed for multiple scores in a contest.
The Racers registered their first points of the game with 0:27 left in the second quarter as Ogle found J'Kalon Carter to make it 17-7. SIU took this lead into the halftime break.
Murray State punted twice to begin the third while SIU lost a fumble on its first drive of the second half before Geelen hit his second field goal of the game, this one coming from 35 yards out.
Geelen went 2-for-2 on the day and is now a strong 9-for-10 on the year in terms of field goals.
The Racers were driving deep into Saluki territory late in the third before defensive end Donnie Wingate got to the backfield and sacked Ogle on a 3rd and 17 from the SIU 33-yard line. This pushed the ball back to the SIU 39 and forced a punt.
Southern Illinois took advantage of the stop, finding the endzone after Williams rolled out to the right and found Lem Wash wide open down the field for a 40-yard score. This was Wash's first touchdown since Week 1 against Thomas More.
SIU forced a fumble on Murray State's next drive and then Parson recorded his second interception to finish off the Salukis' 27-7 win.
With the win, Southern improves to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play. The Salukis will travel to Youngstown State next Saturday to face the Penguins at 1 p.m. CT.
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Team Stats
SIU 7, MUR 0
SIU - Williams,DJ 1 yd run (Geelen,Paul kick), 15 plays, 72 yards, TOP 07:23
SIU 10, MUR 0
SIU - Geelen,Paul 23 yd field goal 7 plays, 31 yards, TOP 03:33
SIU 17, MUR 0
SIU - Williams,DJ 5 yd run (Geelen,Paul kick), 7 plays, 59 yards, TOP 03:50
SIU 17, MUR 7
MUR - Carter,J'Kalon 5 yd pass from Ogle,Jim (Tannehill,Jack kick) 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:29
SIU 20, MUR 7
SIU - Geelen,Paul 35 yd field goal 9 plays, 50 yards, TOP 03:22
SIU 27, MUR 7
SIU - Wash,Lem 40 yd pass from Williams,DJ (Geelen,Paul kick) 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 03:12
