No. 25 Salukis Try To Rebound At South Dakota

Saturday, October 10

Vermillion, SD

1 PM

Southern Illinois University

South Dakota

10/07/2026 | 2:37:00 | Football, General

Game Notes SIU USD

By: Todd Hefferman, SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The No. 25 Southern Illinois University football team tries to rebound from last weekend's loss to No. 8/9 Youngstown State when it hits the road for a Saturday matchup at No. 10/12 South Dakota.

The Salukis (3-3, 1-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference) kick off at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D., at 1 p.m. The game is scheduled to air on ESPN+ and The Varsity Network. The Coyotes (4-2, 1-1) are undefeated at home this season (3-0).

Ball Hawkin'

SIU forced only 19 turnovers all last season, but is on pace to eclipse that number after the ninth game of the year.

Gavin Shepard and Matthew McClelland's interceptions in Saturday's loss to No. 8/10 Youngstown State gave the Salukis at least one pick in four straight games. Sebastian Vargas' interception in the second quarter at Murray State on Saturday gave him a pick for the third straight game. The Salukis picked off four SEMO passes Sept. 12, the most since intercepting Marion native Matt Brown four times at Illinois State on Oct. 6, 2012. SIU's defense closed the game against the Redhawks, in fact, with three straight interceptions to open the door for quarterback DJ Williams' two late touchdown runs.

SIU enters Saturday's game against USD with 13 forced turnovers, 10 picks and three fumble recoveries. The Salukis' 10 interceptions in six games are tied for No. 1 in the country in the FCS with Colgate and Lehigh. SIU has lost 14 possessions (six interceptions and five lost fumbles).

Fiegel, Sanogo named Valley Football players of the week

Linebacker Ben Fiegel and defensive end Ibrahim Sanogo were honored by the MVFC after the win at Samford.

Fiegel, a 6-3, 230-pound junior from Batavia, Ill., came up with SIU's first interception of the season and had a team-high 10 tackles. Fiegel added 3.0 tackles for loss and was named the league's defensive player of the week.

Sanogo teamed up with defensive tackle Amir Dwight for a safety in the opening quarter and finished the game with 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. The 6-2, 244-pound graduate transfer from Albany had seven tackles and two quarterback hurries. Sanogo was named the league's newcomer of the week.

Francis, Schofield honored after Murray State win

Offensive guard Kellen Francis and kicker Weston Schofield were honored by the MVFC after the win at MSU.

Francis, a 6-5, 320-pound junior, was named the league's offensive lineman of the week. He graded out at 95% and had seven knockdown blocks. Schofield, a 5-8, 155-pound true freshman, was the Valley Football special teams player of the week after hitting a school-record four field goals at Roy Stewart Stadium.

Road Warriors in 2026

For the second straight year, SIU will play seven road games, beginning in Pensacola, Fla., against West Florida.

The Salukis went 4-3 away from home last season. It was the fourth time in the last five years they went at least .500 away from Carbondale. SIU went 1-5 on the road in 2024, 4-3 in 2023, 3-3 in 2022 and 5-3 in 2021. This year the Salukis are 2-2 away from Saluki Stadium.

SIU plays four of their first five games on the road. SIU opens at West Florida, then travels to Samford in Alabama before hosting Southeast Missouri State Sept. 12. The Salukis then play Illinois in Champaign Sept. 19 before opening MVFC play at Murray State Sept. 26. SIU also plays at No. 10/12 South Dakota Oct. 10, at Indiana State Nov. 7 and at No. 4/7 North Dakota to close the regular season Nov. 21.

No other team in Valley Football has played four road games.

Tickets on sale now

SIU's next home game is Oct. 17 against No. 12/13 Illinois State. Kickoff for the Homecoming game is set for 3 p.m. at Saluki Stadium. The game will air on ESPNU.

Single-game and two-game ticket multipacks for Saluki Football are available at the Saluki Ticket Office inside the Banterra Center or online. Fans can purchase tickets for the Oct. 17 game at https://saluk.is/4y2gvP8. Multipacks are available at Saluk.is/fbminiplans.

Looking at the Coyotes

USD comes off its first conference win of the season, a 44-14 decision at home against Indiana State. The Coyotes forced five turnovers and turned them into 34 points at the DakotaDome. USD is averaging 48 points per game at home this season.

Linebacker Wade Abrams, who has a team-high 50 tackles, is one behind league leader Ben Fiegel (51). Quarterback Austin Modrzewski (pronounced much-jess-ski) is second in the FCS in passing touchdowns (18) and passing efficiency (180.9). He has been intercepted five times this season.

USD has beaten SIU four straight times in the series, and has won 17 of its last 19 games at home. New turf was installed at the dome in 2024. The Yotes are 3-0 at home this year and 190-83 in the dome since it opened in 1979.

Last year's matchup with the Salukis went five overtimes.

USD has not been shut out in 58 straight games, overall, and in its last 112 games against FCS opponents dating back to 2015. The Coyotes haven't been shut out since falling at Kansas State on Sept. 13, 2022.

Williams Back For Another Run

Quarterback DJ Williams returns after one of the best offensive seasons in history in 2025. The Harvey, Ill., native rushed for 847 yards, an SIU record for quarterbacks in a season, and 18 touchdowns, which tied for the fourth-most of any Saluki in history for one year. His 2,846 passing yards ranked 11th in the country in the FCS, and his 22 passing touchdowns ranked 18th.

Williams finished third in voting for the MVFC Offensive Player of the Year Award and eighth in the Walter Payton Award. This season, he was a second team preseason All-American by Phil Steele and a third team preseason All-American by Stats Perform.

He is the only player in SIU history to rush for at least 25 touchdowns and throw for at least 25. This year he has 141 yards and six touchdowns rushing and 992 yards and four scores passing in five games.

Williams surpassed 300 passing yards three times last season, including a 361-yard performance at Youngstown State on Nov. 8. He also threw at least three touchdown passes in four games. He rushed for more than 100 yards three times during the season. He recorded 128 yards and three touchdowns Sept. 13 at UT Martin, 151 yards and two touchdowns Sept. 20 at SEMO, and 134 yards and four touchdowns at Illinois State Nov. 22.

Triple Threat in the Backfield

One reason SIU averaged 36.4 points per game last season, the most since 2007 (37.9 ppg.), was its vaunted rushing attack.

The Salukis had five different running backs rush for at least one touchdown last season, and return two starters from the backfield to go with Williams. Edward Robinson (5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Jr.) started three of the last four games in 2025 and finished the season with his biggest effort of the year. Robinson rushed for 145 yards on 19 carries in SIU's win at No. 11 Illinois State to end the season.

Backfield mate Chandler Chapman (5-11, 210, Jr.) started five games last season and finished the year with 465 yards and six touchdowns off 78 carries. Chapman has taken the lion's share of carries thus far, with 85 in four games. He is averaging 4.7 yards a carry with 396 yards rushing (66 ypg.).

Oh Captain, My Captain

Four seniors and one junior were elected team captains this season by the players. Senior linebacker Andrew Behm, senior guard Derek Harden Jr., senior linebacker Chris Presto and Williams joined junior defensive lineman Amir Dwight as captains.

Williams, a preseason third team All-American by Stats Perform, is coming off one of the best offensive seasons by a Saluki quarterback in history. Behm (61 tackles last season) and Presto (59 stops) are two of the team's leading returning tacklers and two of five returning starters on defense. Harden Jr. started the first 11 games last season and was a preseason first team All-American by Phil Steele this year.

Dwight, a 6-1, 272-pound junior from Cordele, Ga., finished third on the team last season with 3.0 sacks. His four quarterback hurries led the Saluki defense.

Salukis Land 13 Players on MVFC Preseason Watch List

SIU was picked sixth in the MVFC preseason poll and had 13 players on the league's preseason watch list.

Williams, Harden Jr., offensive lineman Blaine Halley, wide receiver Allen Middleton and running backs Edward Robinson and Chandler Chapman made the list. Behm, Presto, Dwight, defensive end Jake Parrella and defensive back Vinny Pierre Jr. were SIU's defensive selections.

Long snapper Ryan Algrim, a preseason first team All-American by Phil Steele, also made the list. Algrim was a five-star long snapper and the 16th-ranked player at that position in the country by Rubio Long Snapping coming out of Kaneland High School (Maple Park, Ill.). Algrim snapped all 12 games last season for the Salukis and is attempting to become the program's first All-American long snapper.

Five other specialists have been honored:

* K Craig Coffin (First Team 2006, Second Team 2004)

* P Mark Gagliano (First Team 1996)

* P Tom Striegel (Third Team 1981)

* P Scott Ravanesi (Honorable Mention 2007)

* P Lane Reazin (FCS Sophomore All-America Honorable Mention 2017)

Postseason success under Hill

Of SIU's 11 playoff appearances in school history, Hill was the quarterback of two teams (2006, 2007) and head coach of three (2020, 2021, 2023). The Salukis have won 11 playoff games in school history and Hill was a part of six of them (quarterbacked three wins and coached three more).

Since 2019, only three FCS programs have won three or more playoff games (South Dakota State, North Dakota State and Southern Illinois).

* In 11 Playoff Appearances, SIU is 11-10.

1983: Beat Indiana St. in the first round 23-7, beat Nevada in the second round 23-7 and beat Western Carolina in Charleston, SC for the 1AA Championship, 43-7.

2003: Lost at Delaware in the first round, 45-7.

2004: Lost to Eastern Washington in the first round, 35-31.

2005: Won at Eastern Illinois in the first round 21-6 and lost at Appalachian St. in the second round, 38-24.

2006: Beat UT-Martin 36-30 in the first round and lost at Montana 20-3 in the second round.

2007: Beat Eastern Illinois 30-11 in the first round, beat Massachusetts 34-27 in the second round and lost to Delaware in the Final Four, 20-17.

2008: Lost to New Hampshire in the first round, 29-20.

2009: Beat Eastern Illinois, 48-7 in the first round and lost to William and Mary in the second round, 24-3.

2020-21 (Spring): Won at Weber St. in the first round, 34-31 and lost at South Dakota St. in the Elite Eight, 31-26.

2021: Won at South Dakota in the first round, 22-10. Lost at North Dakota State in the second round, 38-7.

2023: Beat Nicholls State, 35-0. Lost at Idaho, 20-17 (OT)

Saluki Football in the last five seasons...

* Three FCS Playoff appearances and three playoff wins

* 12-14 against FCS ranked teams, including wins over No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4.

* Power Five win at Northwestern (9/17/22) — the only FCS team to beat a Power Five in 2022

* FBS win at Northern Illinois (9/6/23)

* FCS Playoffs Elite 8 (Spring, 2021)

* Playoffs Sweet 16 (Fall, 2021, 2023)

* Twenty-two weeks ranked in the FCS Top 10, as high as No. 3 (Oct. 25, 2021)

One of two FCS teams to beat FBS opponents in both 2022 and 2023 seasons

Southern Illinois was one of two FCS teams that beat FBS opponents in both 2022 and 2023. The Salukis defeated Northwestern in 2022 and beat Northern Illinois in 2023. Sacramento State beat Colorado State (2022) and Stanford (2023).

Since becoming a I-AA/FCS member in 1982, SIU is 6-39 versus FBS teams. Nick Hill was involved in five of the wins as either a player (Indiana-2006, Northern Illinois-2007) or head coach (UMass-2019, Northwestern-2022, Northern Illinois-2023).

SIU is 2-21 all-time against Power Five opponents, and head coach Nick Hill was a key factor in both wins. In 2006, Hill threw four touchdown passes and orchestrated a 35-28 win at Indiana. The Salukis were the only FCS program to beat a Power Five opponent in 2022, topping Northwestern, 31-24.

Salukis on active NFL rosters

SIU currently has three players on NFL rosters — S Jeremy Chinn (Las Vegas), LB Branson Combs (Jacksonville) and S PJ Jules (Cincinnati).

* Chinn was a second-round draft pick (64th overall) in the 2020 draft and runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year. The safety signed a two-year, $16.25 million contract with Las Vegas in March 2025. Chinn had 62 solo tackles last season for the Raiders. He also had one sack and two pass breakups. Chinn is about to start his seventh season in the NFL.

* Jules, who was on the Bengals' practice squad in 2024, tied for second on the team with 16 special teams tackles in 2025. Jules had nine solo stops in 14 games last season.

* Combs had nine tackles for the Jags in 2025, including three solos. He played in 10 games.

Salukis' NFL Tradition

* 43 SIU football alums went on to play in the NFL

* RB Brandon Jacobs was a two-time Super Bowl Champion with the New York Giants.

* QB Jim Hart was a four-time Pro Bowl selection who threw for 34,665 career yards with the St. Louis Cardinals. Later, he served as SIU's director of athletics.

* LB Bart Scott was an 11-year NFL pro with the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets.

* OL Carl Mauck was a 13-year NFL veteran and 21-year NFL assistant coach (OL). He also coached at SIU from 2006-07.

Quick Facts:

Carbondale, Illinois is located in the southern tip of the state — about a five-hour drive south of Chicago and two hours southeast of St. Louis...Many of SIU's alums are concentrated in those two cities...The Southern Illinois region is informally known as "Little Egypt," hence the adoption of the Saluki (an Egyptian hunting dog) as the school mascot.

Famous non-football SIU alums

* Kenny Troutt. owner of WinStar Farm and 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify

* Walt Frazier, ex-NBA star.

* Dave Stieb and Steve Finley, MLB All-Stars

* Mark Newman, former New York Yankees Senior VP (deceased)

* Derek Shelton, Pittsburgh Pirates manager

* Curt Jones, inventor and founder of Dippin' Dots

* Dick Gregory, civil rights activist, author, and comedian (deceased)

* Joan Higginbotham, NASA astronaut who flew on the Space Shuttle Discovery

* Donald McHenry, former US ambassador to the United Nations

* Bob Odenkirk, Jim Belushi, Dennis Franz and Richard Roundtree, actors

* Hannibal Buress, comedian

* Jenny McCarthy and Melissa McCarthy, actresses

Why the Salukis?

Southern Illinois had been known as the Maroons since intercollegiate athletics began in 1913. The name "Salukis" became official on March 19, 1951, when the student body overwhelmingly approved the dog as the new symbol of SIU athletics, easily besting "Rebels," "Knights," "Flyers," "Marauders," and "Maroons."

The oldest purebred dogs in the world with records dating back to 3600 B.C., the Saluki is an ancient Egyptian hunting dog known for its speed and hunting prowess.

So why is the name Salukis relevant to Southern Illinois? Natives of southern Illinois know that the region is frequently referred to as "Egypt." Historian Baker Brownell, in his book "The Other Illinois," explained how the region came to be known as Egypt.

He wrote, "There was a drought in the northern counties (of Illinois) in the early 1800s... the wheat fields dried up, the streams died in their beds. But in Southern Illinois, rain fell and there were good crops, and from the north came people seeking corn and wheat as to Egypt of old. Thus, the name, Egypt."

The 19th century drought in Illinois parallels the Biblical account of the country of Egypt in the Book of Genesis. "There was famine in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. All the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was so severe. And (Jacob) said, 'Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live, and not die.' So, 10 of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt."

In Egypt at that time, Salukis were accepted as the finest animal a family could possess. Adopting such a well-respected dog as its mascot fit perfectly for a school in a region known as "Little Egypt."

King Tut's Tomb

King Tut was the school's first live Saluki mascot after the nickname change from Maroons to Salukis in 1951. King Tut died in 1954 after being struck by a car, and a concrete pyramid was placed in his honor at McAndrew Stadium.

The marker was moved to its current spot outside Saluki Stadium in 2010. Before each home game, the Salukis walk from their locker room and pat Tut's marker for good luck.

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.