Late score helps Saluki Football hold off Samford

Thursday, September 3

Birmingham, AL

6 PM

Southern Illinois University

1-1 , 0-0

Samford

0-2 , 0-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Southern Ill.	9	6	0	7	22
Samford	0	7	8	3	18

Karsen Konkel, Kam White and Miles Marshall

Ibrahim Sanogo, Amir Dwight, Chris Presto

Karsen Konkel, Kam White, Miles Marshall

09/04/2026 | 2:29:00 | Football, General

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Todd Hefferman, SIUSalukis.com

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Lem Wash's 3-yard touchdown run with just under 11 minutes to play helped the No. 25 Southern Illinois football team hold off Samford Thursday night.

The Salukis (1-1) led 9-0 to start the game and threatened to blow it open several times at Pete Hanna Stadium before settling for a 22-18 victory. Wash's scoring run with 10:50 left and Seth Adams' extra point broke a 15-all tie and proved to be the difference.

The Bulldogs (0-2) reached Saluki territory with under seven minutes to go but had to settle for a 42-yard Ty Ippolito field goal.

SIU marched to the Samford 26-yard line on its ensuing drive, but came away with no points. Curry, in his first start since Nov. 16, 2024, against No. 3 South Dakota State, rushed for a yard on a third-and-7. The Salukis lined up a 43-yard attempt but missed wide right.

Samford went three-and-out and punted it back to the Salukis with 2:06 to play. The Bulldogs never got it back, and dropped to 0-2 under new head coach John Grass.

Chandler Chapman, the workhorse that racked up 133 yards rushing on 24 carries for SIU, made sure Samford never got the ball back. The 5-foot-11 senior from Bay St. Louis, Miss., rushed for seven yards on first down and two yards on second. His 1-yard push through the middle of the field on third-and-1 got the Salukis the last first down they would need to pick up their first win of the season.

SIU rushed for 181 yards on 43 carries (4.2 ypc.). The Salukis got 153 yards and two short touchdown passes from Curry. He did not turn it over but was sacked twice in place of All-American quarterback DJ Williams. Williams did not play after leaving the season opener at West Florida in the second quarter due to injury. It is not clear if he will be back next weekend, when SIU hosts Southeast Missouri State.

Curry found tight end Karsen Konkel from two yards out to open the scoring with 10:47 to go in the opening quarter. Curry later connected with tight end Miles Marshall from seven yards out late in the first half to help take a 15-7 lead at the break.

Defensive tackle Amir Dwight and defensive end Ibrahim Sanogo helped put the Salukis up 9-0 to start. The two nabbed Gabarri Johnson in the end zone on a third-and-3 from the 6 for a safety. It was one of three sacks on the night for the Salukis. They added their first interception of the year when linebacker Ben Fiegel was able to catch a floater from Johnson toward the right sideline. Fiegel picked him off at the Samford 27 and returned it to the 23.
Four plays later, Wash was in the end zone with the game-winning touchdown .
Fiegel had a game-high 14 tackles to lead SIU. The 6-3, 230-pound junior had 3.0 of the Salukis' 10.0 tackles for loss. Sanogo and linebacker Andrew Behm both added six stops.
Linebacker Spencer Conn led the Bulldogs with 12 tackles, including three solos.
SIU opens its five-game home schedule Sept. 12 against Southeast Missouri State in the War for the Wheel. Kickoff at Saluki Stadium is set for 6 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 618-453-2000, visiting the Saluki Ticket Office inside the Banterra Center during normal business hours, or online at https://saluk.is/4cou4R6.

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