VS 
Date/Time: Saturday, November 19 at 2 PM
Location:SIU’s Saluki Stadium (opened in 2010, seats 15k)
Weather Forecast (as of 11/16): High of 48, 47 at kickoff, partly cloudy/clear, somewhat windy, 0% chance of precipitation
TV: Like all MVFC matchups this season, available on ESPN3/WatchESPN.com
Links:
- Stat Tracking for the game: http://www.sidearmstats.com/siu/football/
- SIU’s Message Board (remember, don’t be a troll): http://salukination.net/viewforum.php?f=6
- SIU’s Football Website: http://siusalukis.com/index.aspx?path=football
- SIU’s Football Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalukiFootball/
- SIU’s Football Twitter: https://twitter.com/SIU_Football
The Salukis are currently 3-7 overall, 1-6 in the MVFC.
They have wins over:
- Southeast Missouri State (30-22)
- Murray State (50-17)
- South Dakota (35-28)
- FBS Florida Atlantic (38-30)
- Northern Iowa (42-21)
- South Dakota State (45-39)
- Illinois State (31-28)
- Indiana State (22-14)
- Missouri State (38-35)
- Youngstown State (21-14)
The History
We’ve played Southern 61 times going back to 1933 and every year back to 1982. We have an overall 35-22-4 record against the Salukis in large part due to an 18-year win streak we had against them from ‘84-’01. They won the next 9 years in a row against us before we won again in 2011. Then we lost 3 more in a row before winning by 1 point against them last year (I think that was Homecoming).
Team Stat Analysis
Here’s the team’s stat comparisons courtesy of the NCAA.
So, comparing the raw stats on the two teams, one thing that jumps out is that they have the best passing offense in the conference. Ours is 3rd, so it’s not quite as good, but still decent. In terms of the pass defense, we’re both pretty equally as bad (in the 100+ rank in the FCS). On the ground though, we have the advantage, having a bit of a better run game as well as a bit of a better run defense. Overall though, defense is roughly equal between the two teams, but they have a better overall offense. Something that jumps out to me is that SIU is one of the worst in the country at getting penalized, racking up an average of 73.7 yards per game in penalty yards.
Key Opposition Players
QB Sam Straub - has played 4 games so far...a sophomore who was put in as starter once they were eliminated from playoff consideration. He did play a tiny bit in two earlier games, but has started the last two games, passing for an average of 352.5 yards per game in those two games. He also threw 3 TDs and 0 interceptions as well as rushing for 39 yards per game and 1 TD in those two.
WR Connor Iwema - averages 51.9 ypg and has 5 TDs
WRs Darrell James, Billy Reed, and Israel Lamprakes - each average between 46 and 50 ypg and each has 2+ receiving TDs (Reed has 3). Lamprakes had 156 receiving yards last weekend against YSU.
RB Cameron Walter - the primary RB for much of the season after the injury to Daquan Isom. He has 30.2 ypg and 3 TDs.
RB Jonathan Mixon - was out for a couple of games midseason, doesn’t generally get a ton of yardage, but is their primary short-down/goal line back. Only averages 20.25 ypg, but leads the team with 8 TDs
LB Chase Allen - 66 tackles, 5.5 for loss, 7 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble, 1 blocked kick
S Jeremy Chinn and CB Craig James - DBs who lead the team with 2 interceptions each
The Game
This is it, folks. One more chance to get to 7 wins this season. It's our final regular season game but hopefully not our final game of the 2016 season.
Statistically, we’re pretty close, but in general, WIU has played better than SIU. Where they’ve mostly lost their close games, we’ve mostly won our close games. It’s been a disappointing last couple of weeks so we’re now to the point where we have to win this game to have a shot at the playoffs. I think that we win this one, and we’re most likely in...if we lose...we’re out. 6-5 will not get us into the playoffs this year (it might get UNI and/or IL State in with their schedules and wins). With both of our offenses being better than our defenses, I think it’ll be a fairly high-scoring game. I’m hoping that with the forecasted wind (supposed to be ~20 MPH average), it’ll kinda knock down the passing game for both teams and require more of a ground game, where I think we have an advantage. I think we’ll win the ground game and come away with a win by about 3 points.
Unlike Western, Southern doesn't break for Thanksgiving until Wednesday of next week (their fall break earlier in the semester is two days longer than ours). For them, this means that their students will still be around campus over the weekend, as opposed to when we have home games this weekend and all the students have left. They're averaging about 7,000 fans for their conference home games...around 5.7k for non-event games and 9.6k for homecoming, so we can probably expect something around 5k fans at this game. Probably not a huge crowd factor in this game.
Scott Lawson - Board Admin
