GAME 8 | April 17, 2021 | 12 PM CT No. 18 Southern Illinois (4-3, 3-3 MVFC) Vs. No. 17 Southeastern Louisiana (4-2, 4-2 SLC) Carbondale, Illinois | Saluki Stadium (15,000) Series: First Meeting Follow The Game Series versus Southeastern WRs Landon Lenoir and Avante Cox Watch: ESPN+: Connor Onion (play-by-play) and Connor Louisiana climbing record books James (analyst) The game against the Lions is the first- Senior WR Landon Lenoir (6-1, 192, Saluki Radio: Mike Reis and Gene Green ever match up between the two clubs. Sr.) is second on the team in catches with WCIL-FM 101.5 Carbondale (Flagship) Although the two programs’ paths will be 28 and receiving yards with 300. Over the KATZ-AM 1600 St. Louis, Mo., Tune-In Radio crossing for the first time, the Salukis have course of his career, the senior has hauled Live Stats: SIUSalukis.com competed against Nicholls State, McNeese in 126 receptions for 1,449 yards, marks Twitter: SIU_Football | Facebook: SalukiFootball Instagram: @SIUSalukis | Website: SIUSalukis.com State, Lamar and Central Arkansas, that stand fifth and 12th on the program’s programs who all compete in the same all-time lists, respectively. Lenoir needs just 2020-21 MVFC Standings Southland Conference as Southeastern 62 receiving yards to crack the program’s MVFC ALL AFCA Stats Louisiana. In all, the Salukis hold a record of top-10 list. North Dakota State 5-1 6-1 3 2 seven wins to six losses against programs Lenoir's counterpart, junior WR Missouri State 5-1 5-4 18 14 in the SLC, with the last win coming against Avante Cox (5-10, 170, Jr.), leads the team North Dakota 4-1 4-1 6 6 Central Arkansas in a 24-12 decision at with 47 catches and 533 yards, in addition South Dakota State 4-1 4-1 4 4 Southern Illinois 3-3 4-3 17 18 home in 1996. to sharing the team lead in receiving Northern Iowa 3-4 3-4 23 — touchdowns with three. On his career, Cox *Illinois State 1-3 1-3 — — Salukis ranked 18th has hauled in 94 catches for 1,150 yards. South Dakota 1-3 1-3 — — Following the 30-27 loss to Missouri Four more catches in the season finale *Western Illinois 1-5 1-5 — — State on Mar. 27, the Salukis are now will tie Cox for 18th in school history with Youngstown State 1-6 1-6 — — ranked 18th by the latest FCS Stats Poll Connor Iwema (2014-17), while 126 yards *Indiana State 0-0 0-0 — — released on April 12. The last time the will tie him for 20th in career receiving *Opted out of the 2021 spring season program was ranked 18th by the media poll yards with Wesley Yates (1986-89). was on Sept. 3, 1983. Following the first- Southern Illinois Schedule ever No. 18-ranking in program history, SIU Getting to the sticks Oct. 30 #25 SEMO ESPN+ W, 20-17 went on to defeat Eastern Illinois 17 to 14. The Salukis have continued to move Feb. 20 at North Dakota ESPN+ L, 21-44 the ball well, as the team ranks second in Feb. 27 #1 North Dakota St. ESPN+ W, 38-14 Last chance at a playoff bid the Missouri Valley and 15th in the nation Mar. 6 at Youngstown St. ESPN+ W, 30-22 Mar. 14 #4 Northern Iowa ESPN+ W, 17-16 Saturday’s meeting could turn out to in first downs gained with 141. The Salukis Mar. 20 #6 South Dakota St. ESPN+ L, 3-44 be a winner-take-playoff-berth scenario, balanced offensive attack has led to 70 of Mar. 27 at Missouri St. ESPN+ L, 27-30 as both teams are clinging onto hopes its first downs coming via the pass, while 62 Apr. 17 # 17 Southeastern Louisiana ESPN+ 12 PM of an at-large bid to the 16-team FCS have come by way of a rushing play. *All times Central playoffs. Southern Illinois is fighting for its first playoff berth since 2009, while DE Jordan Berner a one-man wrecking 2020-21 Statistical Leaders Southeastern Louisiana is looking to make crew Rushing Att YDs Avg. TD Long Romeir Elliott 106 446 4.2 3 20 the tournament for the second-straight DE Jordan Berner (6-5, 255, Sr.) Javon Williams Jr. 88 362 4.1 5 40 year. The playoff field will be announced on recorded a career high 3.0 sacks in the loss Avante Cox 17 164 9.6 0 29 Sunday, April 18 at 10:30 AM CT. to Missouri State on Mar. 27, becoming the first Saluki to rack up multiple sacks in a Receiving Rec YDs Avg. TD Long Qua Brown leading the defense single game this season. Avante Cox 47 533 11.34 3 65 S Qua Brown (5-11, 206, Sr.) leads the He leads the team in sacks with 3.0 Landon Lenoir 28 300 10.71 2 37 Justin Strong 20 187 9.35 3 30 Salukis in forced fumbles with four, which and is second in tackles for loss with 4.0. Branson Combs 7 106 15.14 1 29 stand as a career high for a single season. For his career, the senior defensive end has Izaiah Hartrup 5 105 21.00 0 67 Averaging one forced fumble per game recorded 10.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for this season, Brown leads the MVFC and is loss. Additionally, Berner needs just five Passing Comp-Att-Int Pct. YDs TD tied for the nation’s lead. With one game more tackles to eclipse 100 in his career. Nic Baker 50-74-4 67.57 637 3 left in the regular season, Brown’s four Stone Labanowitz 44-58-1 75.86 402 3 forced fumbles are tied for the second- Knighton chasing sack record Karé Lyles 30-49-4 61.22 261 2 most in an individual season in program DE Anthony Knighton (6-4, 251, Sr.) is Defense Tackles TFL-YDs Sack-YDs INT PBU history. third all-time in sacks at SIU with 22.0 and is Bryson Strong 49 3.0-6 2.0-4 0 1 Two more forced fumbles by the senior 2.0 sacks shy of breaking the school record Bryce Notree 43 2.0-2 0-0 0 0 safety would tie him for the most in a single held by James Phillips (1977-80). He also Clayton Bush 33 1.0-8 1.0-8 1 1 season in program history with six, while has 38.0 tackles for loss in his career, which Qua Brown 27 0-0 0-0 0 1 two would tie him for the most in a career places him fifth in program history. Keenan Agnew 23 3.0-4 0-0 0 0 with eight. James Ceasar 23 0-0 0-0 0 9 Anthony Knighton 23 3.0-7 1.0-2 0 1 Makel Calhoun 22 3.0-20 1.0-5 0 0 Jonathan Thompson 17 1.0-1 0-0 0 3 1983 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS | 2007 FINAL FOUR 1 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS High-octane offense meets stingy defense Southern Illinois Team Rankings Southeastern Louisiana might pose as the Salukis toughest offensive 2020-21 Statistics Nation MVFC Value opponent to date, as the Lions rank third nationally in completion percentage 3rd Down Conversion Pct 10 1 0.5 (67.2%), fourth in passing offense (383.3 YPG), sixth in third down conversion 3rd Down Conversion Pct Defense 54 6 0.4 percentage (52/6%), ninth in red zone offense (94.1% success) and ninth in 4th Down Conversion Pct 32 3 0.538 scoring (38.2 PPG). QB Cole Kelley is third in the country in passing yards per 4th Down Conversion Pct Defense 93 9 0.9 game at an average of 374 yards per outing. WR CJ Turner leads the team with Blocked Kicks 7 1 3 40 catches for 506 yards and five scores, while fellow wideout Javon Conner is Blocked Kicks Allowed 1 1 0 second with 30 receptions for 406 yards. Blocked Punts 9 1 1 Defensively, Southern Illinois’ secondary has been a bright spot all season, Blocked Punts Allowed 1 1 0 Completion Percentage 4 1 0.663 as the unit has surrendered the 10th-fewest yards per game through the air in Fewest Penalties 68 7 38 the FCS at 141.9 yards per game. CB James Ceasar (5-10, 185, Sr.) leads the Fewest Penalties Per Game 39 7 5.43 secondary with nine pass breakups in six games played, with CB Roderick Fewest Penalty Yards 75 8 354 Campbell (6-0, 192, Sr.) second at four and CB Jonathan Thompson (6-0, 180, Fewest Penalty Yards Per Game 48 8 50.57 Sr.) in third with three in seven games played. First Downs Defense 78 8 130 First Downs Offense 15 2 141 SIU QBs as accurate as they come Fumbles Lost 78 7 6 Despite multiple quarterbacks taking snaps for the Salukis this year, the Fumbles Recovered 22 4 5 entire QB group has remained one of the most accurate units in the nation, as the Kickoff Return Defense 22 2 15.75 group is completing just north of 66-percent of its passes, which stands as the Kickoff Returns 46 7 20 fourth-best mark in the FCS. Since taking over QB duties against UNI on Mar. 13, Net Punting 16 3 39.07 QB Stone Labanowitz (5-10, 195, Jr.) has completed 44 of 58 passes (75.86%).