Carbondale Reporter

On a rainy night in Murray, Kentucky, the Southern Illinois University football team secured a 27-7 victory over Murray State. The win brings the Salukis’ season record to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in Missouri Valley Football Conference play.

Head coach Nick Hill commented after the game, "This was a fun game. 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 challenging weather led Southern Illinois to rely on its running game, accumulating 233 rushing yards. Running back Edward Robinson led with 109 yards on 18 carries. Quarterback DJ Williams added 90 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 17 attempts. Williams has now rushed for a touchdown in eight of nine games this season and his total of 13 rushing touchdowns ranks as the eleventh-most in a single season in program history.

Williams also passed for 171 yards and one touchdown without any interceptions. His lone passing touchdown was a 40-yard completion to running back Lem Wash early in the fourth quarter, marking Wash’s first receiving touchdown with Southern Illinois.

The Saluki defense limited Murray State to just one score late in the second quarter and forced three turnovers: two interceptions by safety Cejai Parson and one fumble recovery by defensive lineman Caden Reeves. Parson became the first Saluki since November 2021 to record two interceptions in a single game.

Linebacker Shug Walker recorded nine tackles to lead the team defensively.

Southern Illinois started strong with a lengthy opening drive capped by Williams’ one-yard touchdown run. After stopping Murray State on fourth down during their first possession, SIU capitalized on another turnover when Parson intercepted Jim Ogle’s pass and returned it 54 yards, setting up a field goal by Paul Geelen.

Geelen made both his field goal attempts during the game, bringing his season total to nine out of ten successful kicks.

Murray State managed its only points shortly before halftime on a touchdown pass from Ogle to J'Kalon Carter. In the second half, SIU extended its lead with another field goal from Geelen and sealed their win with Williams’ passing touchdown to Wash.

Southern Illinois will travel next week to face Youngstown State.