CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois and Youngstown State have a lot in common, and that should make for a fascinating matchup when the two playoff-hungry teams square off on Saturday.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Jeremiah McClendon is having one of the best seasons by a cornerback in Southern Illinois history, consistently locking down wide receivers and ranking among the nation’s leaders in pass breakups.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — SIU defensive coordinator Lee Pronschinske believes the Saluki defense has not yet played its best 60 minutes of football. It would be perfect timing if that top performance came this week against a high-powered Youngstown State offense.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Beginning with Youngstown State on Saturday, Southern Illinois faces three nationally ranked teams to finish its regular season. The stakes are high, because in just 19 days, the FCS Playoff bracket will be set.