CARBONDALE, Ill. — North Dakota State AD Matt Larsen spoke last week about the school’s continued desire to join the Mountain West Conference, saying its interest “is as strong as it's ever been.”

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Jack Halperin, Saluki Football’s director of player personnel and recruiting, didn’t get much sleep during the two weeks of the NCAA transfer portal earlier this month.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Saluki Football added two more transfers this week, with commitments from a pair of FCS starters at wide receiver and center. Here’s our in-depth scouting report.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The first two weeks of January brought overwhelmingly positive news for Saluki Football, both in its retention of players from last year’s team, plus new additions to supplement its roster.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Saluki Football turned heads this week with the announcement that DJ Williams will return to SIU for his final season of college eligibility.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The NCAA transfer portal officially opened for business on Friday and the staff at Southern Illinois has already conducted on-campus visits.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Safety is a demanding position in SIU defensive coordinator Lee Pronschinske’s 4-3 scheme, and the Salukis added important depth to that spot this week with the addition of junior college transfer Tenerrean “Rue” Jackson. Jackson played two seasons at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi, where he recorded 35 tackles and flashed the kind of traits Pronschinske is looking for. “What it takes to play safety in this scheme — it’s not just standing i

CARBONDALE, Ill. — I appreciate Tim Leonard spending nearly two hours of his day answering my questions about Saluki Football this past week.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — A year ago, with little money to spend, the Salukis lost nine starters in the NCAA transfer portal. Southern is planning to increase its investment in the marketplace in 2026, improving its chances of keeping key players.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois was left out of the 24-team FCS Playoff field on Sunday, as the committee dismissed SIU’s favorable power rating, strength of schedule, and yesterday’s overwhelming win at Illinois State.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Watching a four-hour, college football drama unfold at Saluki Stadium yesterday, you knew it was either going to be a storybook-ending for the ages for Saluki Football, or the ultimate gut-punch.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The fate of the 2025 season depends on the outcome of two, must-win games for Saluki Football.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Two upsets and one near-upset in the Missouri Valley Football Conference turned the playoff picture murky for six of the seven teams still in the hunt for a playoff spot with three weeks left in the regular season.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — One statistic stands out as the key to victory for Saluki Football throughout the 2025 season. When Southern Illinois out-gains an opponent in the run game, it wins.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — After SIU’s disappointing loss to North Dakota and the team’s first two-game losing streak of the season, I asked Nick Hill for his prescription to get the Dawgs back to their winning ways.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Using history as a guide, SIU will need seven or eight wins to make the 24-team FCS playoffs. Nine wins puts the Salukis in the conversation for a first-round bye.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — A dominant running game has been the missing element from Saluki Football in recent years. That is no longer the case in 2025. Consider these facts: Southern Illinois leads the league and ranks sixth in the nation with an average of 240.4 rushing yards per game. The Salukis have recorded 17 rushing touchdowns through five games. Last year, they had 16 in the entire season. The team is averaging a stunning 7.1 yards per carry. That compares to 4.4 a year ago

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Missouri Valley Football Conference plays its first full slate of league games this week, and StrongDawgs Week 5 Power Ratings ranks them 1-through-10, including a few surprises. The top team is no surprise, however, as North Dakota State towers over the league. One power-rating system has the Bison at No. 39 in ALL of college football (just ahead of Kentucky, Pittsburgh and Florida.) NDSU’s analytics are off the charts on both sides of the ball. No out

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Every time SEMO scored during a frantic, third-quarter comeback bid, the Southern Illinois offense answered with a touchdown on its next drive. The demoralizing result for the Redhawks — SIU increased its 31-7 halftime lead to an insurmountable 52-24 advantage. A week ago at UT Martin, it was the Saluki defense that picked up the slack when the offense struggled. Last night, the reverse was true. SIU head coach Nick Hill called it complementary football.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — After three games, Saluki Football has clearly identified its winning formula for the 2025 season — a disciplined defense, combined with a heavy dose of quarterback DJ Williams.