Finding solace in a five-overtime loss
- Tom Weber
- Nov 16
- 7 min read
Updated: Nov 18
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. It was the latter.
No team in school history has ever played more than two overtimes, much less five. On Senior Day, the perfect capstone for this group of 28 seniors would’ve been to bask in the glory of a landmark victory.
A five-overtime win in the biggest game of the season would’ve been a fitting reward for a program filled with high-character people, led by a man who lives and breathes Southern Illinois and Saluki Football. Speaking of the head coach, he could make five times his salary as an offensive coordinator for a Power Four school, yet he stays at his alma mater and never complains about the resources at his disposal.
In my mind, I started writing the winning headlines in the third quarter. When Jeremiah McClendon intercepted a pass and returned it to the South Dakota 6, I was sure the senior cornerback, who was raised by his aunt and is the father of a two-year-old, would have his triumphant moment as a college football player.
When Aidan Quinn caught a screen pass and rumbled 43 yards into field goal range with a little over two minutes to go in regulation, I was sure the senior tight end, who was bullied because of his childhood disorders, would have the heroic moment his career deserves.
When Jay Jones capped the best game of his college career with a phenomenal touchdown catch in the first overtime, I was sure the senior wide receiver, who labored six years in the program dreaming of this moment, would be forever remembered by the performance of a lifetime.
When Noah Fenske rag-dolled a defender all the way through the back of the end zone during overtime and roared loud enough for someone to hear in Makanda, I was sure the senior center, who found a home at SIU after being tossed around by Power Fours, would be celebrating Valley O-Lineman of the Week honors.
When DJ Williams dove into the end zone for a two-point conversion in the fourth overtime, I was sure the record-setting senior quarterback, a truly remarkable leader who has experienced a career rebirth with the Salukis, would have the defining win of his college career.
It felt like all the seniors and their teammates were robbed of the moment. The game of football will humble you.
Then I thought about a conversation I had with Peyton Reeves outside the locker room after the game. The brawny senior defensive tackle, along with his brother, Caden, has been a cornerstone of this program for what seems like forever. Peyton was injured during the first quarter and missed the rest of the game, and he was reflective afterward. Obviously, Peyton would’ve preferred a win, but he said the loss won’t define his memory of this team or his time at SIU. The journey alongside his brothers is what he’ll remember most.
“From winter workouts to summer workouts to fall camp to the season, six years of hard work has been put into this program, and it's worth every blood, sweat and tear. I tweak my calf, can't play the rest of the game, but I'm there on the sideline, cheering on my brothers, wanting them to win just as bad as I would want to win out there, too. I know they put everything they had into this game, and it's a tough one to swallow.
I love this place. It's my home. A couple years from now, I'll definitely be bringing the wife and kids up here, telling them I played here. I love the people here. I love my teammates. They're all my brothers. If they need to call me at any point, I won't hesitate to pick up the phone.” — DT Peyton Reeves
Spend any amount of time around Saluki Football and you’ll be touched by the extraordinary culture that exists. There is toughness and accountability, love and compassion, and dozens more adjectives that unite players and staff.
Southern is 6-5 with one game remaining and even if the Salukis beat Illinois State on Saturday, it may not be enough to put them in the playoffs. If it comes up two points shy of the prize, that outcome won’t define the men who played the game with so much passion for their school and each other.
With men like these, this loss will only serve to strengthen Saluki Football's culture, not break it.
Positives vs. South Dakota
