Salukis bring the Wheel home, beat SEMO, 59-31

Final Stats

Highlights

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — The wheel is coming home to Carbondale. No. 11-ranked Southern Illinois left little doubt about that outcome with a 59-31 beat-down of SEMO in the War For the Wheel.

Southern’s 59 points and 612 total yards were its most in the 93-game history of the series, and the 28-point drubbing was the largest margin of victory in the eight-game, WFTW series.

SIU quarterback DJ Williams took the first play from scrimmage and bolted 75 yards up the middle of the field and into the end zone. Williams, and the Salukis (3-1), never looked back.

“I told Coach Hill, on the first play, if they give us this look, I'm going to take it to the house,” Williams said. “I’m going to take the first one to the crib. I just had a good feeling about that play.”

The dual-threat QB has emerged as one of the most dominant players in the FCS. His 493 yards of total offense tonight was the third-most in school history. He had 342 through the air with four TDs, plus 151 on the ground with two more touchdowns.

“I think DJ's the best player in the country,” SIU head coach Nick Hill said. “I wouldn't trade number one behind center for anybody. Sometimes, when you have a runner, there might be a limited passing game, but he can throw the ball. He's usually the best athlete on the field. He can run with speed, and then he's got an elite arm.”

Ahead, 7-0, Southern immediately got the ball back when linebacker Chris Presto stripped the rock loose from SEMO’s Payton Brown and into the arms of Saluki teammate Colin Bohanek, who rumbled 55 yards to the SEMO 5. Running back Lashaun Lester finished the job with a three-yard TD run to make it 14-0, just 2:30 into the game.

Presto accounted for two first-half turnovers, adding a leaping interception in the second quarter, in which he deflected the ball high in the air before corralling it at the SEMO 45. Both of Presto’s turnovers led to scores, as Williams would punch it in from four yards out five plays later.

“Taking the ball away and going down and scoring on offense was big for us,” said Presto, who had 12 tackles in the game. “It gets the whole sideline fired up and it sounded like this was a home game for us, honestly. It was a big-time game, big-time win for the program, for Carbondale, for the region.”

Other defensive stars for the Salukis include linebacker Andrew Behm (13 tackles), defensive end Donnie Wingate (2.0 sacks) and defensive tackle Peyton Reeves (7 tackles).

Southern cruised to a 31-7 halftime lead, and there was little doubt about the final outcome, but plenty of fireworks still to come.

Wide receiver Vinson Davis III, a Redhawks’ killer throughout his career, had an electric 69-yard TD catch and run late in the third quarter. He finished with eight receptions for 185 yards — the eighth-most receiving yards in Saluki history. It was his third, 100-yard game against SEMO in his career.

“I play with energy every game, but, you know, this is a rivalry game, and it just brings a different dawg out of me,” Davis said. “Coach Hill told us to stay level-headed, knowing that it's a big game, but every week it's going to be a big game for us. So just make sure that we come out here on top and finish.”

Sitting at 3-1 heading into the bye week, the Salukis have put themselves in position to have a special season.

“At the end of the day, winning is going to set us up for the playoffs, set us up for the future seedings,” Williams said. “But we can’t look too far ahead, we’re just trying to go 1-0 every week.”

Hill agreed that tonight’s victory is just a step in the process, as the team must now begin a rigorous journey through the Missouri Valley Football Conference schedule.

“We have to continue to do the fundamental things that winning football teams do,” he said. “Each game's going to be a story of its own, and just daily trying to get better and watching the tape. We’ve got the right guys to do that.”

Southern’s 612 yards of total offense were the ninth-most in school history.

“This was a blessing to come out here and be able to just put everything that we worked on into full effect,” Williams said. “This was just another stepping stone of what we’re trying to accomplish this season. I just feel blessed to be a part of this team, be a part of everything that's going on with Saluki Football right now.”