Salukis vs Illinois State: “Revenge … doesn't last more than a play”
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Is revenge on the minds of the Redbirds?
Last year, Southern Illinois rolled into Hancock Stadium for the final game of the regular season and whipped Illinois State, 37-7, ending ISU’s four-game winning streak in stunning fashion. SIU quarterback DJ Williams rushed for 134 yards and four touchdowns, and the Salukis held a massive 455-217 advantage in total yards.
“We got it handed to us on our own field and really didn't see that coming,” said llinois State head coach Brock Spack earlier this week. “I don't think it sat well with our players.”
The dean of Missouri Valley Football Conference head coaches, who is in his 18th season at ISU, doesn’t think memories of that game will matter much when the teams square off tomorrow at 3 p.m. on ESPNU.
“Revenge and all that stuff doesn't last more than a play,” Spack said. “After the first play, you're in a whole new game and you're focused on the here and now, not what happened a year ago.”
After losing to the Salukis, Illinois State went on to win four playoff games and advance to the national championship game, where it lost a heartbreaker to Montana State, 35-34, in overtime.
“In the 43 years of college coaching, the losses are worse now than they've ever been for me,” Spack said. “I hate losing more than I love winning.”
Game Facts
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Kickoff: 3 PM CT
Location: Carbondale, IL
Facility: Saluki Stadium (15,000)
Radio: WCIL (101.5 FM), Varsity Network App
TV: ESPNU
Series: SIU leads, 44-39-3
Spread: ILS -8.5
Weather at kickoff: Sunny, 58 degrees, 10 mph N
First and Ten
Saturday's game will be the 87th meeting between the schools in a series that began in 1929.
From 1970 to 2019, the teams met every season.
The schools did not play during the 2020-21 COVID year, when Illinois State opted out of a game that was scheduled for April 3, 2021. They also did not play in 2023, when the league did not play a full round-robin schedule.
The Salukis have won three of the last four meetings.
Illinois State is ranked No. 13 in both the Stats Perform and AFCA polls. Southern Illinois is receiving votes but is not ranked.
Both teams enter Saturday on a two-game losing streak. The Salukis lost to a pair of Top 10 teams in Youngstown State and South Dakota, while the Redbirds lost to No. 1 South Dakota State and rising Northern Iowa.
The Redbirds are aiming for a directional sweep of the state of Illinois, having already beaten Northern Illinois, Western Illinois and Eastern Illinois this season. The last time the Redbirds played all three directional schools was in 2019, when they went 3-1, losing to NIU.
The last time the Salukis played Illinois State, Northern Illinois, Western Illinois and Eastern Illinois in the same season was in 2007. Nick Hill was the quarterback and they went 4-0.
It's Homecoming Weekend at SIU and two football alums will enter the school’s Hall of Fame: OL Byron Honore (1976-79) and OL Dave Smith (1984-87).
SIU’s 1976 team is celebrating its 50th anniversary and will be recognized during the game.
Illinois State Notebook (4-2, 0-2)
The Redbirds are coming off a bye week.
Illinois State is one of five FCS programs to record a win over an FBS team this season, with a 28-24 win at Northern Illinois.
Five Redbirds were named preseason All-Americans: LB Tye Niekamp, RB Victor Dawson, OL Landon Woodard, S La'Shavion Brown and WR Luke Mailander
Niekamp has 389 career tackles and ranks fifth at ISU all-time
In the past three years, ISU is 17-4 on the road with two of the losses coming to FBS Iowa (2024) and Oklahoma (2025).
The Redbirds lead the nation in third-down conversion percentage (.580). They also lead the conference in third-down conversion percentage defense (.333).
ISU’s defense leads the Valley in fewest total yards allowed (294.5) and passing yards allowed (180.8).
WR Dylan Lord leads the conference in receptions per game (6.00). He also has a punt return for a touchdown.
QB Gage Roy is 13th in the nation in completion percentage (.669).
Spack said he expects running back Seth Glatz (6.2 yard avg.) to play Saturday, after missing the South Dakota State game.
Southern Illinois Notebook (3-4, 1-2)
In his 11th season at SIU, Nick Hill is the second-longest tenured Valley head coach, behind Spack. He has guided his alma mater to three playoff appearances in the last six seasons. Southern won one playoff game each in 2020, 2021 and 2023.
In his third season at SIU, DJ Williams has an 11-10 career record as a starter for the Salukis. He has 59 career touchdowns — 31 passing and 28 rushing. Last season, he set the school record with 40 touchdowns.
Williams ranks ninth in passing at SIU with 4,588 yards and needs 140 yards to pass Scott Gabbert into 8th place.
Despite missing more than six quarters of football with an injury, Williams ranks fourth in the Valley this season in rushing TDs (6).
WR Kyle Thomas ranks second in the Valley in receiving yards (491). The senior entered the season with four career catches (one at SIU in 2025, three at Northern Illinois in 2023).
DE Ibrahim Sanogo leads the league and ranks seventh in the nation in sacks (6.5). The school record for a season is 12.0 by James Phillips, set in 1978. The last player to reach double-digit sacks at SIU was Andre Bailey with 10.0 in 1998.
The Salukis have three of the league’s top 11 tacklers in LB Ben Fiegel (54, 4th), LB Andrew Behm (51, 5th) and S Vinny Pierre Jr. (45, 11th)
RG Derek Harden Jr. leads the team 35 career starts, while Pierre Jr. has the longest active starting streak (19). He also leads the team with 43 career games played.
Two starters on the Saluki offensive line — LT Blaine Halley and C Ethan Goodin — were hurt on the same play last week at South Dakota. If they can’t go, Jacob Katauskas will play left tackle and make his fifth career start, while Ostyn Friday will make his first-career start at center.
SIU ranks 2nd in the nation in interceptions with 10, including three by CB Sebastian Vargas Escobar. The Salukis had 12 interceptions in 2025.
SIU leads the league with 16.0 sacks on the season. Southern had 18.0 in 2025.
Quoting Illinois State head coach Brock Spack
On the bye week:
“There's several things you want to get done in a bye-week. Number one is get healthy. Most of the guys are feeling better, so we're in a better spot. (We) worked on our systems, just trying to get a little bit better in some of the things we do and polish up on some things. All that was accomplished, but we'll find out on Saturday because that's our final exam.”
On DJ Williams:
"A lot of leaky yardage in the running game he hurt us on (last year) on 50-50 downs running the football. They had a lot of short, third-down conversions and put a lot of helmets in at the point of attack with their their power running game and then their counters. Then he really dinked and dunked the ball underneath and had a couple really nice shots and that was that.”
On SIU’s defensive line that leads the league in sacks:
"They have pretty good length and they're twitchy. They don't stay blocked very long, so in order to protect the quarterback, you're going to have to keep up the block for a couple seconds. They're good at getting off the block, so your front has to control the line of scrimmage. If you don't, you're going to probably lose the game.”
Quoting Southern Illinois Coach Nick Hill
On playing on ESPNU:
“It's just a unique opportunity for the school and the brand to be on ESPN. It should be a beautiful day and a great day to show off the university.”
On football alum Dave Smith going into the Saluki Hall of Fame:
“I met him during the COVID season when he came back for a game and have really enjoyed getting to know him and growing our friendship. He’ll send me notes in the mail and books and encouraging text messages. I know this honor means a lot to him. His whole family's going to be here, so it should be a special weekend for everybody that's involved with the Hall of Fame.”
On playing at home after starting the season with five of seven road games:
“We play more road games than we do home games and have done that for several years. I think our guys have handled that well. I think playing at home gives everybody a little bit of a juice. I know it does for me.”
On the importance of Saturday's game:
“We understand the task at hand and the sense of urgency to win. The opportunities are still there. That's been the message all week. Illinois State will be having the same talk with their team. They're 0-2 in the league and we're 1-2, so it’s to that point where you got to go on a run, and it starts with winning Saturday.”
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