Southern Illinois plays host to North Dakota State on Saturday in its regular-season finale.
The Salukis suffered a 15-0 meltdown in the fourth quarter last Saturday and lost 25-24 at Northern lowa, leaving SIU, UNI and Youngstown State tied for the Gateway title with 5-2 records. Northern Iowa won the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA I-AA playoffs by beating the other two.
Brackets for the playoffs will be announced Sunday. . . .
Quarterback Joel Sambursky, punt returner Craig Turner and tailback Arkee Whitlock are setting records.
Sambursky ranks among the Gateway Conference career leaders with 8,436 yards in total offense, 7,350 passing yards and 63 passing touchdowns and is No. 1 with 76 TDs scored.
Turner ranks No. 3 in the nation with a 17.3-yard punt return average. Whitlock needed only 21 games to rise to No. 7 among career Saluki rushers with 2,115 yards.
More Top Picks Best Whirlpool Washing Machines