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CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois converted five of six Eastern Illinois turnovers into points as the Salukis won 48-7 during the opening round of the 2009 NCAA FCS playoffs at McAndrew Stadium.
SIU, ranked No. 1 in the final Sports Network poll, but seeded No. 3 improved to 11-1 on the season and will host William & Mary next Saturday. EIU finished the season at 8-4 overall.
Eastern Illinois had the first break of the day as the Panthers forced a Deji Karim fumble inside the SIU 30 yard line. The Panthers then gambled on a fourth and one play as Lorence Ricks scored on a 11 yard reverse to take a 7-0 lead with 11:42 left.
The Panthers would force SIU to punt on the next possession but the Salukis were able to take advantage of EIU's first turnover of the game as they recovered a bad center/quarterback exchange to get the ball inside the EIU 30. Karim would score a couple of plays later to tie the game at 7-7 with a 10-yard run at 7:33.
The second quarter was all SIU with Paul McIntosh scoring on a 16-yard run at the 13:28 mark and Kyle Dougherty adding a 33-yard field goal with 7:24 to go. EIU had ended a potential SIU threat with a Bobson Mercier interception in the end zone. However SIU forced a Jimmy Potempa fumble on the Panthers next offensive play and recovered at the 28. EIU's defense was able to limit the Salukis to just a field goal.
SIU forced its third turnover of the game on the next series as Kyle Russo recovered a forced fumble and returned it 28 yards to put the Salukis up 24-7 at the half. McIntosh rushing for 103 yards in the first half finishing with 115 yards for the game as he became the first player to go over the century mark against the EIU defense in 12 games.
The Salukis continued to capitalize on EIU turnovers as Lance Caldwell picked off a Jake Christensen pass on the second play from scrimmage. McIntosh would hit fullback Jon Goode on a six yard strike to put SIU up 31-7 with 11:29 left in the game.
Turnovers continued to plaque EIU as they had their fifth turnover of the game on a center/quarterback exchange fumble that Chris Arthurs recovered. The Salukis punched it at the 6:37 mark of the third quarter at McIntosh hit Karim on a screen pass from 11 yards out to put SIU up 38-7.
Dougherty tacked on a 45-yard field goal with 1:14 to play in 3rd quarter. Karim added a 58 yard score early in the fourth quarter to finish with 155 yards as the Salukis rushed for 323 yards on the day. The Panthers had one final chance to score in the fourth quarter but SIU's defense stood up Mon Williams at the goal line. Williams led EIU with 107 yards on the ground.
Bodie Reeder was 6-of-10 for 67 yards in a back-up role as EIU's quarterback as Christensen finished just 1-of-8 for 13 yards. Nick Nasti led the Panther defense with 14 tackles. Brandin Jordan was SIU's leading tackler with seven stops.
