Dawgs beat Missouri State 33-20 Saturday September 30 to secure best start since 2007
By Jim Beers
CARBONDALE – Family weekend at SIU became much better after Saluki parents, fans, students and guests watched the Saluki Football team beat the Missouri State Bears, 33-20 to remain undefeated with records of 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
The win gave the Salukis their best start since 2007. A total of 10,359 people attended the Family Weekend game at Saluki Stadium and everyone, besides MSU, left in high spirits.
Saluki favorite Romeir Elliott scored the Dawg’s first two touchdowns of the game to give SIU a nice 14-0 lead in the first quarter. The first was a 64-yard race down the sideline and SIU led 7-0. Next was a 5-yard run into the end zone at the mid-point of the first quarter.
Romeir had to exit the game before the half because he experienced a painful turf-toe injury. Prior to his unfortunate departure, Elliott ran nine times and accumulated 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
SIU’s star receiver D’Ante Cox had to miss the game because of a previously injured knee. This gave some lucky reserves an opportunity to “show their stuff.”
Vinson Davis III, a wide receiver, caught nine passes for 84 yards and Zach Gibson caught 3 passes for 71 yards. Finally, Aidan Quinn had five catches for 50 yards. These receivers proved their worth.
Later in the game Quinn caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from SIU star quarterback, Nic Baker. With the TD the Salukis increased their lead to 30-20. The Dawgs would add another three points on a 32-yard field goal by Thomas Burks to give the Salukis their final points of the game.
The tough Saluki defense held the Bears caged most of the game as SIU allowed just 31 yards on the ground. Defensive linebacker Colin Bohanak, a new transfer from Eastern Illinois University, made a key play when he stripped the ball from MSU quarterback Jordan Pachot. Bohanak was credited with a strip-sack on the play that created a Bear turnover.
With that great defensive play from Bohanak, the Dawgs were able to get possession of the ball and march it 46-yards to set up the Thomas Burks field goal.
Coach Nic Hill was impressed with the Saluki defense that sacked the MSU quarterback six times in the win! SIU’s Branson Combs led the charge with 11 tackles and one of the Saluki sacks.
SIU quarterback, Nic Baker, threw 26 completions for a total of 285 yards and one touchdown. His 26 completions on 35 attempts gave him 74.3% for the day. Baker’s 285 passing yards brings him just 122 yards from breaking the school record for passing yards set by former Saluki standout Joel Sambursky.
Helping to make Baker look good was his receiving corp. Vinson Davis had 9 catches for 84 yards; Zach Gibson had 3 catches for 71 yards; Justin Strong had 5 catches for 50 yards; Aidan Quinn had 5 catches for 45 yards and 1 TD; Izaiah Hartrup had 2 catches for 17 yards; Ryan Schwendeman had 1 catch for 1 yard; and Jaelin Benefield had a catch for 7 yards.
The Salukis rushed for 128 yards on 24 attempts led by Romeir Elliott (9 for 102); Nic Baker (4-for-24); Justin Strong (5-for-3); and Lashaun Lester (6-for- -1).
Coach Nick Hill was the starting quarterback the last time the Salukis started the season undefeated at 4-0. That season the Dawgs had a record of 12-2 and advanced to the Final-Four of the FCS Playoffs. Hill knows that there will be many twists and turns the remainder of the 2023 season.
The next hurdle for SIU will be this Saturday October 7th at Youngstown State University. The Penguins have upset the Salukis the last two years and the Dawgs are remembering the pain of those losses. Only time will tell if they can overcome the stigma of losing to Youngstown and break the string of losses.
SIU running back Romeir Elliott (1) scores a 64-yatd touchdown in the opening minutes of the SIU vs Missouri State Football game Saturday September 30. A few minutes later Elliott scored his second touchdown of the game, a 5-yard burst, to give SIU an early 14-0 lead. For the game Elliott, a 5’6″, 175 Ib. senior running back from Indianapolis, Indians, recorded 102 yards on 9 carries and two touchdowns. Late in the first half Romeir had to come out of the game due to a turf-toe injury. The Salukis went on the beat MSU 33-20 to improve to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Jim Bers Photo
Cesar Marquez (center) a former Chester High School Alto Saxophonist, performs at the Saluki Tailgate with the 2023 SIU Marching Salukis Saturday September 30th. Marquez is a freshman at SIU and is having a great time providing music, pep, and excitement for SIU Football games this year! Jim Beers Photo
Numerous Chesterites attended the SIU Football game vs Missouri State Saturday September 30. Three of the 10, 359 fans at the game include (left to right) Susan Berner, Ginger Cowan, and Mike Cowan. Berner’s grandson, Jordan Berner, was a star defensive end for the Salukis and the Chester YellowJackets. Ginger and Mike are the parents of former Chester YellowJacket running back Todd Cowan, who went on to play collegiate football. They enjoyed the game and the excitement of a huge, 33-20 Saluki victory over the Missouri State Bears. Jim Beers Photo
The 2023 SIU Marching Salukis perform in the stands throughout the game Saturday September 30 when the Salukis hosted the Missouri State Bears. The Dawgs won, 33-20, to improve to 4-0, 1-0 for the season. This is the best start for SIU Football since 2007. Jim Beers Photo