No. 14 Southern Illinois Drops No. 12 UNI, 47-23

Saturday, November 11

Carbondale, IL

3:00 PM

University of Northern Iowa

6-4 , 4-2

Southern Illinois

7-3 , 4-3

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
UNI	13	0	3	7	23
Southern Illinois	16	14	7	10	47

No. 14 Southern Illinois Drops No. 12 UNI, 47-23

11/11/2006 7:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

By: UNI Athletics Communications

Nov. 11, 2006

Final Stats

CARBONDALE , Ill. - The No. 14-ranked Southern Illinois Salukis started quickly and never looked back in a 47-23 victory over the No. 12-ranked University of Northern Iowa on Saturday at McAndrew Stadium.

SIU was led by Arkee Whitlock's four rushing touchdowns and 180 rushing yards. Saluki quarterback Nick Hill also passed for two touchdown passes on 12-of-15 passing. SIU jumped to a 30-13 lead in the second quarter and forced UNI to play catch up the rest of the way, but the Panthers got no closer than 14 points the rest of way.

UNI dropped to 6-4 overall and 4-2 in the Gateway Football Conference, while SIU improved to 7-3 overall and 4-3 in league play.

Southern Illinois struck first on the scoreboard with a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nick Hill to tight end Braden Jones. The score gave SIU a 7-0 lead with 10:36 left in the first quarter.

UNI also scored on its first possession of the game on a 1-yard plunge by sophomore running back Corey Lewis. However, SIU blocked the Panthers' extra point attempt and the Salukis' Trevor Moe returned it all the way to the SIU end zone for two points. The two-pointer gave SIU a 9-6 lead with 6:55 left in the first quarter.

SIU used the momentum on the blocked extra point and used that to key a 67-yard kick return by Arkee Whitlock to put the Salukis in scoring position at the UNI 26-yard line. SIU found the end zone quickly on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Hill to Alan Turner. SIU's Craig Coffin added the extra point to give the Salukis a 16-6 lead with 5:10 remaining in the first quarter.

The first-quarter shootout continued with the Panthers reaching the end zone on a 19-yard scoring pass from junior quarterback Eric Sanders to junior wide receiver Terrell Allen. Wingert added the PAT to pull the Panthers to within 16-13 with 2:42 left in the first quarter.

SIU running back Arkee Whitlock scored on a one-yard run at the 13:39 mark of the second quarter. Whitlock's six-pointer gave SIU a 23-13 advantage.

Southern Illinois forced the first miscue of the contest when cornerback Brandon Bruner intercepted a Sanders pass with 11:59 left in the second quarter. It was only the fifth interception Sanders has thrown this season. SIU made the most of the turnover by marching down the field and scoring on another run by Whitlock. This time Whitlock scored from four yards out to extend the lead to 30-13 with 6:45 left in the second quarter.

The Panthers had the final chance to score in the first half. UNI took over at its own 45-yard line when SIU failed to convert a fake punt. Behind the running of junior Darian Williams, the Panthers moved the ball to the SIU 25 yard line, but the drive stalled after a pair of SIU sacks pushed UNI back to the 36 yard line. UNI then turned the ball over on downs after a short pass to sophomore Corey Lewis did not reach the first down marker. SIU went to the half with a 30-13 advantage.

UNI tallied the first score of the second half on a 32-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Nathan Rausa at the 6:50 mark of the third quarter. It was Rausa's first collegiate field goal. UNI placekicker Brian Wingert has been nursing a hip flexor injury and was unable to kick in the second half.

SIU made the most of two favorable pass interference calls against the Panthers in driving deep into Panther territory as the third quarter wound down. With 2:03 left in the third quarter, Whitlock found the end zone for his third touchdown of the day on a five-yard scamper, and SIU moved its lead to 37-16.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, UNI's Lewis scored his second touchdown of the game on an option pitch from Sanders. Lewis took it in from eight yards out around the left end. Rausa added the extra point to pull UNI to within 37-23 with 14:53 left in the game.

SIU made it a three possession game when place-kicker Craig Coffin drilled a 27-yard field goal with 9:50 remaining in the game. The three-pointer gave SIU a 40-23 advantage.

The Salukis' Bruner ended another Panther threat at the 7:34 mark of the fourth quarter when he picked off his second Sanders' pass of the day on a fourth-down pass play.

SIU finished off the scoring with 2:01 left in the game when Whitlock found the end zone for the fourth time today from 11 yards out. Whitlock's score gave SIU a 47-23 lead.

UNI's rushing attack was led by Corey Lewis, who tallied 120 yards and two touchdowns. Darian Williams also rushed for 81 yards on the ground. Eric Sanders passed for 204 yards on 15-of-23 passing, but was intercepted three times and sacked on three occasions. Johnny Gray led the UNI receivers with four catches for 69 yards.

Andrew Williams led the UNI defensive effort with 10 tackles (nine solos) and one tackle-for-loss.

The Panthers will close the regular season next Saturday in the UNI-Dome against Illinois State at 4:35 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Gateway TV (KFXA-TV, KDSM-TV). Next Saturday will also be Senior Day for the Panthers.