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Bustin' loose

What was billed as an epic battle between two of the best teams in Gateway Conference history quickly turned into a cakewalk Saturday night, and SIU walked out of McAndrew Stadium as the undisputed best team in the conference.

No. 1 SIU trounced No. 4 Western Kentucky, winning 38-10, entrenching itself atop Division I-AA and beating the Hilltoppers at their own game.

Western Kentucky, averaging a +3 turnover margin coming into Saturday's game, was turned on its head by SIU. The Salukis forced four turnovers and committed only one, putting the Hilltoppers at -3 for the night.

More importantly, the Salukis made their opponent pay for every mistake. With the exception of an Alexis Moreland fumble recovery with time winding town, SIU converted every turnover into a touchdown.

"We always say in games like that, it comes down to mistakes," SIU head coach Jerry Kill said. "And if we make those mistakes we get beat."

Western Kentucky turnovers not only gave the ball to SIU, but also cost it a shot at a touchdown at a critical point in the beginning of the second half. Quarterback Justin Haddix hit his receiver 10 yards from the end zone, but the ball was knocked up and plucked out of the air by Yemi Akisanya.

SIU promptly took the ball 90 yards down the field, scored a touchdown to go up 21-3 and never looked backed as a slightly disappointing crowd of 10,143 looked on.

SIU, despite the turnovers, gave up a total of 352 yards. But aside from a garbage time touchdown, the Saluki defense bore down in the end zone. The result was a lopsided score despite a pretty even stat sheet.

"I don't think you expect to blow anybody out, but the potential that our team has this year - it's a very good team and I wouldn't expect anything less from them," said SIU linebacker Royal Whitaker.

Whitaker tied Moreland for the team lead in tackles with 11, and helped lead a defensive charge that rushed Haddix all night long. SIU sacked Haddix four times, including two from backup linebacker Phillip Doyle.

SIU was the clear winner in the trenches on both sides of the ball, which helped it pick up 310 rushing yards - more than double Western Kentucky's average of 151.2 yards per game on the ground.

"We were able to control the ball," Kill said. "That's a Jerry Kill-type football game."

Brandon Jacobs was dominant in the red zone, getting the call nearly every time the ball was inside the 20 and making the most of it. But destroying the Hilltopper rush defense was a complete team effort.

The offensive line created at least one yard of space for Saluki backs on every play, even in the red zone where everyone in the stadium knew Jacobs was running it up the gut. For Jacobs, the result was 97 yards on 19 carries and three authoritative touchdowns.

"It makes me feel good," Jacobs said of being able to move the ball in the face of 11 defenders. "But my offensive line, by God, they really moved some Hilltoppers off the ball tonight."

Jacobs was not the only one enjoying the push of the offensive line. Three other Salukis - Arkee Whitlock, Terry Jackson and quarterback Joel Sambursky - rushed for more than 50 yards. Sambursky, who set the SIU record for combined offensive yards, was not sacked and had plenty of time to throw the ball.

Sambursky finished with 163 yards passing and two touchdowns.

The Salukis are now in first place in the Gateway by themselves as the only undefeated team, and will take on Southwest Missouri State, one of three teams with only one conference loss, on the road this week.

But before Kill prepares for SMS, he wanted to reflect on what is a somewhat monumental accomplishment that may have been overlooked Saturday night. In addition to making them kings of the Gateway, the win also guaranteed the Salukis their first back-to-back winning seasons since 1983.

"It is a great accomplishment for our young people to have six wins at this particular time," Kill said. "That's something that we've all forgotten, we've all been a little bit spoiled, but I believe that's the first back-to-back winning seasons in many, many years."