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Salukis rise from ashes to repeat

There was very little drama for an event of such magnitude.

The game was a blowout, having been decided in the second quarter. There was no great story line regarding the opponent, being a last place team.

The fans were in a frenzy toward the end, although there were only about a thousand who braved the cold Southern Illinois wind for the entire game.

With little fanfare, SIU made school history.

The Salukis officially took the Gateway Conference crown Saturday night, breezing past Indiana State 59-10 and finishing the conference season a perfect 7-0.

After a week of cautious optimism and carefully chosen words, SIU was finally able to recognize its momentous accomplishment - the first Gateway title in school history.

"What these seniors have done for this program, and where they've come from 1-10 may be the most unbelievable story in college football or anything I've seen in a long time," said SIU head coach Jerry Kill, who now coaches arguably the greatest team in Gateway history after less than four years at the helm.

Senior Alexis Moreland, who was a freshman during the 1-10 season, wore a Gateway championship T-shirt after the game along with his trademark smile. Despite the freezing cold and the chattering of his teeth while doing interviews, the Florida native would not put anything on over the T-shirt.

"It feels good," Moreland said. "I'll wear it all night."

The T-shirts were distributed on the field after the game, but with a warning from Kill - don't celebrate too long.

Before the T-shirts, which symbolize a great accomplishment but not the ultimate goal for SIU football, were distributed, Kill huddled the team at midfield for a prayer and a speech. "Wear 'em tonight. Wear 'em proud," Kill said about the T-shirts. "After tonight, put 'em away."

The Salukis still have the playoffs, which start in two weeks and will likely feature SIU as the No. 1 seed, to think about. But Saturday belonged to them, and especially to SIU quarterback Joel Sambursky.

Sambursky only played the first half, but used the time to rout Indiana State. The junior quarterback completed 12 of 13 passes for 246 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for the team's first touchdown on fourth and goal, giving him five scores on the day.

Receiver Brent Little helped Sambursky lead the rout, catching three passes for 167 yards including an 82-yard post pattern for a touchdown. It was SIU's longest pass play of the season.

Sambursky had the safeties biting on play action because, as usual, the running backs were dominant. With Arkee Whitlock and Craig Turner out - Kill said both will be ready for the playoffs - seniors Brandon Jacobs and Terry Jackson carried the load for the Salukis out of the backfield and on kick returns.

"No matter who it is, I think we got enough going on offense, moving folks off the ball," Jacobs said. "I don't think anyone can actually stop us."

Jacobs ran around, through and over the overmatched Sycamore defenders, compiling 123 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries.

Jackson, who has been battling injuries all season, had his best game of the year. Jackson carried the ball 14 times for 95 yards, including a phenomenal 27-yard run that brought the McAndrew crowd to its feet.

"Our line made some great blocks, and I just did some things after that," Jackson said. The end result was SIU's sixth consecutive win by more than 20 points. In those six games, SIU outscored the opposition 268-52.

And with Saturday's blowout, SIU set all-time records for points in a regular season and points allowed in a regular season.

"We really did a great job this year in the Gateway of just destroying, in a lot of senses, some teams," Sambursky said. "And the Gateway definitely wasn't down, so we just had a great time."

SIU now has to wait until Sunday to find out who its opponent will be in the first round of the playoffs Thanksgiving weekend, and are hoping for the best from the selection committee.

Some team members think they were slighted last season, being the No. 5 team in the country and opening at No. 2 Delaware. They're hoping for a more favorable spot this time around.

"I know we've been ranked No. 1 for about eight or nine straight weeks," Kill said. "We've done everything we possibly can do, and I certainly think the committee will be fair on us and I'm excited to find out who we play."