Despite having had a big lead at halftime, the air was tense in Saluki Stadium. Incarnate Word had crawled their way back into the football game. Still, with one more stop, SIU would come away with a win. So when a toss-up on fourth down was hauled in by a maroon jersey, the Saluki faithful were able to breathe a sigh of relief.
“Those are the moments we train for all off-season,” Shug Walker said.
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On Saturday, Sept. 14, No. 8 SIU hosted the No. 14 Cardinals of the University of Incarnate Word (UIW) in a matchup between two FCS ranked teams.
The Cardinals got the ball to start the game. They picked up a first down on a Saluki penalty, but would go no further, punting the ball away to the Dawgs.
SIU got the first blow of the night with their first possession. DJ Williams found Keontez Lewis open up the middle for a 37 yard touchdown.
Keontez Lewis ran all over UIW on the night. The wide receiver finished the game with 205 all-purpose yards, 148 receiving and a 57-yard rushing touchdown.
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“I think everyone saw how fast he is,” Saluki head coach Nick Hill said.
Incarnate Word responded with a deep drive of their own. A 29-yard completion set up a goal line situation, where Zach Calzada would find Logan Compton to even up the contest.
SIU reclaimed the lead quickly. The ensuing kick return would set the Dawgs starting the drive at their own 37. Williams found Nah’shawn Hezekiah for 50 yards to the UIW 13 before Shaun Lester Jr. would scamper for a 10 yard touchdown.
The Cardinals made their way up to the SIU on a couple of third down conversions, but the Salukis were able to get a stop when they went for it on fourth down, giving the ball right back to the home team.
Some moderate gains got the Dawgs in Cardinal territory, setting up a 28-yard Williams keeper to extend the Saluki lead.
UIW was unable to answer, despite starting their next drive at their own 35 and punted the ball away.
SIU returned the favor with a drive that ended five yards back from where it started and punted right back, allowing the Cardinals to start their next series from the Saluki 40.
A screen pass on the first play from scrimmage would go the distance to bring the game back within a possession.
After a couple of Saluki first downs, an end-around to Lewis went 57 yards to the house to put the Dawgs up 14 yet again.
With it likely being their last possession before the break, Incarnate Word went to work moving down the field. UIW made it down to the SIU 33 before a holding call spoiled the momentum, giving the ball to the Dawgs with two minutes and change on the clock.
Williams got the ball to Hezekiah for two big completions to set up the Saluki offense inside the five. Two runs between the tackles set up a one yard pass to a wide open Ryan Schwendenman to get the Saluki lead to 21 before half.
Hezekiah had quite a performance as well, hauling in five receptions for 118 yards.
“[Those big plays] felt lovely, it felt good,” Hezakiah said.
Out of the break, Williams connected with Lewis for a gain of 50 to the UIW 12. The drive stalled and SIU would try for a field goal. A low snap resulted in no kick and the score remained 35-14.
UIW wouldn’t be able to do much with the ball and punted to the SIU 45.
The Salukis moved the ball up to the Cardinal 21, in part from a Williams run for 34 yards. A ball up for grabs, intended for Vinson Davis, was intercepted by Ronald Wilson and returned to the SIU 49.
Incarnate Word, from the SIU 29, went for it on fourth and five, but a pass break-up by Iverson Brown would give the ball back to the Dawgs. SIU pushed to the 50 before punting the ball back to the Cardinals.
Starting from their own six, UIW rode the arm of Calzada to get to the Saluki 23. From there, Calzada did the rest with his legs to cut the deficit back to 14.
Looking to take as much clock as possible, SIU would pound the ground on their next series with eight running plays. The Salukis failed to pick up a fourth and one in Cardinal territory and forfeit possession. Williams turned up injured on the drive, bringing in Hunter Simmons at quarterback.
Williams finished the night with 301 passing yards, 79 rushing yards and 3 total touchdowns.
Hill said, “DJ was playing lights out in the game.”
UIW worked with tempo, moving the ball 78 yards in about three minutes to make it a one score game.
A three-and-out gave the Cardinals a chance to tie with three and a half minutes left.
Calzada found the right guys to move Incarnate Word upfield. Two penalties helped the Cardinal cause, gifting them 20 yards. An intentional grounding call swung momentum back in SIU’s favor. On the following play, the Saluki front seven brought immense pressure resulting in another intentional grounding, putting the Cardinals in a third and 34 hole. On fourth down, Calzada threw up a prayer that fell in Vinny Pierre Jr.’s hands for an interception, sealing an SIU victory.
“Being able to bring the pressure when we needed it, the loss of yardage, we get off the field a winner,” Hill said.
The Salukis will play host to the Redhawks of Southeast Missouri State University next Saturday, Sept. 21 for the annual ‘War for the Wheel’ game at Saluki Stadium.
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