Just as senior SIU quarterback Joel Sambursky said two weeks ago, every Gateway Conference game left in the season is pivotal for the Salukis.

After upsetting then No.1-ranked Western Kentucky 31-20 in Bowling Green, Ky., the No.5-ranked Salukis share an identical 4-1 conference record with both the No. 15-ranked Youngstown State Penguins and the Hilltoppers.

The Salukis (6-2) are hoping to unknot the three-way tie that exists atop the standings when Youngstown State visits McAndrew Stadium Saturday afternoon. But just because SIU knocked the Hilltoppers (6-2) doesn’t mean any pressure has been relieved.

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“We’re masters of our own destiny now,” said senior tight end Braden Jones, who blocked a punt against WKU. “We have to take care of business this weekend, that’s first on our minds.”

A thorough lambasting of the Hilltoppers is still on the Salukis’ minds. For perhaps the first time this season, every facet of SIU’s game seemed to click.

Junior running back Arkee Whitlock rushed for 207 yards and three touchdowns – he garnered a national offensive player of the week award for the performance – and an injury plagued Saluki secondary allowed 197 yards, a considerable improvement on their 278-yard average.

If the Salukis had to pick a time to hit their stride, this would certainly be optimal, as they enter the meat of their conference schedule.

“That’s something I don’t control, the players do,” head coach Jerry Kill said. “I think their mental preparation has actually been good for a couple of weeks.”

Kill said people might question whether the Salukis had just prepared for Western Kentucky, producing a fluke victory in the process. He tasked the team by telling them it was up to them to determine if that was the case.

If Whitlock’s feelings about the game are any indication, motivation shouldn’t be a problem for SIU. He said he could have gone several more quarters after the Western Kentucky game and planned to bring the same intensity against the Penguins.

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“We still have momentum,” Whitlock said. “We’re going to come out and give them maximum effort as usual.”

The Salukis’ effort – at least on offense – is what concerns Youngstown State head coach Jon Heacock the most about his upcoming contest. SIU has the best scoring offense in the conference, posting 42.5 points a game. In contrast, the Penguins have managed 27 points per contest.

“It will be the steepest challenge we’ve faced so far, in reality,” Heacock said. “A concern is that nobody has stopped their offense yet.”

Heacock has reason to be concerned about the offensive side of the ball. Marcus Mason and Monquantae Gibson – his leading backs with 104 and 61 yards a game, respectively -are both questionable to play in the game due to injuries.

As a result, Kill is expecting more passing from the Penguins. Senior cornerback Brad Brachear will be back for the Salukis after suffering a broken hand against Illinois State to lend more help with the recently bolstered pass defense.

Kill feels more confident about the Salukis in general, not just the secondary. He pointed out SIU’s 42-20 victory over Indiana State two weeks ago as a turning point for the team.

“I certainly feel much better about our football team than I did three weeks ago,” Kill said. “We’ve had a lot of people judge us, but the bottom line is we’re 6-2 … and we control what happens.”

Reporter Gabe House can be reached at [email protected]