For the third straight week, SIU junior running back Muhammad Abdulqaadir was named the Gateway Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week. He was also named the Sports Networks’ National Offensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week.

Abdulqaadir ran for 261 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries Saturday, giving him 1,012 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. He also has two receptions for 70 yards and another touchdown.

Following the game, Abdulqaadir said he was shocked he ran for so many yards and said he had nothing but respect for the Leatherneck defense.

“That is definitely an achievement,” Abdulqaadir said. “I don’t even know how it happens, it just happens. When I get the ball, I don’t see people, I just see openings.

“It’s called running to daylight; that’s all I do.”

Saturday’s rushing total gave him 837 yards in the past three games, his three first career starts, which is a school and Gateway record. His 1,005 yards in the past four games is also a Gateway record.

A candidate for the Walter Payton Award, the I-AA equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, Abdulqaadir is running for an average of 7.7 yards per carry and 202.4 yards per game.

He is currently the leading rusher in all of Division I football, 114 yards ahead of Kent State’s Joshua Cribbs, who is second with 898 yards.

Abdulqaadir is currently on pace to break the conference’s all-time single-season mark of 1,957 set by Western’s Aaron Stecker in 1997.

Salukis leading the pack

The SIU offense is currently leading the Gateway Conference in three major offensive categories.

The Salukis are No. 1 in scoring offense at 48.5 points per game, rushing offense with 320.3 yards per game and pass efficiency at 168.7.

In the national rankings, SIU is No. 1 in scoring offense and No. 3 in rushing offense.

The Salukis also lead the Gateway in turnover margin at plus-10, kickoff returns with a 24.7 average and punt returns with an 18.0 average. SIU is fourth, eight and eight in the national rankings in these three categories, respectively.

Individual conference leaders include Abdulqaadir in rushing with 1,012 yards, scoring with 15 touchdowns and all-purpose yards with 1,082; Joel Sambursky in pass efficiency with 177.0 and Justin George in punt returns with an 18.4 average.

Senior kicker Scott Everhart hit field goals of 37 yards and a career-long of 48 yards in the upset win over the Leathernecks, giving him the SIU record for field goals in a career.

Everhart entered the game tied with Ron Miller and Paul Molla at 32.

Despite cementing his place in Saluki history, Everhart was more concerned with the victory and said that’s all that mattered to him.

“Everyone was so hyped about the hoopla of the record this week and it’s more, ‘I’m glad I helped my team out, I’m glad we got that win,'” Everhart said. “[The record’s] just a positive by-note.”

For the season, Everhart has hit 4-of-7 field goals and is a perfect 4-of-4 from 30-49 yards. He is also the Salukis’ starting punter and is fourth in the Gateway with an average of 39.7 yards per punt.

Putting an end to the streak

Saturday’s 54-52 victory ended the Salukis’ 18-year losing streak against Western Illinois.

SIU had not beaten the Leathernecks since 1983 and was the second longest active streak in all of Division I-AA behind Prairie View A&M losing 26 straight to Grambling State.

Even though most of the SIU squad has been here for just one or two years of the streak, they still realize the importance of finally beating Western.

“It means a whole lot to us, the program, just everything,” said sophomore defensive end Lionel Williams. “It’s just an incredible feeling right now and I hope we continue winning against them.

“Let us have a winning streak against them.”

While the Salukis were able to snap their streak, Prairie View extended its streak to 26 with a 35-13 loss to Grambling this past Saturday.

Racking up the points

In Saturday’s game, SIU and Western combined to score a total of 106 points, making it the second-highest scoring league game in Gateway history. The record of 111 was set in 1999 when Indiana State defeated the Salukis 66-45.

The Salukis’ total of 54 points was the sixth highest in Gateway play for a single game.

After upsetting the No. 8-ranked Leathernecks on Saturday and raising their record to 3-3, the Salukis have started to receive some attention from pollsters nationwide.

This week the Salukis received votes in both the ESPN/ USA Today Coaches Poll and the Sports Networks’ top 25 polls.

While SIU hasn’t cracked the top 25 just yet, just receiving votes is a sign that the program is on the way up and is making improvements over its dismal past.

Kill’s personal winning streak

Besides the 18-year losing streak to Western Illinois, another mark was on the line this past Saturday at McAndrew Stadium.

SIU head coach Jerry Kill had never lost a game on his late father’s birthday, which was Oct. 5, the same day as the Salukis’ Homecoming game.

Following the Salukis’ 54-52 upset victory, Kill said he was glad he kept that streak going.

“My dad is probably the happiest guy in the universe today,” Kill said, “He had the best seat in the house and I guarantee he’s still sitting up there saying, ‘I’ve never seen you lose, son.’

“He has never seen his son lose on his birthday in any sport that I’ve ever coached or played in. That’s a streak, baby.”

Reporter Jens Deju can be reached at [email protected]