By Ryan Keith 18.5

SIUC place-kicker Matt Simonton appeared to reverse the Saluki football team’s recent string of bad luck Saturday as he gave the Salukis a 35-33 lead with 1:36 left in the fourth quarter on a 37-yard field goal.

But Southwest Missouri State University would not let SIU’s losing streak end so easily. The Bears drove 51 yards in the game’s final one minute and 30 seconds and capped the drive with a 32-yard field goal by Travis Brawner as time expired. The field goal gave the Bears a 36-35 win over the Salukis on Homecoming day at McAndrew Stadium.

Advertisement

The loss marked the first time in school history that SIUC has lost by one point in two consecutive weeks, after the Salukis’ 28-27 loss at the University of Northern Iowa Sept. 27.

The Salukis, who are on a three-game losing streak, have a 1-4 record overall and an 0-3 mark in the Gateway Football Conference. SMSU improves to 3-2 and 1-0 in conference play.

SIUC football coach Jan Quarless said the loss was a disappointment, and coming close for the second-straight week is no consolation.

It (winning) is expected, Quarless said. That’s what football is. You’re supposed to respond. I’m supposed to coach. You’re supposed to be 4-1 and not 1-4.

I want our football team to understand that. I want all of us to understand that, instead of saying, Great, it was a moral victory.’

After a solid first-half performance, in which the Salukis earned 248 yards in total offense and took a 26-17 lead at halftime, the Bears shut down the Saluki offense in the third quarter. SMSU scored on a 5-yard catch by Jason Cannon and a 27-yard field goal by Brawner to take a 27-26 lead into the fourth quarter.

Starting quarterback Kent Skornia, who was named Quarless’ starter over Marcus Capone Saturday morning, led SIUC on an 80-yard drive that took 3:21 off the clock. Skornia found tight end Mike Green in the end zone on an 11-yard pass play with 8:59 left to give the Salukis a 32-27 lead. Skornia’s pass attempt to Green on the two-point conversion failed.

Advertisement*

SMSU rebounded on the next possession, driving 77 yards in 5:06, ending on a 2-yard run by Corey McGriff for a 33-32 with 3:53 remaining.

After Simonton’s field goal on the next Saluki possession, the Bears took over on their 34-yard line with 1:32 left.

SMSU quarterback Jeremy Hoog completed three of six pass attempts for 27 yards on the drive. Bears running back Maurice Daniels rushed three times for 18 yards, including a 6-yard run to the SIUC 15-yard line with four seconds left that set up Brawner’s game-winning kick.

Saluki free safety Freddie Taylor, who returned a fumble recovery 71 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, said poor defensive execution was a factor in the final minute.

We just had a couple of missed assignments going on here and there, Taylor said. Coach (Quarless) always says a lack of focus loses ball games. That’s what I feel happened today.

Special teams play was also a sore spot for the Salukis Saturday. Simonton missed an extra-point try on SIUC’s opening touchdown in the first quarter, and the Salukis twice failed on two-point conversion attempts later in the game.

Special teams has let us down the last four weeks, Quarless said. Once you miss that extra point, now it becomes flip the coin. Who’s going to go for two? When are they going for two? When will you have to go for two?

You just don’t want to miss that first extra point. After that, it gets ugly.

Skornia said the loss had a tremendous effect on the team’s morale after the game.

It’s a heartbreaking loss, Skornia said. If you’re going to lose, you almost want to get blown out by 30 or 40, then you could say they were a lot better than us. But they weren’t; they just came out on top when the clock ran out.

The Salukis play Illinois State University at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at McAndrew Stadium.