It’s gut-check time, now or never, put-up-or-shut-up time.

The Saluki football team is not chasing the Gateway conference title, but the Dawgs are chasing the one goal they set this year to have a winning season.

When SIUC defeated Western Kentucky last week 30-28, it set the table for the Salukis’ first winning season in four years. Also, a 6-5 record would place the Dawgs among the NCAA’s Division I-AA all-time best teams in single-season winning improvement.

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Only 16 Division 1-AA teams have improved by more than five games over a single season. Last season the Dawgs went 1-10.

All of this, however hinges upon the Salukis (5-5 overall, 2-3 in the conference) defeating conference rival and 12th-ranked Eastern Illinois (8-1, 3-1) Saturday afternoon.

They’ve (Eastern Illinois) only lost one game in their last 13 games, and they’re having a heck of a season, Saluki head coach Shawn Watson said. They’re playing with a lot of confidence.

Watson said part of the Panthers success is the ability of their running game.

Their offensive scheme allows them to hand it to Willie High, he said. Willie High has been one of the best football players in our league, and one of the best backs for the last couple of years, and he is having a great year this year, also.

High’s great year includes leading the Gateway in rushing with 1,271 yards and all-purpose yards with 1,334 an average of 148.22 yards per game.

Watson said keying in on High, however, will only get his defense in trouble.

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They have a good quarterback, he said. He’s (Pete Mauch) the kind of guy that scrambles if the protection breaks down. He’ll get outside the pocket and he’ll make a big play.

On the Salukis side of the field, the Dawgs have won their last four home contests, and look to continue their success at the Dawg House in the last game of the season.

We have an opportunity to meet our season goal which was to have a winning season in our second year, Watson said. It’s something we’re hungry for, especially after last week.

Watson said the Salukis are looking to combat Eastern Illinois’ run offense with a solid performance from the Dawgs’ defensive line.

We’ll simply have to come off the football with an attitude, be fundamentally sound with a wide base, knees bent and just play our gaps, he said. We’re a zone and a gap team, so that helps us out.

We can’t get tentative. That will hurt us if we’re tentative.

SIUC will be in a Dawgfight all day with the Panthers’ defense, which leads the Gateway conference in rushing defense, giving up an average of only 104.7 yards per game. The SIUC running game averages 140.2 yards per game good for third in the league.

The Panthers total defense is allowing only 282.6 yards a game, again tops in the league, as the Salukis are sixth in the conference gaining 311.1 yards per game in total offense.

One of the biggest bright spots for the Salukis during the past few weeks has been William Tolen, who has rushed for 215 yards in his last two games.

Against Western Illinois, Tolen rushed for 128 yards and followed it up last week against Western Kentucky with an 87-yard performance.

Speaking of William Tolen …

Saluki freshman running back Karlton Carpenter needs just six yards to break William Tolen’s team-leading rushing total from last season (555 yards).

In addition, Carpenter’s rushing yardage would the highest posted by a Saluki since Anthony Perry ran for 1,023 yards in 1992.

Kickoff for the Salukis season finale is 12:30 p.m. Saturday at McAndrew Stadium.