Southern Illinois running back Ro Elliott rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns Saturday in the Salukis’ 20-17 overtime loss to Idaho in a second-round FCS playoff game. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
By Barry Bottino
Nic Baker’s final pass as a college quarterback is one he won’t soon forget.
The throw came in overtime of a memorable 20-17 FCS playoff loss Saturday at Idaho that Southern Illinois is certain to look back on as one that got away.
On third down and 13 at the Idaho 28, Baker saw tight end Aidan Quinn down the seam on the first possession of overtime. The throw was too far behind Quinn, and Idaho defensive back Marcus Harris went to his knees to intercept the pass inches from the ground.
Seven plays later, Ricardo Chavez connected on a 29-yard field goal to eliminate the Salukis from the postseason.
“I just can’t stop thinking about that last throw,” Baker told Saluki Radio. “I’ve never had so much fun playing with a group of guys the whole year. It just hurts to feel like you let them down a little bit.
“(Quinn) got behind the linebacker, and I hit that throw nine times out of 10,” Baker said. “That was the one.”
The loss left Southern (8-5) with plenty of heartbreak as the Salukis controlled most of the game and trailed only once, when Chavez’s kick split the uprights in OT.
“It will sting,” SIU head coach Nick Hill said of Baker. “He’s not a guy that makes excuses. He’s rewritten the record book at SIU. It’s a tough way to end it. Nic Baker shouldn’t have any regrets for his career.”
Hill related that his own career as an SIU quarterback ended in a 20-17 loss in the FCS playoffs – to Delaware in 2007 – when his last throw also was an interception.
Southern had a 10-3 halftime lead thanks to a 38-yard Ro Elliott touchdown run and a 36-yard Jake Baumgarte field goal.
On Idaho’s second drive of the third quarter, SIU linebacker Branson Combs intercepted Vandals QB Gevani McCoy at Southern’s 39. But the Saluki offense managed only one first down before punting the ball away.
On that punt , Jermaine Jackson eluded four potential tacklers on an 86-yard return for a touchdown to tie the game and rev up the home crowd for Idaho, the No. 4 playoff seed.
Less than 6 minutes later, Elliott plowed over from the 1-yard line early in the fourth quarter for a 17-10 SIU lead. The scoring run capped off an 11-play, 75-yard drive by the Salukis.
Idaho tied the game on a 1-yard Anthony Woods scoring run with 4:17 left in the game. The drive included three SIU penalties and the Vandals snapping the ball seven times inside the SIU 5.
“When they tied it up, they got all the momentum,” Baker said. “We put ourselves in position to win. It was blow for blow.”
Baker led SIU on a 13-play, 51-yard drive to set up a 41-yard Baumgarte field goal attempt with 3 seconds left in regulation. The kick was on line, but landed short because it was tipped by Idaho linebacker Xe’ree Alexander.
“That’s definitely one we thought we could get,” Combs said of the loss.
The Vandals (9-3) entered the game averaging 427 yards of offense per game but were limited to 287, with only 92 coming in the first half.
How did Idaho find a second-half offensive spark?
“Get the ball to (junior wide receiver) Hayden Hatten,” Idaho coach Jason Eck said. “We didn’t get him the ball enough in the first half.”
Hatten was limited to one catch for five yards in the first half but finished with game highs of six receptions and 111 yards. On the Vandals’ game-tying fourth-quarter drive, he caught three passes for 61 yards.
Despite Hatten’s big second half, SIU ended the season by not allowing a touchdown pass in six consecutive games.
Idaho, which is in the FCS playoffs for the first time in 30 years, will host No. 5 seed Albany at 9 p.m. Dec. 9 in an FCS quarterfinal game.
Game changers
5:22, 3rd quarter: Jackson’s punt return TD ignited the crowd and tied a game in which SIU had controlled for most of the night.
14:20, 4th quarter: Elliott’s 1-yard TD run – his second score of the night – gave the Salukis the lead again.
10th play, OT: Chavez connected from 29 yards out, making him 10-for-10 this season on field goals inside 40 yards.
What it means
The Salukis continue their search for an elusive second-round FCS playoff win, which has happened only twice in school history. The last time was in 2007.
Top Dawgs
Prairie State Pigskin chooses the top three Southern Illinois players in the game:
Elliott, RB: His 91 yards led all rushers on the night, along with his two TD runs.
Combs, LB: He tied for the team lead with nine tackles and grabbed a second-half interception.
Baker, QB: Despite throwing for only 198 yards, he escaped Idaho defenders multiple times and helped SIU control the game for nearly three quarters.
What’s next?
The Salukis open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 with a trip to FBS Brigham Young.
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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