Junior college transfer running back Chandler Chapman (8) rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns as nationally ranked Southern Illinois won its Missouri Valley Football Conference opener against Indiana State. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
By Dan Verdun
Junior college transfer Chandler Chapman came to Southern Illinois for the opportunity to play in big games. To date, there are none bigger than Saturday’s game at No. 1-ranked North Dakota State.
“This is going to be one of the biggest games and toughest challenges for sure,” Chapman told Prairie State Pigskin.
Chapman is fresh off a 93-yard, two-touchdown performance in SIU’s 55-27 victory over Indiana State in the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener.
While that game was at Saluki Stadium, Saturday’s 2:30 start will take place in the hostile atmosphere of the Fargodome. It pits top-ranked NDSU (5-0 overall, 2-0 MVFC) against No. 9/10 SIU (4-1, 1-0).
“I know it’s loud in there with 20,000 fans,” Chapman said.
The Bay St. Louis, Miss., native arrived in Carbondale after starring at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, which also happens to be the school where SIU running backs coach and former Saluki star Larry Warner played.
“When I was going through my recruitment process and figuring out where I wanted to be, I asked coaches about the Dakota schools,” Chapman said. “A high school coach told me they play some really good football.”
Chapman said he came to SIU after being impressed by the coaching staff. He was also attracted by head coach Nick Hill’s offense.
“There’s a lot of experience here,” he said. “There’s really good guys. It’s always uplifting with something positive to say. It’s real good energy.”
Chapman is part of a Saluki running attack that features quarterback D.J. Williams along with backs Lashaun Lester, Edward Robinson and Lem Wash.
“It’s a great group of guys with no jealousies or big egos,” Chapman said. “We just want to win.”
This week’s opponent
North Dakota State used a fourth-quarter burst to put away No. 6 Illinois State, 33-16, last weekend in Normal.
The defending national champion Bison have been a big-play machine. NDSU has produced 40 offensive plays of over 20 yards this season. In addition, the Bison strung together late drives of 70 and 73 yards to finish off Illinois State.
Quarterback Cole Payton completed 12 of 14 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown to All-American receiver Bryce Lance against the Redbirds. Payton rushed for 79 yards, including an acrobatic leap over an ISU defender for a touchdown.
“Cole Payton is playing at a super high level,” Hill said. “I have a lot of respect for him waiting his turn (to play). He’s hard to tackle, makes a lot of plays.”
Lance, the younger brother of former NDSU star and first-round NFL draft pick Trey Lance, leads NDSU with 18 receptions for 382 yards (21.2 average) and three touchdowns.
Running back Barika Kpeenu tops the running game with 434 yards on 68 carries (6.2 average) and eight TDs. Payton has 396 yards on 53 attempts (6.7 average) and three touchdowns.
“Their rushing attack is always at the top of the country,” Hill said.
NDSU leads the FCS in scoring defense, allowing just 9.2 points per game. Linebackers Nathaniel Staehling and Logan Kopp are the top leaders in tackles.
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: Cilfm.com.
Key matchup to watch
SIU run defense vs. NDSU run game
The Salukis gave up 322 net rushing yards to Indiana State. Sycamore running back Nick Osho gashed SIU for 211 yards and two touchdowns on 28 attempts.
“Obviously, that number is concerning, but I’m confident in our coaching,” Saluki linebacker Shug Walker said afterward. “We’re going to attack it. We know what we did wrong. They’re simple mistakes. They’re very fixable.”
While NDSU features the eighth-best rushing offense in FCS, averaging 229.6 yards per game, SIU ranks 78th out of 126 teams nationally defending the run.
SIU defensive coordinator Lee Pronschinske spent two years as an assistant for NDSU, including with the 2021 FCS national championship team.
“Defensively, it’s interesting,” NDSU head coach Tim Polasek said. “It’s almost like looking in a mirror now with Coach Pron, who spent some time here with our guys.”
What’s at stake
A Southern Illinois victory would give the Salukis four straight wins and a 2-0 start in the MVFC.
Quick hits
Southern Illinois moved up two spots in both major FCS polls. The Salukis are No. 8 in the Stats Perform media poll and No. 9 in the American Football Coaches Association rankings. … SIU is 2-5 all-time against teams that are ranked No. 1. The last time SIU faced a No. 1 team was on Oct. 21, 2023, when it fell, 17-10, to South Dakota State. SIU and NDSU last met with the Bison as No. 1; the Salukis posted a 38-14 win on Feb. 27, 2021. Prior to that, SIU’s last win over a top-ranked team occurred on Oct. 27, 2005, at Western Kentucky (31-20). … SIU heads to Fargo for the eighth time in the series. Southern has a record of 4-13 vs. North Dakota State. … The Bison have turned the ball over once in 310 snaps this season. … SIU quarterback D.J. Williams has thrown for 1,214 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions while rushing for 386 yards and nine touchdowns. … Saluki receiver Vinson Davis III is coming off back-to-back 100-yard games for the first time in his career. … SIU’s defense is tied for first in the MVFC and tied for sixth in the country in turnover margin at 1.20. Southern has gained a league-leading 11 turnovers, which is also tied for sixth in the FCS.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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