BOONE, N.C. (AP) -- Richie Williams threw three touchdown passes

and ran for a fourth score, leading Appalachian State to a 38-24

win over Southern Illinois in the quarterfinals of the NCAA

Division I-AA playoffs on Saturday.

Williams ran for a 1-yard touchdown with 5:13 remaining in the

first quarter to give the Mountaineers (10-3) a 10-0 lead. A

41-yard pass to Kevin Richardson with 11:50 to go in the second

quarter made it 17-0.

All three of Williams' touchdown passes were for 40 or more

yards, and he finished the evening having completed 20-of-28 pass

attempts for 367 yards and no interceptions.

The Salukis' (9-4) first touchdown came when Craig Turner

returned the second-half kickoff for 93 yards to score. Joel

Sambursky threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Kellen Allen, making the

score 31-17 with 3:19 to play in the fourth quarter, but

Appalachian State countered with a 40-yard touchdown from Williams

to Dexter Jackson less than 30 seconds later.

Sambursky, who completed 19-of-38 pass attempts for 220 yards

and two interceptions, also threw an 8-yard pass to Allen in the

final minute.

The Salukis managed 337 total offensive yards, led on the ground

by Arkee Whitlock who ran for 95 yards on 20 carries.

Appalachian State racked up 500 yards of offense, with

Richardson running for 99 yards on 16 carries.