Southern Illinois Salukis @ Western Illinois Leathernecks
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SIU | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
WIU | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
Western Illinois boosts playoff bid with 28-14 win over SIU
MACOMB, Ill. -- Wideout Jaelon Acklin caught a touchdown pass in setting a school record and ran for another, and Western Illinois beat Southern Illinois 28-14 on Saturday.
The Leathernecks (8-3, 5-3 Missouri Valley Football Conference), ranked in the FCS top 10, are hopeful for a playoff bid when the field is announced Sunday. The victory also cut into the Salukis' recent dominance in the series with Southern Illinois (4-7, 2-6) having won 13 of the last 15 meetings coming into Saturday.
Acklin caught six passes for 93 yards, including a 52-yard score from Sean McGuire, as Acklin surpassed Lance Lenoir for the single-season school record, with 1,253 yards receiving.
Acklin also scored on an 8-yard run for a 28-0 lead in the fourth quarter.
McGuire was 16 of 27 for 158 yards passing and two scores, the other TD a 14-yarder to Steve McShane. Max Norris added a 17-yard scoring run.
SIU's Matt DeSomer completed 6 of 10 passes, two for touchdowns to Darrell James and Raphael Leonard in the fourth quarter, and was intercepted twice.
Game Information
Macomb, IL
2025 Standings
| Missouri Valley Football Conference | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State | 8-0 | 12-1 |
| South Dakota | 6-2 | 10-5 |
| North Dakota | 5-3 | 8-6 |
| Youngstown State | 5-3 | 8-5 |
| Illinois State | 5-3 | 12-5 |
| South Dakota State | 4-4 | 9-5 |
| Southern Illinois | 4-4 | 7-5 |
| Northern Iowa | 1-7 | 3-9 |
| Murray State | 1-7 | 1-11 |
| Indiana State | 1-7 | 3-9 |
| OVC-Big South Association | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Tech | 8-0 | 11-2 |
| UT Martin | 6-2 | 6-6 |
| Gardner-Webb | 5-3 | 7-5 |
| Lindenwood | 5-3 | 6-6 |
| Charleston Southern | 4-4 | 5-7 |
| Southeast Missouri State | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Western Illinois | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Eastern Illinois | 2-6 | 3-9 |
| Tennessee State | 0-8 | 2-10 |
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