2018 Southern Illinois Salukis football team

The 2018 Southern Illinois Salukis football team represented Southern Illinois University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Nick Hill and played their home games at Saluki Stadium. They were a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They finished the season 2–9, 1–7 in MVFC play to finish in last place.

2018 Southern Illinois Salukis football
Conference	Missouri Valley Football Conference
2018 record	2–9 (1–7 MVFC)
Head coach	Nick Hill (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	John Van Dam (3rd season)
Defensive coordinator	Kraig Paulson (3rd season)
Home stadium	Saluki Stadium (Capacity: 15,000)

2018 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 1 North Dakota State $^		8	–	0					15	–	0
No. 3 South Dakota State ^		6	–	2					10	–	3
No. 23 Northern Iowa ^		5	–	3					7	–	6
Indiana State		5	–	3					7	–	4
Western Illinois		4	–	4					5	–	6
Illinois State		3	–	5					6	–	5
Youngstown State		3	–	5					4	–	7
South Dakota		3	–	5					4	–	7
Missouri State		2	–	6					4	–	7
Southern Illinois		1	–	7					2	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

Previous season

The Salukis finished the 2017 season 4–7, 2–6 in MVFC play to finish in a tie for eighth place.

Preseason

Preseason MVFC poll

The MVFC released their preseason poll on July 29, 2018, with the Redbirds predicted to finish in eighth place.[1]

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	North Dakota State	390 (39)
2	South Dakota State	270
3	Northern Iowa	258
4	Youngstown State	248
5	Illinois State	248
6	South Dakota	206
7	Western Illinois	163
8	Southern Illinois	139
9	Missouri State	90
10	Indiana State	41

Preseason All-MVFC Teams

The Salukis placed four players on the preseason all-MVFC teams.[2]

Offense 1st team Darrell James – WR

Defense 1st team Jeremy Chinn – DB Lane Reazin – P 2nd team Anthony Knighton – DL

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30	6:00 p.m.	at Murray State*	Roy Stewart Stadium Murray, KY	ESPN+	W 49–10	6,350
September 8	3:00 p.m.	at Ole Miss*	Vaught–Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS	SECN	L 41–76	53,339
September 15	6:00 p.m.	Southeast Missouri State*	Saluki Stadium Carbondale, IL	ESPN+	L 44–48	8,592
September 29	6:00 p.m.	South Dakota	Saluki Stadium Carbondale, IL	ESPN+	L 24–31	8,546
October 6	5:00 p.m.	at Youngstown State	Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	ESPN+	L 14–17	14,581
October 13	2:00 p.m.	at No. 12 Illinois State	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	ESPN3	L 3–51	11,247
October 20	2:00 p.m.	Indiana State	Saluki Stadium Carbondale, IL	ESPN+	L 21–24	6,435
October 27	2:00 p.m.	at Missouri State	Robert W. Plaster Stadium Springfield, MO	ESPN+	W 49–35	6,374
November 3	1:00 p.m.	Western Illinois	Saluki Stadium Carbondale, IL	ESPN3	L 31–34	4,780
November 10	1:00 p.m.	No. 6 South Dakota State	Saluki Stadium Carbondale, IL	ESPN+	L 38–57	4,433
November 17	2:30 p.m.	at No. 1 North Dakota State	Fargodome Fargo, ND	ESPN+	L 17–65	18,008
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

• Source: Schedule

Game summaries

at Murray State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Salukis	7	21	14	7	49
Racers	3	7	0	0	10

at Ole Miss

	1	2	3	4	Total
Salukis	21	17	3	0	41
Rebels	14	21	14	27	76

Southeast Missouri State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Redhawks	14	3	17	14	48
Salukis	10	10	7	17	44

South Dakota

	1	2	3	4	Total
Coyotes	7	3	21	0	31
Salukis	14	3	0	7	24

at Youngstown State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Salukis	0	7	0	7	14
Penguins	3	3	0	11	17

at Illinois State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Salukis	0	0	3	0	3
No. 12 Redbirds	7	24	7	13	51

Indiana State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Sycamores	7	7	10	0	24
Salukis	7	0	0	14	21

at Missouri State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Salukis	0	21	21	7	49
Bears	7	14	0	14	35

Western Illinois

	1	2	3	4	Total
Leathernecks	7	7	0	20	34
Salukis	7	10	14	0	31

South Dakota State

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 6 Jackrabbits	10	20	20	7	57
Salukis	3	14	21	0	38

at North Dakota State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Salukis	14	0	3	0	17
No. 1 Bison	28	7	16	14	65

References

1. http://www.valley-football.org/news/2018/7/19/football-north-dakota-state-tabbed-as-favorite-to-win-2018-mvfc-title.aspx
2. http://valley-football.org/documents/2018/7/31//2018_MVFC_Preseason_Team_and_Poll.pdf?id=41