CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2021 Southern Illinois

8–⁠5 (5–⁠3 Missouri Valley Football Conference).

Schedule and results

Southern Illinois in 2021, game by game: won at Southeast Missouri State 47–21; lost at Kansas State 23–31; won vs. Dayton 55–3; won vs. Illinois State 35–17; won at Western Illinois 31–30; won at South Dakota State 42–41; won vs. North Dakota 31–28; lost at Northern Iowa 16–23; lost vs. Missouri State 28–38; won at Indiana State 47–21; lost vs. Youngstown State 18–35; won at South Dakota 22–10; lost at North Dakota State 7–38+52−31Won 47–21 at Southeast Missouri State+26Southeast Misso…Lost 23–31 at Kansas State-8Kansas StateWon 55–3 vs. Dayton+52DaytonWon 35–17 vs. Illinois State+18Illinois StateWon 31–30 at Western Illinois+1Western IllinoisWon 42–41 at South Dakota State+1South Dakota St…Won 31–28 vs. North Dakota+3North DakotaLost 16–23 at Northern Iowa-7Northern IowaLost 28–38 vs. Missouri State-10Missouri StateWon 47–21 at Indiana State+26Indiana StateLost 18–35 vs. Youngstown State-17Youngstown StateWon 22–10 at South Dakota+12South DakotaLost 7–38 at North Dakota State-31North Dakota St…
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 2atSoutheast Missouri StateW 47–⁠2145%
Sep 11atKansas StateL 23–⁠3126%
Sep 18vsDaytonW 55–⁠361%
Sep 25vsIllinois StateW 35–⁠1767%
Oct 2atWestern IllinoisW 31–⁠3074%
Oct 9atSouth Dakota StateW 42–⁠4130%
Oct 16vsNorth DakotaW 31–⁠2869%
Oct 30atNorthern IowaL 16–⁠2349%
Nov 6vsMissouri StateL 28–⁠3868%
Nov 13atIndiana StateW 47–⁠2161%
Nov 20vsYoungstown StateL 18–⁠3583%
Nov 27atSouth DakotaFCS Championship – First RoundW 22–⁠1040%
Dec 4atNorth Dakota StateFCS Championship – Second RoundL 7–⁠3821%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to North Dakota State 38–⁠7 in the FCS Championship – Second Round; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 3rd in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

In program history: The 15th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 62 on file).

Record
8–⁠5
Conference
5–⁠3 tied for 3rd in Missouri Valley Football Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
402–⁠336
Coach
—
Elo
1391 +30 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
−5.4 No. 12 of 128 in FCS
Recruiting class
No. 172
Offensive coordinator
Blake Rolan
Defensive coordinator
Jason Petrino

Leaders

Passing yardsNic Baker QB176 yds
Rushing yardsJavon Williams Jr. RB46 yds
Rushing touchdownsJavon Williams Jr. RB2 TD
Receiving yardsLandon Lenoir WR63 yds
TacklesQua Brown S9 tkl
SacksKevin Glajchen DL1 sacks
InterceptionsClayton Bush DB1 INT

Top recruits in the 2021 class

Levi McAffee CB★★★No. 1838
Ethan Tyla OL
Jon Nalley OT
Kaniji Chandler LB
TyJuan Atkins WR

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2021 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Defensive backs13.00.827

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Transfers in 2

The 2021 portal
Richie Hagarty LB★★★from Miami (OH)
Tyce Daniel TE★★★from Memphis

Transfers out 0

No transfers out.

2021 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
North Dakota State7–⁠114–⁠1
Missouri State6–⁠28–⁠4
South Dakota State5–⁠311–⁠4
Southern Illinois5–⁠38–⁠5
South Dakota5–⁠37–⁠5
Northern Iowa4–⁠46–⁠6
Indiana State3–⁠55–⁠6
North Dakota3–⁠55–⁠6
Illinois State2–⁠64–⁠7
Youngstown State2–⁠63–⁠7
Western Illinois2–⁠62–⁠9

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.