CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2023 Southern Illinois

8–⁠5 (4–⁠4 Missouri Valley Football Conference).

Schedule and results

Southern Illinois in 2023, game by game: won vs. Austin Peay 49–23; won at Northern Illinois 14–11; won at Southeast Missouri State 26–25; won vs. Missouri State 33–20; lost at Youngstown State 3–31; won at Murray State 27–6; lost vs. South Dakota State 10–17; won at Western Illinois 63–0; lost vs. South Dakota 7–14; lost at North Dakota State 10–34; won vs. Indiana State 38–9; won vs. Nicholls 35–0; lost at Idaho 17–20+63−28Won 49–23 vs. Austin Peay+26Austin PeayWon 14–11 at Northern Illinois+3Northern Illino…Won 26–25 at Southeast Missouri State+1Southeast Misso…Won 33–20 vs. Missouri State+13Missouri StateLost 3–31 at Youngstown State-28Youngstown StateWon 27–6 at Murray State+21Murray StateLost 10–17 vs. South Dakota State-7South Dakota St…Won 63–0 at Western Illinois+63Western IllinoisLost 7–14 vs. South Dakota-7South DakotaLost 10–34 at North Dakota State-24North Dakota St…Won 38–9 vs. Indiana State+29Indiana StateWon 35–0 vs. Nicholls+35NichollsLost 17–20 at Idaho-3Idaho
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 2vsAustin PeayW 49–⁠2355%
Sep 9atNorthern IllinoisW 14–⁠1138%
Sep 16atSoutheast Missouri StateW 26–⁠2543%
Sep 30vsMissouri StateW 33–⁠2069%
Oct 7atYoungstown StateL 3–⁠3151%
Oct 14atMurray StateW 27–⁠666%
Oct 21vsSouth Dakota StateL 10–⁠1730%
Oct 28atWestern IllinoisW 63–⁠083%
Nov 4vsSouth DakotaL 7–⁠1462%
Nov 11atNorth Dakota StateL 10–⁠3430%
Nov 18vsIndiana StateW 38–⁠984%
Nov 25Bowls & playoffvsNichollsFCS Championship – First RoundW 35–⁠057%
Dec 2Bowls & playoffatIdahoFCS Championship – Second RoundL 17–⁠2034%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Idaho 20–⁠17 in the FCS Championship – Second Round; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 7th in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

In program history: The 17th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 62 on file).

Record
8–⁠5
Conference
4–⁠4 tied for 7th in Missouri Valley Football Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
332–⁠210
Coach
—
Elo
1390 +43 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
−9.4 No. 8 of 128 in FCS
Recruiting class
No. 174
Offensive coordinator
Blake Rolan
Defensive coordinator
Antonio James

Leaders

Passing yardsNic Baker QB2,714 yds
Passing touchdownsNic Baker QB17 TD
Rushing yardsRomeir Elliott RB566 yds
Rushing touchdownsRomeir Elliott RB11 TD
Receiving yardsIzaiah Hartrup WR706 yds
Receiving touchdownsIzaiah Hartrup WR6 TD
TacklesP.J. Jules CB11 tkl
SacksTim Varga DL2 sacks
InterceptionsD.J. Johnson CB3 INT

Top recruits in the 2023 class

Jamond Mathis DE★★★No. 2085
Allen Middleton WR★★★No. 2529
Blaine Halley OT★★No. 2811
Logan Minton TE★★No. 2811
Jamir Conn CB★★No. 3198

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

The 2023 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Receivers22.50.790
Offensive line22.00.760
Defensive line13.00.825
Defensive backs12.00.760
Whole class62.30.781

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 2023 portal
Noah Fenske OT★★★from Colorado
Zaid Hamdan DL★★from James Madison

Transfers out 2

Clayton Bush S★★★to Illinois
R.J. Orebo DL★★★to Houston Christian

2023 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
South Dakota State8–⁠015–⁠0
South Dakota7–⁠110–⁠3
North Dakota State5–⁠311–⁠4
Youngstown State5–⁠38–⁠5
North Dakota5–⁠37–⁠5
Northern Iowa5–⁠36–⁠5
Southern Illinois4–⁠48–⁠5
Illinois State4–⁠46–⁠5
Missouri State3–⁠54–⁠7
Murray State1–⁠72–⁠9
Indiana State1–⁠71–⁠10
Western Illinois0–⁠80–⁠11

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