(WSIL) --聽Selection Show Sunday came down to the last pairing, but Southern Illinois earned its second-straight at-large bid to the 24-team FCS Playoffs and will play at South Dakota at 5 p.m. next Saturday. The game will be televised on ESPN+.
The Salukis (7-4) were nervously awaiting the verdict of the selection committee after losing to Youngstown State, but they were rewarded a spot based on an their resume that included a win at South Dakota State, which also made the field, and a fourth-place finish in the nation's toughest FCS conference.
SIU last played the Coyotes (7-4) in 2019, a game in which Southern rushed for 334 yards and聽won, 48-28, in the DakotaDome. South Dakota is hosting its first FCS Playoff game since moving up from the Division II ranks. The Coyotes last hosted a postseason football game in 1986.
The winner will play at No. 2-seed North Dakota State on Dec. 4 at 2:30 p.m.
Head Coach Nick Hill said the following on the playoff berth and the upcoming matchup.
"Coming off a tough loss to end the season, you get in here today and you want so badly for those guys to keep playing. I'm happy that the committee rewarded the entire season, what this team has accomplished, really this entire calendar year. What you come here for is to get into the playoffs and give yourself a chance to win a National Championship, and we're one of 24 teams that gets that opportunity and we're excited.
You wipe the slate clean. It really doesn't matter how you get there, you're in the tournament. We have to go on the road, it's a conference opponent we haven't played the last two seasons. We were up there in 2019. Being familiar with the place where we're going to play is an advantage. South Dakota has a great team, well-coached, but any time you get in the playoffs, you're going to play a great opponent."
