SIU trails New Hampshire 16-13 at halftime

The SIU football team trails New Hampshire 16-13 at halftime in the opening round of the FCS Playoffs.

The team's traded field goals early and often as Kyle Dougherty and Tom Bishop were true on their kicks through the games first 18 minutes. As the teams battled with the boot, they also battled turnovers.

There were turnovers on four straight possessions, including a never-before-seen interception by defensive lineman Kendrick Young, who caught a deflected pass (off the referee).

That led to the first touchdown of the game, a sneaker by quarterback Chris Dieker gave the Salukis a 13-6 lead with 4:28 remaining in the first half.

The Wildcats inched closer when Bishop banked another field goal to make it 13-9, and then took the lead on a run by quarterback R.J. Toman to give UNH a 16-13 lead that stood 'til halftime.

If SIU can complete another thrilling comeback, they might want to heed the following:

• Win the turnover battle. SIU has picked two of Toman's passes, but has also been bitten by the turnover bug with two turnovers of its own. If the Salukis can continue to pressure Toman, the team might be able to capitalize on an errant pass.
• Get Larry Lightning to strike. Warner's been productive on the ground, gaining 62 yards on 11 carries (5.6 yards per carry) but hasn't been able to gain many yards on slow developing plays. Quick hitters have been the Salukis' biggest gaining plays.
• Somehow get the Shermanator to strike. Senior wideout Damian Sherman has been impressive this afternoon with 3 catches for 46 yards. It's too bad a statsheet couldn't give you a picture of a pair of Sherman's grabs. He's extended his body to extreme lengths to grab a pair of Dieker's high passes. If SIU can get in the end zone, look for a Dieker-to-Sherman connection on a jump ball.

That's it for now from The Mac in Carbondale. Stay tuned to the sidebar Twitter updates throughout the game. And of course, siuDE.com for a post-game wrap up.

Playoff Pigskin Preview Brief: SIU-New Hampshire

Well folks, we're about 20 minutes from beginning the logical way to determine a national champion in football.

That's right a playoff.

No, President-Elect Barack Obama didn't use his executive power to force the greedy FBS school presidents into a playoff. Instead, I'm talking about the FCS a.k.a. Division I-AA a.k.a. The Giant Slayers who start their 16-team playoffs today.

And of course, I'm LIVE! in Carobondale's McAndrew Stadium to cover the tilt between the SIU Salukis and the New Hampshire Wildcats. Both teams have alumni I hold near and dear to my heart. UNH proudly recognizes former Chicago Bears standout return specialist and cornerback Jerry Azumah, who starred as the Wildcats' feature running back.

Speaking of running backs, I'm sure a certain segment of the New York Giants' locker room has an eye on this game as running back Brandon Jacobs is a former Saluki star. And since he's injured, maybe he'll be able to park himself in front of a television (or Saluki All-Access) and check out his alma mater.

As for the game itself, it's a toss-up as both of these teams come highly ranked and winners of their respective conferences. UNH won their division in the Colonial Athletic Conference, while SIU won the inaugural Missouri Valley Football Conference title. It represents the team's first conference title since winning the Gateway in 2005.

The Wildcats possess a strong offensive unit that scored 36 points per game. They will be led by quarterback R.J. Toman who has scored 31 touchdowns (27 passing, 4 rushing). The Salukis' 3-4 defense will face a tough test.

As for SIU's offense, it has scored its fair share of points. The Salukis averaged 37.6 points in their home games.

So is it right to expect a shootout? Of course not. But everytime I call for one, it's a defensive struggle.

Prediction: 24-21 SIU in a nailbiter ... which really shouldn't surprise anyone associated or familiar with Saluki football.

Take care, and enjoy the game.

Google Scouting Presents: University of New Hampshire Football

What is Google Scouting?

A term I just made up.

See, when I found out the SIU football team was hosting the University of New Hampshire in the first round of the FCS Playoffs (a.k.a. The Logical Way To Determine A Champion) the only thing I knew about them is they were the school in which former Chicago Bears cornerback/return specialist Jerry Azumah attended.

Yeah, I knew that off the top of my head. But after that, I knew nothing about the program. So I went to my trusty friend Google.

So for those of you who aren't Bears fans or avid watchers of the Football Championship Subdivision, allow me to fill you in on UNH.

Mascot: Wildcat. Boring. There are a million friggin' Wildcat mascots out there. Way to be original New Hampshire, bravo!

Conference: Colonial Athletic Association. Never heard of them? The CAA is home to schools whose hardwood presence is stronger than it is on the gridiron. Teams include UMass, Villanova, Rhode Island (produced Lamar Odom), George Mason (remember its Final Four run?), Virginia Commonwealth University (a.k.a. Duke slayers).

Record: 9-2 (1st place North Division of CAA)

Who to watch for: Sophomore quarterback R.J. Toman. For the second time in three weeks, SIU will be facing one of the subdivision's best quarterbacks as Toman has thrown 27 TD passes, rushed for 4 more and ranks fourth in FCS passing efficiency.

Eat your heart out, Ryan Berry!

Gimme an 'O': Berry ... er ... Toman is the ignitor of the Wildcat offense (not to be confused with the Wildcat formation) as UNH averages 36 points per game.

Gettin' on the 'D': Apparently, turnovers are key for UNH defense. I love informative headlines, I truly do. Anyway, the Wildcats' defense ranks second in the nation in turnover margin and third in interceptions.

The Verdict: UNH is legit. This is the fifth straight year the program has made the playoffs and they play in a conference that is just as powerful as the MVFC. And of course, they're excited to be there. Saturday's showdown will be just that. It will pit a pair of closely ranked, well coached teams that don't make mistakes while capitalizing on its opponents miscues.

The Salukis have the home-field advantage, which just might be the deciding factor in what will likely be a very competitive game. SIU hasn't lost a home game since ... well ... since losing to Joe Flacco and the University of Delaware in the semifinal of last year's FCS playoff.

Looks like a good script to me. Let's see which team writes the Hollywood ending.