DJ Williams Runs Four Times as Southern Illinois Wins 34-20
DJ Williams scored four rushing touchdowns on seven carries, threw for a fifth, and Southern Illinois beat Southeast Missouri State 34-20. Southeast Missouri State threw four interceptions and was still ahead until the last eight minutes.
The visitors started fast. Justin Keller kicked a 39-yard field goal and Payton Brown ran in from a yard out, and it was 10-0 late in the first quarter. Williams answered with a 16-yard run with 1:03 left in the quarter, a 24-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Thomas just before halftime (the extra point was blocked, so it was 13-13), and that was the half. John Anthony Jr. caught a 63-yard touchdown from Braylen Ragland at 7:14 of the third, and Southeast Missouri State led 20-13 going into the fourth.
Then Williams took over. He ran in from 2 yards at 7:48 to tie it at 20, 13 yards at 4:11 to go ahead 27-20, and 30 yards at 1:08 to make it 34-20. That is 21 points in the last 7:48, and all three came on his legs. Southern Illinois had been down 10 and tied the game twice, and the only lead change came on the 13-yarder.
The interceptions are why a game with 316 passing yards for the visitors ended like this. Southeast Missouri State rushed 34 times for 44 yards and gave the ball away four times through the air. Southern Illinois had 461 total yards to 360 and lost two fumbles of its own, plus an interception from Williams, and it still won by 14. Take away his four rushing touchdowns (28 points with the kicks) and Southern Illinois scores 6.
Southern Illinois is 2-1 and Southeast Missouri State is 1-1. For fantasy, Williams scored 48.1 points, and it came from a quarterback who had averaged 9.7 in his earlier games.