Published: September 19, 2007 11:30 pm         

Salukis, Panthers have chance to make Gateway history Saturday

Gateway Football Conference history can be made Saturday.

If Southern Illinois can chalk up a home victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Northern Iowa can win at Drake, it will mark the first time ever that two Gateway teams opened their seasons 4-0.

Each is 3-0 after SIU knocked off Southern Utah 44-10 and UNI won 31-17 at future conference member South Dakota State last Saturday.

For Southern Illinois, Nick Hill threw for a career-high 252 yards and four touchdowns. For Northern Iowa, junior Corey Lewis rushed for 125 yards and caught 10 passes for 164 yards in scoring three TDs.

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• The rankings are in — Again this week, five Gateway teams are ranked in the top 25 of the two national Football Championship Series polls.

In the Sports Network poll, UNI is fourth, SIU is seventh, Youngstown State is ninth, Illinois State is 14th and Western Illinois is 19th. Missouri State also received votes.

In the FCS coaches poll, UNI tops the list at No. 5, followed by SIU at No. 6, Youngstown State at No. 7, Illinois State at No. 14 and Western Illinois at No. 19.

Incidentally, Eastern Illinois — Indiana State’s opponent Saturday at Memorial Stadium — came in 20th in the Sports Network poll and 22nd in the FCS coaches poll.

• Who made out this schedule? — As noted earlier, Northern Iowa will visit Drake on Saturday. This will be the third of four straight road games for the Panthers, a scheduling oddity which coach Mark Farley addressed during the Gateway’s weekly teleconference Wednesday.

“I wouldn’t wish it on anybody,” he said. “It’s just how it came about this season.”

After getting a bye Oct. 6, UNI’s next home game won’t be until Oct. 13 against Southern Illinois. Its only previous home contest was the season opener against Minnesota State on Aug. 30.

• Bad news for Redbirds — Senior defensive lineman Jarek Thomas of Illinois State suffered a spiral fracture of his fibula as well as a high ankle sprain in the second quarter of his team’s 24-21 victory over Eastern Illinois last Saturday.

The injury ends the season prematurely for Thomas, who was a 2007 preseason honorable-mention All-Gateway Football Conference selection.

“I’m just heartbroken and sick to my stomach for J.T.,” Illinois State coach Denver Johnson said.