Southern Illinois tops S. Dakota State, 27-24

Published Oct. 5, 2013 11:57 p.m. ET

foxsports

Kory Faulkner rushed for two touchdowns, passed for another and Thomas Kinney hit a pair of field goals to lift Southern Illinois to a 27-24 Missouri Valley Conference win over South Dakota State on Saturday.

The game, South Dakota State's 100th Hobo Day, was tight throughout with three ties and two lead changes. The Jackrabbits (3-3, 0-2) ended the first half ahead 17-10 after a Zach Zenner rushing TD, Justin Syrovatka field goal and Charles Elmore's 89-yard return of a Faulkner interception.

The Salukis (3-3, 1-1) responded two minutes after intermission when Faulkner hit John Lantz for a 59-yard scoring pass to tie. Faulkner ran in from the 3 in the final quarter. Kinney added field goals of 35 and 42 yards.

South Dakota State's Zenner scored from the 1, capping a six-play drive to close within 27-24, but a final drive ended on downs with 1:46 remaining.