Seating capacity 15,000 Claimed nat'l titles 1 | Field surface FieldTurf All-time record 412–477–32 (.465) Conference titles 8 First season 1905 Claimed national titles 1 | |
Conference NCAA Missouri Valley Conference Football |
The Southern Illinois Salukis football team represents Southern Illinois University Carbondale in football. The Salukis are a member of the NCAA and compete at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level (formerly known as NCAA Division I-AA). The Salukis are a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference and play in Saluki Stadium on the campus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale in Carbondale, Illinois, which has a seating capacity of 15,000.
Contents
- Classifications
- Conference memberships
- History
- Postseason games
- Conference championships
- National championships
- Salukis in the NFL
- All Americans
- Home venue
- References
The Salukis are coached by Nick Hill, who was the starting quarterback for the Salukis in 2006 and 2007.
Classifications
Conference memberships
History

In 2007, the Salukis were victorious against Northern Illinois University. This marked the second consecutive year that SIU has beaten an FBS school in football. In 2006, the Salukis defeated Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, 35-28, becoming the first Missouri Valley Conference school to win against a Big Ten Conference member. In the 2000s, SIU set then-MVFC records with 99 consecutive weeks ranked in the top-25 and 14-straight MVFC wins.
Postseason games

Conference championships

National championships
1983 - NCAA Division I-AA Champions, 43-7 win over Western Carolina.
Salukis in the NFL

SIU has had 27 players drafted in the NFL Draft, including three since 2010. In total, 35 Saluki football players have gone on to play in the NFL. Some notable Salukis in the NFL are listed below.
All-Americans
Cornell Craig is the schools all-time leading receiver and first receiver in school history to earn consensus All-American honors (1999). His senior season he led the nation in receiving with 77 receptions for 1,419 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also amassed over 2,000 all-purpose yards as a senior. His career numbers (all Saluki records) are 207 receptions, 3,508 yards, and 37 touchdowns. He was inducted into the SIU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 and is also honored on Missouri Valley Football Conference 25th anniversary team along with 3 other Salukis.
Home venue
SIU Football plays at the new 15,000-seat Saluki Stadium, which replaced McAndrew Stadium, the home of Saluki Football since 1938. Saluki Stadium opened on September 2, 2010 when a sellout crowd of 15,200 watched the Salukis defeat Quincy 70-7.
The Saluki Stadium is part of the university's larger athletic facilities plan, known as "Saluki Way," a comprehensive plan to renovate and restructure the campus athletic facilities.