Rochester grad sends Southern Illinois past South Dakota in FCS playoffs
VERMILLION, S.D. — Rochester's Avanté Cox had a career-high 10 receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown, Romeir Elliott scored on a 5-yard run midway through the fourth quarter and Southern Illinois beat South Dakota 22-10 on Saturday night in the first round of the FCS playoffs.
Southern Illinois improved to 4-3 all-time against the Coyotes. Despite both teams being in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the programs hadn't faced off since the Salukis won 48-28 at South Dakota in 2019.
More SIU: Rochester grad and Southern Illinois QB picks up another MVFC weekly honor
The Salukis (8-4), ranked No. 23 in the FCS coaches poll, plays at third-ranked and No. 2 seed North Dakota State — another MVC member — next Saturday. Southern Illinois won its last meeting with the Bison 38-14 on Feb. 27, ending NDSU's 39-game win streak.
Cox, a 2017 Rochester High School graduate, caught nearly half of SIU quarterback Nic Baker's completions. Baker, a 2018 Rochester graduate, finished 21 of 30 for 210 yards with the one TD to Cox and no interceptions.
Southern Illinois scored on drives of 14, 15 and 16 plays in the first half to take a 13-0 lead into the break. Nico Gualdoni made a 50-yard field goal to cap a 30-yard drive and open the scoring midway through the first quarter, an 85-yard drive culminated when Cox caught a wide-open 4-yard TD pass with 8:04 left in the second quarter and the Salukis marched 83 yards before Gualdoni kicked a 26-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
Records: Rochester QB-WR duo help Southern Illinois to record-setting performance
SIU's Qua Brown, a sixth-year senior who went into the game with two career interceptions, picked off two passes in Salukis territory. On the opening possession, Carson Camp sailed a pass over the middle intended for Caleb Vander Esch that Brown intercepted at the 26 and Brown undercut a back-shoulder pass at the 1 to preserve a 16-3 lead late in the third quarter.
Camp, who went into the game having thrown just four interceptions this season, was picked off a third time when Clayton Bush intercepted a pass on third-and-17 with 5:29 to play. The No. 20 South Dakota (7-5) defense forced the Salukis to go three-and-out. Camp then scrambled 29 yards on third-and-8 to the Southern Illinois 31 but Dorian Davis punched out the ball and PJ Jules recovered for the Salukis with 2:29 left to seal it.
Camp was 19-of-31 passing for 202 yards.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: FCS playoffs: Pair of Rochester grads help SIU beat South Dakota