Southeast Missouri State University
Southern Illinois
Redhawks Face Rival Southern Illinois in War for the Wheel Saturday
9/8/2026 3:18:00 PM | Football
Game Information
Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Kickoff: 6 p.m., CT
Site: Carbondale, Ill.
Facility: Saluki Stadium (15,000)
Surface: FieldTurf
Series Record: SEMO leads, 44-41-8
Last Meeting: SIU 59, SEMO 31 | 9/20/25 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Follow the Redhawks
Video: ESPN+
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean, Rick Wieser)
Live Stats: SIUSalukis.com
X: @SEMOFootball
War for the Wheel
• Southeast Missouri (1-1) crosses the Mississippi River to face longtime rival and Southern Illinois (1-1) in the "War for the Wheel" Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., CT at Saluki Stadium.
• In 2018, the football rivalry between SEMO and SIU was officially deemed "War for the Wheel."
• It was named this in reference to the ship's wheel trophy which goes to the winner each year.
• During the early years of the series, SEMO and SIU used to cross the Mississippi River by boat to play.
• The trophy presently resides in Carbondale after the Salukis beat the Redhawks, 59-31, in Cape Girardeau on Sept. 20, 2025.
• SEMO has won the trophy a total of four times since the 2018 campaign. The last time the Redhawks beat SIU was in Carbondale on Sept. 21, 2024 (38-21).
Series Tidbits
• This year marks the 94th meeting between Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, schools located 48 miles apart.
• SEMO holds a 44-41-8 lead in the all-time series which dates all the way back to 1909.
• It is the longest series in both schools program histories.
• The Redhawks are 25-19-4 against the Salukis in Carbondale.
• SEMO goes for its third-straight win against SIU at Saluki Stadium. The Redhawks won there on Sept. 10, 2022 (34-31) and Sept. 21, 2024 (38-21).
Interesting Stuff
• All five of Southeast Missouri's NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoff appearances have come on years it beat Southern Illinois.
• The Redhawks defeated the Salukis during their 2010, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024 FCS Playoff seasons.
• SIU was ranked in three of those years -- #7 in 2024; #17 in 2022; #5 in 2010).
• The 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024 FCS Playoff berths were under Head Coach Tom Matukewicz.
• Tom Matukewicz is 5-7 against Southern Illinois, a place he worked as an assistant coach from 2001-07.
• Three of Matukewicz's five wins over SIU were decided in the final 25 seconds of the game.
• SIU Head Coach Nick Hill was the starting quarterback when Matukewicz was an assistant on Jerry Kill's staff.
• All three Saluki teams Hill was a part of made the FCS Playoffs.
• Matukewicz and Hill coached against each other 10 times. Hill holds a 6-4 advantage in those matchups.
Always a Redhawk
• Former Southeast Missouri safety Eriq Moore is in his second year as the cornerbacks coach at Southern Illinois.
• Moore (2013-16) was a three-year starter after walking on at SEMO as a freshman.
• He earned a scholarship and was the Redhawks team captain his final two seasons.
• Moore coached at Missouri Western and Emporia State before joining the Saluki staff.
Against the Missouri Valley Football Conference
• Southern Illinois is the second Missouri Valley Football Conference opponent that Southeast Missouri faces this season.
• SEMO opened its 2026 campaign with a 23-21 road win at Indiana State (Aug. 29).
• The Redhawks are 82-102-8 all-time against MVFC schools in its program history.
• SEMO is 3-8 vs. Illinois State, 5-5 vs. Indiana State, 28-46 vs. Missouri State, 44-41-8 vs. Southern Illinois, 0-1 vs. North Dakota State (now FBS in Mountain West Conference) and 1-0 vs. Western Illinois (now in the OVC).
• In all, SEMO has played 192 football games vs. MVFC teams.
Land of Lincoln
• Southeast Missouri has 14 players on its roster from Illinois.
• Sam Adkins (Marion), Gibson Fager (Murphysboro), John Anthony, Jr. (Chicago), Jeremy Walton (Gurnee), Caden Bregar (Oswego), Cole Dutkovich (Naperville), Brandon Brigham (Flossmoor), Pervis Brunson (Skokie), Lamari Hall (Aurora), Patton Leib (Belleville), Koda Miller (Crete), Chris Farrell (Lisle), Clayton Leonard (Danforth) and Ayize Martin (Walnut) are in that group.
Spain Makes First Career Start
• Khyair Spain made his first career start at running back at Iowa State (Sept. 5).
• Spain ran for 72 yards on 16 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per game.
• He also had a season-long 44-yard run against the Cyclones.
• Spain is Southeast Missouri's top rusher with 138 yards and one touchdown on 33 attempts through two games this season.
About Southern Illinois
• Southern Illinois played each of its first two contests in Thursday night road games.
• SIU dropped a close 34-31 matchup at West Florida (Aug. 27) and held on to beat Samford, 22-18, for its first win of the season on Sept. 3.
• Quarterback DJ Williams, who suffered a knee injury against West Florida, is week-to-week. Williams did not play in last week's game at Samford.
• Williams threw for 342 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for 151 yards and another two scores against Southeast Missouri a year ago.
• Jake Curry completed 13-of-29 passes for 153 yards in his first start of the season at Samford.
• Nick Hill is in his 11th year as SIU's head coach.
• SIU was ranked #25 in last week's American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Coaches Poll, but is receiving votes in both FCS polls this week.
