SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Cardinals travel to Southern Illinois University for a 6 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, September 14. The No. 12/14 Cardinals face their second FCS Top 25 opponent in two weeks in the No. 8/9 Salukis.

UIW

• Behind Zach Calzada, the Cardinals are eleventh in the FCS for passing offense with 278 yards per game and eighteenth for total offense (413.5 yards per game).
• UIW has extended its ranking streak to 41-straight weeks, the fifth longest streak in the FCS behind North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Montana, and Montana State.
• With 34 program wins since 2020, the Cardinals have the fourth most wins in all of FCS during the 2020s.

SALUKIS

• SIU is coming off a 31-17 victory over Austin Peay last weekend. The No. 8/9 Salukis have been nationally ranked for 16-consecutive weeks.
• The Salukis have played their first two games on the road, marking this UIW vs. SIU matchup the home opener at Saluki Stadium for the 2024 season.
• Linebacker Ben Bogle was named the Stats Perform FCS and Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week following a career-high 12 tackles, including a school-record 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He leads the nation in tackles for loss and is second in sacks.
• Running back, Shaun Lester Jr. posted his first 100-yard rushing game against the Governors.
• Quarter DJ Williams leads the team with 81.50 rushing yard per game to go along with three touchdowns. In the air, he's averaging 135 passing yards per game and has tallied touchdowns on the season.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

• In UIW's 2022 home-opener, the Cardinals defeated the Salukis 64-29 at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

• Calzada is seventh in FCS for passing yards with 556 through the first two games of the season and sixth for passing yards per game, averaging 278.
• Jalen Walthall has recorded 240 receiving yards so far this season which is good for sixth in the FCS and fifth for yards per game with 120. He leads the SLC with three touchdowns.
• Roy Alexander is second in the Southland, behind Walthall, for receiving yards per game with 96 and 192 total yards.
• Mason Chambers leads the league in passes defended with two breakups and one interception.
• Dune Smith transferred to UIW from Southern Illinois for the 2024 season. The former Saluki has played in both games this season for the Cardinals, tallying four tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks for six yards.

 
FOLLOW ALONG    
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