College Football · FCS · Week 1 · Recap
S Illinois Beat Samford 22-18 Behind Chandler Chapman's 132-Yard Day
The Southern Illinois Salukis defeated the Samford Bulldogs 22-18 at Seibert Stadium in Birmingham, AL on Thursday, September 3, 2026 in FCS college football Week 1 action.
S Illinois led 15-7 at halftime. The first quarter swung it: S Illinois outscored its opponent 9-0.
S Illinois moves to 1-1, while Samford falls to 0-2.
Top performers
Jake Curry (SIU, QB): 13/29, 153 YDS, 2 TD
Chandler Chapman (SIU, RB): 24 CAR, 132 YDS
Markell Quick (SIU, WR): 3 REC, 47 YDS
Gabarri Johnson (SAM, QB): 20/35, 156 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT
Ken Cherry (SAM, RB): 7 CAR, 44 YDS
Preston Bird (SAM, WR): 3 REC, 63 YDS
Scoring summary
- Q1 10:47SIUKarsen Konkel 2 Yd pass from Jake Curry7-0
- Q1 7:48SIUTeam Safety9-0
- Q2 8:13SAMCayden Aukerman 5 Yd pass from Gabarri Johnson9-7
- Q2 0:34SIUMiles Marshall 7 Yd pass from Jake Curry15-7
- Q3 2:18SAMCayden Aukerman 5 Yd pass from Gabarri Johnson15-15
- Q4 10:50SIULem Wash 3 Yd Run22-15
- Q4 6:42SAMTy Ippolito 42 Yd Field Goal22-18
Team stats
| SIU | SAM | |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 333 | 272 |
| First downs | 18 | 15 |
| Third down | 7-17 | 7-16 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Possession | 32:34 | 27:26 |