SIU upsets No. 1 Western Kentucky

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Arkee Whitlock rushed for 207 yards and scored three touchdowns as Southern Illinois upset Division I-AA No. 1 Western Kentucky 31-20 Thursday night in Bowling Green.

Whitlock had two TDs during a spurt when Southern Illinois outscored the Hilltoppers 24-0.

Two special teams miscues by the Hilltoppers (6-2, 4-1) also helped the No. 8-ranked Salukis (6-2, 4-1), who moved into a second-place tie with Western Kentucky in the Gateway Conference behind league leader Youngstown State.

Whitlock scored on a 45-yard run in the second quarter, then added 11- and 1-yard touchdown runs in the second half.

After Whitlock's second TD gave Southern Illinois a 14-13 lead with 2:35 to play in the third quarter, the Hilltoppers botched two consecutive punt attempts.

First, Braden Jones broke through the line and blocked a Tanner Siewert punt, which Jamarquis Jordan picked and ran 24 yards for a touchdown that put the Salukis up 21-13 with 56 seconds to play in the third quarter.

On Western Kentucky's next possession, the Hilltoppers found themselves in a fourth-and-1 situation from their own 16-yard line. Siewert faked a punt and ran around the left end and was stopped inches short of the first-down marker with 14:01 to play.