VERMILLION, S.D. (Interstat) — The Southern Illinois Salukis will travel to face the South Dakota Coyotes on Saturday in a NCAA Football Championship Division game at The DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D. The weather forecast for game time is 77 degrees. Southern Illinois enters with a 3-3 record, while South Dakota is 4-2.

Southern Illinois is coming off a 28-16 loss to Youngstown State on Saturday. Quarterback DJ Williams completed 19 of 35 passes for 288 yards and accounted for two touchdowns, rushed 19 times for 8 yards and caught two passes for 11 yards. Chandler Chapman added 11 carries for 49 yards, and Edward Robinson ran four times for 23 yards. Williams remains the Salukis’ key offensive player. Earlier this season, Williams completed 13 of 20 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns in a 46-6 win at Murray State. He also passed for 182 yards and one touchdown at Illinois, rushing seven times for 7 yards in that game. Against Murray State, he rushed four times for 13 yards. Southern Illinois opened the season with a 34-31 loss at West Florida, then beat Samford 22-18, defeated Southeast Missouri State 34-20 and fell at Illinois 48-10 before the Murray State win.

South Dakota is coming off a 44-14 win over Indiana State on Saturday. Jackson Proctor is a player to watch for the Coyotes. In that win, he completed both of his passes for 37 yards, rushed three times for 14 yards and scored one touchdown. Against Youngstown State, Proctor rushed three times for 36 yards and two touchdowns. He also saw action at Boise State. Austyn Modrzewski threw for 196 yards and three touchdowns in the Indiana State win. The Coyotes have scored at least 38 points in four of their six games this season. South Dakota beat Central Connecticut 59-20, won at Northern Colorado 38-23 and defeated Eastern Washington 41-23 before losses at Boise State and to Youngstown State.

After Saturday, Southern Illinois will host Illinois State and Northern Iowa before visiting Indiana State, South Dakota State and North Dakota. South Dakota will visit Murray State, host North Dakota, visit South Dakota State, host Northern Iowa and visit Illinois State.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of South Dakota 44, Southern Illinois 40. Southern Illinois has been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of +10.5. The over/under for the game is 58.5.