CARBONDALE, Ill. (Interstat) — Youngstown State will visit Southern Illinois on Saturday for an NCAA Football Championship Division game at Saluki Stadium. Both teams enter with 3-2 records. The Penguins and Salukis will meet in a matchup that features two productive quarterbacks and offenses capable of scoring in bunches.

Youngstown State enters after a 47-28 home win over South Dakota. Quarterback Beau Brungard is the player to watch for the Penguins. In that victory, Brungard passed for 159 yards and rushed for 170 yards on 28 carries while accounting for four total touchdowns. He also threw for 292 yards and ran for 32 yards in a loss at South Dakota State, and he passed for 243 yards in a loss at Kentucky. Jaden Gilbert also contributed in the most recent win, rushing for 65 yards and adding 41 receiving yards, while Lynn Wyche-El ran for 62 yards and caught two passes for 24 yards with two touchdowns.

Southern Illinois counters with quarterback DJ Williams. Williams passed for 217 yards and accounted for two touchdowns in a 46-6 win over Murray State. Earlier this season, he threw for 182 yards and a touchdown at Illinois. Jake Curry and Chandler Chapman also contributed against Murray State, with Curry adding a rushing touchdown and Chapman gaining 63 yards on the ground.

The Salukis opened the season with a 34-31 loss at West Florida before beating Samford 22-18, Southeast Missouri State 34-20 and Murray State 46-6. Their only other setback came at Illinois, 48-10. Youngstown State beat Mercyhurst 43-10 and Duquesne 70-13 before losses at Kentucky (45-13) and South Dakota State (27-20), then rebounded against South Dakota. The Penguins have scored at least 43 points in two wins, while Southern Illinois has topped 30 points in three victories.

Southern Illinois will rely on home-field advantage at Saluki Stadium, where the Salukis aim to keep pace in the Missouri Valley Football Conference race. Youngstown State will look to Brungard to create explosive plays and control possession. Both teams have shown the ability to score quickly, but consistency on defense and avoiding turnovers could decide which 3-2 team moves above .500. Special teams and field position also could play a role in a game with two capable offenses. The Penguins have shown they can move the ball through the air and on the ground.

After Saturday, Youngstown State is scheduled to visit Indiana State and later host Northern Iowa. Southern Illinois is set to travel to South Dakota and then host Illinois State, with both teams continuing Missouri Valley Football Conference play.

Interstat’s game simulator projects Southern Illinois to defeat Youngstown State 56-44.