The Southern Illinois Salukis and the Incarnate Word Cardinals have scheduled a home-and-home football series for 2022 and 2024, FBSchedules.com has learned.
A copy of the athletic contest agreement was obtained from Southern Illinois University via a state public records request.
In the first game of the series, Southern Illinois will travel to take on Incarnate Word at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas, on September 3, 2022. The Salukis will host the Cardinals two seasons later at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Ill., on September 14, 2024.
As part of the agreement for the two-game series, Incarnate Word agreed to pay Southern Illinois $100,000 following the 2022 contest in San Antonio.
Southern Illinois, a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, and Incarnate Word, a member of the Southland Conference, have never played in football.
The addition of games against Incarnate Word tentatively completes Southern Illinois’ non-conference schedule for both the 2022 and 2024 seasons.
In 2022, Southern Illinois is also scheduled to host Southeast Missouri on Sept. 10 and travel to take on Northwestern on Sept. 17. The Salukis slate in 2024 includes games at Austin Peay on Sept. 7 and home against Southeast Missouri on Sept. 21.
The addition of Southern Illinois tentatively completes Incarnate Word’s non-conference schedule for the 2022 season. The Cardinals are also scheduled to play at Nevada on Sept. 10 and at Prairie View A&M on Sept. 17.
Southern Illinois is the first known non-conference opponent for Incarnate Word in 2024.
Football Schedules
This sure seems like a long way to travel for a game in front of 6500 in Carbondale (avg. home attendance in 2018 for SIU) and 3600 (same for IWU). They could not schedule games against They could not schedule Austin Peay and Prairie View A&M respectively and save a few bucks?