Southern Illinois holds on, beats South Dakota 35-28

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Sam Straub passed for 339 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 68 yards and a score, and Southern Illinois escaped with a 35-28 win over South Dakota on Saturday after nearly blowing a 21-point fourth-quarter lead. Southern Illinois (3-6, 1-5 Missouri Valley) led 35-14 with 12:11 remaining after Straub's 2-yard run capped a 14-play, 80-yard drive. After trading punts, Michael Fredrick ran 34 yards on fourth-and-1 to cut the deficit 35-21 with 7:30 left. The Coyotes (4-5, 3-3) forced a punt then drove 82 yards in nine plays. Chris Streveler 's 27-yard TD pass to Alonge Brooks capped it with 2:35 to play and made the score 35-28. South Dakota forced another punt, and Streveler led the Coyotes to Southern Illinois' 4-yard line, but Jeremy Chinn broke up Streveler's pass intended for Randy Baker with no time left.