Carbondale, Ill. -- Sophomore quarterback Aaron Marshall and an undermanned Youngstown State defense put a scare into third-ranked Southern Illinois, but the Salukis held off the Penguins 24-17 on a cold Saturday night at McAndrew Stadium.

YSU (5-6 overall and 2-4 in the Gateway) stayed close to the Salukis (10-0, 6-0) all night, but could never get the lead back after the second quarter. With the victory, SIU has earned at least a share of the Gateway title after Northern Iowa lost at Western Kentucky 24-3 earlier in the day. Southern Illinois plays at UNI next Saturday.

Marshall kept the Penguins in the game completing 14-of-32 passes for 183 yards. Sophomore Josh Cayson finished the game with 86 yards on 21 carries.

Youngstown State battled until the end answering SIU's fourth-quarter score with a Josiah Doby touchdown cutting the deficit to 24-17. But the Penguins could not get the ball back following Doby's score with 3:45 remaining. SIU picked up two first downs, including converting a third-and-four on a rush by quarterback Joel Sambursky.

SIU scored three rushing touchdowns, one by Koutsos and two by Sambursky. Youngstown State had its chances in the game as well being stopped twice on fourth-and-one plays and Nick Terracina missed a 28-yard field goal.

For the game, SIU finished with 378 total yards, including 337 on the ground while YSU had 304 total offensive yards.

The Penguins took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on an interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Marty Hutchinson. Hutchinson deflected a Sambursky pass and then caught the ball racing 15 yards for a score and a 7-0 lead with 6:27 left in the first quarter.

Southern Illinois responded with an impressive 13-play 80-yard drive that Sambursky ended with a five-yard keeper. The drive was highlighted by a fake field goal on fourth down that holder Courtney Abbott turned into a first down. Two plays later Sambursky's touchdown tied the game 7-7 with 31 seconds left in the first frame.

Terracina put Youngstown State back in front 10-7 when he converted a 29-yard field goal with 11:01 remaining in the second.

Trailing 10-7, the Salukis put together an 80-yard drive just before halftime when Sambursky again scored on a two-yard keeper. Sambursky faked the hand off up the middle taking off on a bootleg to sneak into the end zone putting SIU ahead 14-10 with 45 seconds left in the half.

In the third, the Penguins were able to hold the Salukis to a 35-yard Craig Coffin field goal with 4:12 remaining in the third period putting SIU in front 17-10.

Youngstown State closes out the 2003 season next Saturday when it plays host to Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers (7-3 and 4-2) defeated Northern Iowa to keep their playoff hopes alive.