GATEWAY Unbeaten S. Illinois rallies for close win

Western Kentucky and Northern Iowa also won league contests.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MACOMB, Ill. -- Muhammad Abdulqaadir rushed for 200 yards and two touchdowns Saturday as unbeaten Southern Illinois rallied from an early 16-0 deficit and beat Western Illinois, 37-32.
Russ Michna was 28-for-48 for 375 yards and four touchdowns for WIU (5-2, 2-1 Gateway). He led the Leathernecks to a quick two-touchdown lead by completing 13 of his first 16 passes, including a 12-yard TD toss to Terrence Hall.
But SIU (7-0, 3-0) responded, starting with a Tom Koutsos 16-yard touchdown run at the 2:41 mark of the second quarter. Aided by a pair of turnovers, SIU added two more scores before halftime to take a 20-16 lead.
Western Kentucky 27,Illinois St. 24
NORMAL, Ill. -- Lerron Moore scored on a 1-yard run with 1:59 remaining.
Moore gained 115 yards on 34 carries. His TD was set up by a fourth-down pass from Justin Haddix to Casey Rooney to the 6.
Sha-Ron Edwards gained 233 yards on 36 carries with a touchdown for the Redbirds.
Western Kentucky (5-2, 2-1 Gateway) led 13-7 at the half, thanks to Moore's 10-yard TD run in the second quarter and a 41-yard field goal by Matt Lange in the closing seconds.
The Hilltoppers increased the lead a minute into the third quarter after Antonio Veals returned the second half kickoff 61 yards. Haddix then hit Rooney on a 36-yard TD pass for a 20-7 lead.
But Illinois State (3-5, 0-3) rallied for the lead on LaShawn Bullock's 13-yard TD run and a 23-yard fumble recovery return by Cerone Colvin. The Redbirds pushed the advantage to 24-20 late in the fourth on Stephen Carroll's 32-yard field goal.
Northern Iowa 26,SW Missouri St. 20
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Benny Sapp caught a touchdown pass and returned an interception for a touchdown.
Sapp also intercepted a pass late in the game to end Southwest Missouri's final drive.
Northern Iowa (6-1, 3-0 Gateway) converted four Southwest Missouri first-half turnovers into scores, including three in the first quarter.
Cody Pratt's 4-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter pulled Southwest Missouri (3-4, 0-3) within seven at 20-13. After a Northern Iowa field goal, SMS' Mike Radon threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to Steven Rush with 11:18 remaining to cut the Panthers' lead to 23-20.
Brian Wingert's fourth field goal of the game made it 26-20.