CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Southern Illinois capitalized on eight Western Carolina turnovers, including four interceptions by Gregg Shipp, to crush the Catamounts 43-7 Saturday for the NCAA Division I-AA football championship.
Shipp, a safety from Memphis, Tenn., was a virtual one-man wrecking crew for the Salukis, who were appearing before a record crowd of 15,950 in their first post-season game since the 1947 Corn Bowl.
Two of Shipp's interceptions led directly to Southern Illinois touchdowns and Western Carolina avoided a possible third score only by recovering a Saluki fumble on its own5-yard line.
Shipp's four interceptions and his team's seven set new NCAA playoff records.
Quarterback Rick Johnson paced the Salukis offensively, scoring once himself and connecting on 19-of-25 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns.
Southern Illinois started off with what it does best -- scoring off its opponents' miscues -- and never let up.
On the second play of the second quarter, Shipp snared a Catamount pass at the Western Carolina 29 and returned it nine yards. The Salukis scored five plays later when Johnson tossed a 10-yard scoring pass to running back Derek Taylor on the right flank.
The Salukis scored again in the same period on a 72-yard drive that took six minutes. Keyed by passes from Johnson to flanker James Stevenson and runs by Taylor, Southern Illinois moved to the Catamounts' 18 before stalling.
Ron Miller then kicked a 36-yard field goal with 2:15 remaining in the half.
The Salukis broke the game open in the third quarter, scoring 23 points.
After Terry Taylor intercepted and returned to the Catamounts' 37, the Salukis scored eight plays later when Johnson snuck over from a yard out to make the score 17-0.
The Salukis added another touchdown following Shipp's third interception when Johnson tossed a 26-yard pass to Stevenson. Four plays later, the Catamounts yielded a safety when fullback Melvin Dorsey was tackled in the end zone.
Southern Illinois' other scores came on runs of 1 and 10 yards by Terry Green and Miller's second field goal, a 23-yarder.
Western Carolina avoided a shutout with 5:35 remaining when Jeff Gilbert, the Southern Conference's leading passer, threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Kristy Kiser.
