NORMAL - As primarily a blocking tight end, Ryan Kernes didn't spend much time downfield Saturday at Hancock Stadium. Kernes' venture into the Illinois State secondary in overtime proved to be time well spent for Southern Illinois. | Photo gallery | Valley Scoreboard | NCAA football page | U Pick 'Em

Racing behind the ISU defense on third-and-14, Kernes hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Chris Dieker to lift the No. 9-ranked Salukis to a 17-10 Missouri Valley Football Conference victory before a crowd of 6,023.

"It was a great call by the offensive staff," said Kernes, a Bloomington High School graduate. "We ran the same play the previous play and they saw in the booth I was able to beat the (line)backer in dime coverage. They called it again, and I told Chris I could beat this backer. He looked for me and put it right on the money."

Southern (9-2, 7-1) tied Northern Iowa for the Valley championship and claimed the league's automatic berth in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

ISU closed at 3-8 and 2-6 in league play when the Redbirds turned the ball over on downs at the Southern 1-yard line on their overtime possession.

"This is a pretty good synopsis of our season," said ISU coach Denver Johnson, who stepped down as Redbird coach after the game. "We give up a big play defensively and come up inches short offensively."

ISU faced fourth down with about a yard and a half to go for a first down at the Southern 2-yard line. Walter Mendenhall charged over the right side of his line to inside the 1. A measurement revealed the Redbirds were short by half a football.

"It looked to me like we had a pretty good surge. From the press box, we all thought we had it. From my vantage point, I thought we had it," Johnson said. "They spotted it and then they moved it back. It certainly got spotted well short from what we thought it was."

When asked if he felt Mendenhall had enough yardage for the first down, ISU center Jonathan St-Pierre said simply, "Yes he did."

Even Salukis' coach Dale Lennon thought the Redbirds had secured a new set of downs.

"I was anticipating it was a first down," said Lennon. "I was surprised when I saw the chains extended over the tip of the football."

The ISU defense turned in perhaps its best effort of the season, shutting down standout Saluki tailback Larry Warner to the tune of 49 yards on 13 carries.

"We were playing for pride today. We didn't believe our record reflected our season and we wanted to prove that," Redbird safety Kelvyn Hemphill said. "I've never been through a season where so much bad stuff happens to a hard-working team. Sometimes hard work isn't enough."

A 3-3 game through three quarters, Southern's Kyle Dougherty missed a 32-yard field goal attempt wide left with 4:19 remaining.

On the next play, ISU quarterback Kevin Brockway fumbled the snap from center and Mahomet's Jason Seaman recovered for Southern.

Warner rushed 7 yards for a touchdown at the 2:51 mark, but the Redbirds moved 62 yards in eight plays for the tying score.

Eyad Salem adjusted nicely to a Brockway pass over his right shoulder for an 8-yard touchdown catch at the 44-second mark.

Salem totaled 84 yards on seven receptions. Mendenhall rushed for 156 yards on 22 carries.

"I hate it for these seniors," said Johnson. "We fought and scratched and clawed and never gave up or gave in. We end the season with a loss, but I think we end the season with dignity."