COLLEGE FOOTBALL

CARBONDALE | Joe Flacco grins about having just one final examination left this semester. But the Delaware quarterback couldn't be happier about the big test he passed Saturday.

The 6-foot-6, 230-pound senior threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns, helping the No. 13 Blue Hens edge fourth-ranked Southern Illinois 20-17 to advance to the Football Championship Subdivision title game.

"All of us are going to enjoy it," Flacco said after Delaware (11-3) advanced to a title bout next Friday with Appalachian State (12-2).

The Mountaineers advanced Friday night by ousting Richmond 55-35 on Friday night, and will be seeking their third-straight national championship in what used to be Division I-AA

"Now, it's us versus them," Flacco said. "I think we're a pretty good team, too."

Omar Cuff did his part, running for 102 yards on 21 carries in helping Delaware snap the Salukis' six-game winning streak.

Delaware coach K.C. Keeler called it a sweet capper to what he called a "brutal" week, starting with the bad weather that delayed the Blue Hens' return home after their second-round victory a week ago at top-ranked Northern Iowa.

Delaware's short practice week was followed by a long flight back to the Midwest for the matchup against the Salukis in what looked like a potential high-scoring affair -- the Salukis came in averaging 39.5 points, the Blue Hens 38.6.

"All I know is we just beat the No. 1 team and the No. 4 team on the road. I should feel pretty good about my team," Keeler said. "You could look at the stats and say this is going to be a shootout. It never works out that way."

Jon Striefsky had two fourth-quarter field goals for Delaware, the first a 47-yarder that extended the Blue Hens' lead to 17-10 with 10:09 left.

Southern Illinois' Alan Turner returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown, tying the score at 17. But Flacco picked away at the Salukis (12-2) on the next possession, completing five passes for 67 yards in setting up Striefsky's 24-yard field goal with 6:58 to play.

Southern Illinois' ensuing drive stalled when Nick Hill was sacked on fourth-and-4 at the Delaware 36 with 3:56 left. Anthony Walters sealed Delaware's victory by intercepting Hill at the Southern Illinois 45 with 1:42 to go.

"We just made some mistakes at crucial times, and we didn't make some plays we needed to make -- that we've made all year," Salukis coach Jerry Kill said.

John Randle had 129 yards rushing for the Salukis. Hill finished with 106 yards on 12-of-25 passing, but was intercepted twice. Hill also ran for 41 yards.

"This one hurts. It really does," Hill said.