1971 Southern Illinois Salukis football team

1971 Southern Illinois Salukis football
Conference	Independent
Record	6–4
Head coach	Dick Towers (5th season)
Home stadium	McAndrew Stadium

1971 NCAA College Division independents football records

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 1 Delaware			–					10	–	1	–	0
No. 5 Tennessee State			–					9	–	1	–	0
No. 2 McNeese State			–					9	–	1	–	1
Colorado College			–					7	–	1	–	0
No. 8 Akron			–					8	–	2	–	0
Samford			–					8	–	2	–	0
No. 3 Eastern Michigan			–					7	–	1	–	2
Arkansas AM&N			–					7	–	2	–	0
Indiana (PA)			–					7	–	2	–	0
Kentucky State			–					8	–	3	–	0
Appalachian State			–					7	–	3	–	1
Northern Michigan			–					7	–	3	–	0
Hawaii			–					7	–	4	–	0
Ashland			–					6	–	4	–	0
Santa Clara			–					6	–	4	–	0
Southern Illinois			–					6	–	4	–	0
Tampa			–					6	–	5	–	0
UNLV			–					5	–	4	–	1
Bucknell			–					5	–	5	–	0
Central Michigan			–					5	–	5	–	0
Milwaukee			–					5	–	5	–	0
Nevada			–					5	–	5	–	0
St. Norbert			–					5	–	5	–	0
Wayne State (MI)			–					4	–	4	–	0
Hofstra			–					5	–	6	–	0
Cortland			–					4	–	5	–	0
Northeastern			–					4	–	5	–	0
Portland State			–					4	–	5	–	0
Chicago			–					3	–	4	–	0
Northeast Louisiana			–					4	–	6	–	1
Eastern Illinois			–					4	–	6	–	0
Indiana State			–					4	–	6	–	0
Saint Mary's			–					3	–	5	–	0
Rose-Hulman			–					3	–	6	–	0
Boston University			–					3	–	7	–	0
Drexel			–					2	–	6	–	0
Chattanooga			–					2	–	9	–	0
Rankings from AP small college poll

The 1971 Southern Illinois Salukis football team was an American football team that represented Southern Illinois University (now known as Southern Illinois University Carbondale) as an independent during the 1971 NCAA College Division football season. Under fifth-year head coach Dick Towers, the team compiled a 6–4 record. The team played its home games at McAndrew Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 18	at Dayton		Baujan Field Dayton, OH	W 31–14	11,342
September 25	at Illinois State	No. T–9	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 10–9	7,000
October 2	Wichita State		McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	L 24–26	10,500
October 9	No. 2 Arkansas State		McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	W 21–14	10,200
October 16	Ball State	No. T–10	McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	W 33–8	9,500–10,000
October 23	at No. 4 Akron	No. 8	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	L 21–43	15,500–16,138
October 30	at Indiana State		Memorial Stadium Terre Haute, IN	L 3–17	6,500
November 6	Drake		McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	W 34–32	9,500
November 13	at Louisville		Fairgrounds Stadium Louisville, KY	L 14–24	10,100
November 20	Central Michigan		McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	W 35–8	5,400
Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game