Southern Illinois head coach Nick Hill celebrated his birthday Monday. Though he’s a few decades past 16, that’s where his Salukis land in this week’s Stats Perform FCS national rankings.

Coming off an unscheduled bye week, SIU moved up two spots and are ranked No. 16.

The Salukis are 4-3 overall and 3-3 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. SIU, losers of two straight league games, did not play this past weekend since Illinois State announced March 21 that it was opting out of the remainder of the spring season.

“It was a good mix. We got a lot of work in, but we also gave them (players) a lot of time off,” said the now-36-year-old Hill at Monday’s media address.

SIU hosts in-state rival Western Illinois at noon Saturday at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale. WIU is coming off its first win, a 27-24 triumph over Youngstown State.

The Salukis remain a longshot at best to make the 16-team FCS playoff field when it is revealed Sunday, April 18.

“Honestly, I’m not thinking about the (playoff selection) committee at all, just thinking about our team and let’s go out and play. We’re not thinking about winning in convincing fashion (Saturday); we’re thinking about winning,” Hill said.

According to the Massey Strength of Schedule ratings, SIU has played the nation’s ninth toughest schedule. Six Missouri Valley teams, including the Salukis, are ranked in the poll’s top 24.

SIU has wins over two ranked teams — No. 2 North Dakota State and No. 24 Northern Iowa. When the Salukis knocked off NDSU, the Bison were the No. 1 team in the nation. In addition, UNI was No. 4.

The Salukis also posted a victory over then-No. 25 Southeast Missouri State in the fall.

SIU’s losses were to No. 6 North Dakota, No. 4 South Dakota State and No. 19 Missouri State.

STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25 (APRIL 5)

1. James Madison (4-0, 2-0 CAA), 981 points (30 first-place votes)

Previous Ranking: 1; Week 8 Result: Postponed at then-No. 15 Richmond

2. North Dakota State (5-1, 4-1 Missouri Valley), 939 (6)

Previous Ranking: 2; Week 8 Result: Postponed vs. then-No. 4 South Dakota State

3. Weber State (4-0 Big Sky), 917 (1)

Previous Ranking: 3; Week 8 Result: 19-16 win at Southern Utah

4. South Dakota State (4-1 Missouri Valley), 874 (2)

Previous Ranking: 4; Week 8 Result: Postponed at then-No. 2 North Dakota State

5. Sam Houston (4-0 Southland), 848 (1)

Previous Ranking: 5; Week 8 Result: 24-16 win at Northwestern State

6. North Dakota (4-1 Missouri Valley), 803

Previous Ranking: 6; Week 8 Result: Canceled at then-No. 19 Missouri State

7. Kennesaw State (4-0, 2-0 Big South), 751

Previous Ranking: 7; Week 8 Result: 35-0 win over Robert Morris

8. Delaware (3-0 CAA), 716

Previous Ranking: 8; Week 8 Result: Canceled at Albany

9. Eastern Washington (4-1 Big Sky), 689

Previous Ranking: 9; Week 8 Result: 32-22 win at then-No. 11 UC Davis

10. Jacksonville State (8-2, 5-1 Ohio Valley), 640

Previous Ranking: 12; Week 8 Result: 44-23 win at Eastern Illinois

11. Villanova (2-1 CAA), 535

Previous Ranking: 16; Week 8 Result: 44-17 win at Maine

12. Richmond (3-0 CAA), 517

Previous Ranking: 15; Week 8 Result: Postponed vs. then-No. 1 James Madison

13. UC Davis (3-2 Big Sky), 441

Previous Ranking: 11; Week 8 Result: 32-22 loss to then-No. 9 Eastern Washington

14. VMI (5-1 Southern), 413

Previous Ranking: 10; Week 8 Result: 24-20 loss to ETSU

15. Missouri State (4-4, 4-1 Missouri Valley), 343

Previous Ranking: 19; Week 8 Result: Canceled at then-No. 6 North Dakota

16. Southern Illinois (4-3, 3-3 Missouri Valley), 330

Previous Ranking: 18; Week 8 Result: Canceled at Illinois State

17. Murray State (5-1 Ohio Valley), 294

Previous Ranking: 14; Week 8 Result: 34-31 loss at Austin Peay

18. Nicholls (4-2, 3-2 Southland), 293

Previous Ranking: 13; Week 8 Result: 43-31 loss at McNeese

19. UIW (3-1 Southland), 255

Previous Ranking: 20; West 8 Result: No game

20. Monmouth (2-0 Big South), 250

Previous Ranking: Unranked; Week 8 Result: 48-19 win over Gardner-Webb

21. ETSU (4-1 Southern), 245

Previous Ranking: Unranked; Week 8 Result: 24-20 win at VMI

22. Rhode Island (2-1 CAA), 243

Previous Ranking: 22; Week 8 Result: Postponed vs. New Hampshire

23. Southeastern Louisiana (3-2 Southland), 190

Previous Ranking: 25; Week 8 Result: 42-12 win over Lamar

24. Northern Iowa (3-3 Missouri Valley), 171

Previous Ranking: 23; Week 8 Result: Canceled at South Dakota

T25. Austin Peay (4-5, 4-2 Ohio Valley), 94

Previous Ranking: Unranked; Week 8 Result: 34-31 win over Murray State

T25. Duquesne (4-0 Northeast), 94

Previous Ranking: Unranked; Week 8 Result: No game

Dropped Out: Chattanooga (17); Furman (21); Idaho (23)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Furman 42, Davidson 20, Gardner-Webb 18, New Hampshire 15, Idaho 10, Maine 10, Southern 10, Mercer 6, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3