CARBONDALE - Talking about Larry Warner's big day against North Dakota on Saturday, Southern Illinois University football coach Dale Lennon mentioned former Chicago Bears great Walter Payton.

Like Payton in his day, Warner looked fearless and turned on a dime a few times on the way to a career-high 256 yards in the No. 11/14 Salukis' 40-21 win. This weekend, Lennon gets another look at a tailback in Payton's likeness, as Missouri Valley Football Conference leading rusher Herb Donaldson returns to McAndrew Stadium.

Donaldson, a 5-foot-11, 225-pound senior at Western Illinois, is second in the nation in rushing entering this weekend's game, averaging 150.9 yards per game. The Payton Award candidate was a Lindy's preseason All-American and is a key cog in a Leathernecks' offense that is averaging 33.1 points per game.

SIU (6-2), which stands a game back of No. 4/5 Northern Iowa (7-2) in the win column in the Valley Football standings, leads the conference in rushing defense (100.8 ypg).

"We're very confident against the run game. We've had some success defending the run, so, it's going to be strength against strength," Lennon said. "Any time you have that kind of matchup, I don't think any either side is going to completely dominate. I think there's going to be a give and take. It's just how much of give and take that actually happens is going to determine who has the upper hand."

Donaldson broke UNI for 116 yards on 23 carries in Saturday's 30-6 loss in Macomb. This season, he has broken 100 yards in six of seven games and gone over the 200-yard mark twice, rushing for 234 against Stephen F. Austin and 274 against Missouri State.

North Dakota running back Josh Murray scored the first rushing touchdown against the Salukis in four games with a dive over the goal line in the fourth quarter Saturday. In fact, SIU hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher since North Dakota State's Tyler Roehl went for 125 in the Bison's 35-27 win Oct. 4 in the Fargodome.

SIU comes off one of its finest defensive games of the season. The Salukis sacked UND quarterback Danny Freund a season-high six times and allowed the Fighting Sioux a season-low 20 yards rushing on 28 carries.

SIU outside linebacker Chauncey Mixon had a team-high tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss Saturday.

"I thought we did good, considering that their only offense, they ran about 100 different formations in the first quarter of the game," Mixon said. "That was, like, the big change-up for us right there, but after we got past that, it was just playing football. Our secondary, doing their job, gave us a lot of time to get back there and make some plays."

WIU (5-3 overall and 3-2 in the MVFC) will likely look at Warner as SIU looks at Donaldson Saturday. Warner, the league's second-leading rusher (119.5 ypg), has rushed for at least 100 yards in three straight games and has set career highs in back-to-back contests.

Warner said what his offensive line didn't do for him Saturday, his wide receivers and tight ends did.

"(The offensive line) knows how to read defenses, and they're opening up holes for me. I'm only going to get as many yards as they open up for me," Warner said. "Some plays I made on my own, but most of all, it comes within a whole team. With the tight end to the fullback, to the receivers blocking downfield."

The Leathernecks lead the series with SIU 33-16-4, although the Salukis have won the last six meetings.

todd.hefferman@thesouthern.com / 351-5087

No. 12/14 Western Illinois at No. 11/14 SIU

Where: McAndrew Stadium (17,324)

When: Saturday, 2 p.m.

Records: SIU is 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference; WIU is 5-3, 3-2.

Radio: Saluki Radio Network (WVZA 92.7 FM, WRXX 95.3 FM, WEBQ 102.3 FM, WRUL 97.3 FM, KYRX 97.3 FM, WMOK 920 AM, WHCO 1230 AM, KSLG 1380 AM, WFFX 1490 AM (Mike Reis, Gene Green, Joel Sambursky).

Tickets: $8 for kids 3-years-old to high school age, $15 for adult general admission and $19 for adult reserved.