Carbondale, IL -- (Sports Network) - Joe Flacco threw for 243 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Delaware toppled Southern Illinois, 20-17, in an FCS semifinal matchup at McAndrew Stadium.

Omar Cuff rushed 21 times for 102 yards and caught four balls for 67 yards for the Blue Hens (11-3), who gained their first final since winning the Division I-AA championship against Colgate in 2003.

Robbie Agnone had four receptions for 72 yards and a score, and Kervin Michaud also had a touchdown catch.

Delaware faces Appalachian State in Chattanooga, Tennessee next Friday night for the FCS title.

Nick Hill completed only 12-of-25 passes for 106 yards and two interceptions for the Salukis (12-2), who advanced past the quarterfinal round for the first time since their 1983 championship.

John Randle added 129 rushing yards and a TD on 26 carries, Alan Turner hauled in six balls for 64 yards and Craig Turner returned a kick 88 yards for a score in a losing cause.

After seeing Turner singlehandedly tie the game on a long kickoff TD, Jon Striefsky completed Delaware's ensuing drive with a 24-yard field goal for a 20-17 game with just under seven minutes left in regulation.

Hall was swarmed by the Blue Hen defense on a key 4th-and-4 at the Delaware 29 with four minutes to play to halt Southern Illinois' drive. Although the Hens failed to move the ball, on the next series Hall threw right into the hands of Delaware's Anthony Walters with 1:42 on the clock.

The Blue Hens ran out the remaining seconds and advanced to their second title game in the last five seasons.

SIU had its first drive interrupted deep in Delaware territory when a Hill pass was tipped and picked by Erik Johnson, but the Hens went three-and-out on the ensuing possession.

Craig Turner's punt return put the Salukis on the Hens side of midfield. Later in the series, on a 4th-and-inches from the Delaware 25, Hill just managed to pick up the first down. Four plays later, a 20-yard catch-and-run TD by Alan Turner was called back due to an ineligble receiver penalty.

Kyle Dougherty was then called on for a 42-yard attempt, and split the uprights for a 3-0 lead with 5:46 left in the opening quarter.

After holding the Hens to three downs again, the Salukis went up 10-0 courtesy of a seven-play, 67-yard drive ending on Randle's one-yard TD run with 44 seconds left in the first.

Delaware finally got going on the next series, and cut their deficit to 10-7 early in the second on Flacco's eight-yard scoring pass to Agnone. Cuff broke out on the drive, rushing for 25 yards on four carries.

The Hens were denied on a 4th down at the Salukis' 20-yard-line on their next drive, and SIU took over with less than four minutes remaining in the quarter. After driving 37 yards, the home team barely missed on a Hail Mary on the last play of the half, but still took a three-point edge to the break.

Delaware used a flea-flicker on the first play of the second half, as Aaron Love hit Cuff for a 42-yard gain to the Saluki 27. The drive stalled, though, back near midfield after Cuff was stuffed for a big loss and Flacco was sacked.

The Hens defense held the Salukis on the next possession, then the offense snapped to attention with an 87-yard drive. Flacco's nine-yard TD pass to Michaud on a 3rd-and-2 gave Delaware a 14-10 edge midway through the period.

SIU's next drive came to a halt at the Hens' 36 after Justin Allen lost 13 yards on a rush, and a bad snap on Dougherty's field goal attempt ruined the team's chance to come within a point.

Dougherty was primed to end the Salukis' next drive with a 34-yard field goal, but on a fake, a potential touchdown was recalled due to an ineligible player dowfield.

After the penalty, Dougherty pulled a 39-yarder wide right, and the Hens retained their four-point lead a little more than a minute into the fourth quarter,

Striefsky's 47-yard field goal which barely cleared the upright gave Delaware a 17-10 lead with just over 10 minutes to play.

Turner then electrified the home crowd by eluding three tackles at the right sideline and going 88 yards on the kickoff to tie the contest.