A season with vast potential, maybe even championship possibilities, was thrown into doubt when Southern Illinois University Carbondale quarterback Chris Dieker suffered a broken collarbone in the team's seventh game.

The option was redshirt freshman Paul McIntosh, a transfer from Army, who was handed the reins of a team that was climbing the national charts.

"It was a definite concern," coach Dale Lennon said. "Chris had established himself as a team leader and key to our offense. When he went down, Paul stepped in and hadn't had too many snaps. So there was concern with everyone."

It dissipated quickly. McIntosh has led the Salukis to three consecutive wins, and Saturday they set a Missouri Valley Football Conference record with their 14th consecutive league victory, a 44-24 win over Missouri State.

SIUC is ranked No. 1 in the country in the Football Championship Subdivision in The Sports Network poll with a 9-1 record.

There is a chance Dieker could return at some point during the playoffs, but so far a season split between two quarterbacks has not slowed momentum.

The experienced junior was at the helm as the Salukis won six of their first seven games, including a road victory over then No. 2-ranked Northern Iowa.

The redshirt freshman, McIntosh, is 3-0 as a starter and ran the offense when SIUC pulled off a win at No. 9 South Dakota State.

"Most impressive is how he's handled himself," Lennon said. "We go to South Dakota State. It's a big game. They have a huge crowd. He managed the game as well as a veteran quarterback."

In the latest win, McIntosh was an efficient eight for 12 for 150 yards with one touchdown, and Deji Karim ran for 117 yards and three touchdowns.

Dieker is a pro-style quarterback and had thrown for 1,272 yards and 10 touchdowns when he was injured.

McIntosh offered different attributes in that he is more agile. He has thrown for 592 yards and is the team's second-leading rusher with 309 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

"We call the same type of plays but probably put more emphasis on the types of plays that fit what Paul does," Lennon said. "It's not a complete overhaul."

Dieker could return as soon as the second week of the playoffs. Lennon isn't sure how he would handle that and won't give it much thought until the time arrives.

For now, Dieker is doing what he can to keep the offense rolling by serving as a mentor to the younger quarterback.

Dieker took the Salukis on the field for the season opener at Marshall, their only game this season against a Football Bowl Championship (formerly Division I-A) opponent.

And although Marshall won 31-28, the game was a launching point for something bigger.

"We were disappointed because you go play a division-up program and we saw opportunities to win that we let slip away," Lennon said. "But with that was the realization we had a pretty special team."

SIUC will finish the regular season against Southeast Missouri State on Saturday in Cape Girardeau. That game will provide an opportunity to wrap up a top-four seeding for the playoffs.

And if the Salukis can get a No. 1 or 2 seed, they will be in position to play at home throughout the postseason as long as they stay alive. They are seeking to win the program's first national title since 1983.

If they play deep into the playoffs, a decision might be necessary on how to handle two healthy quarterbacks. Could a two-quarterback system be in the works?

"I guarantee that will be a strong consideration," Lennon said, "because of Paul playing so well."