SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Illinois State 34,
#24 Eastern Illinois 15
#14 Chattanooga 42,
@Austin Peay 6
@#25 Eastern Kentucky 55, Morehead State 13
#22 Tennessee State 35, Jackson State 7 (Memphis, Tenn.)
@#14 Southern Illinois 50,
Southeast Missouri 23
ILLINOIS STATE 34, #24 EASTERN ILLINOIS 15
NORMAL, Ill. - Turnovers and penalties, too many of them, were Eastern Illinois head coach Kim Dameron’s comments following the No. 24 ranked Panthers 34-15 loss at Illinois State on Saturday afternoon in the 103rd playing of the Mid-America Classic.
Illinois State (2-0) marched down the field on the first drive of the game as Marshaun Coprich scored his rushing touchdown on a 1-yard score to cap a 65-yard Redbird drive. Coprich added a second rushing touchdown from 2-yards with five seconds left in the half to put ISU up 21-6 at the half.
After the initial ISU drive EIU’s defense clamped down as for the third straight week EIU out-gained its opponent in total offense. The Panthers finished with 385 yards of total offense compared to 326 for the Redbirds.
EIU (0-3) drove down and tied the game momentarily early in the second quarter as Jalen Whitlow hit Taylor Duncan on a short screen pass to the end zone. The touchdown was erased by an offensive pass interference call. The Panthers settled for a 36-yard Nick Bruno field goal. The penalty was one of several setbacks for the Panthers as they turned the ball over five times and had another penalty stall a drive inside the 10-yard line.
ISU extended its lead to 14-3 at the 8:44 mark of the second quarter as Tre Roberson hit Lechein Neblett for a 61-yard touchdown. A big pass reception by Neblett in the final minute of the first half also set up Coprich’s touchdown run. Neblett finished with 155 yards on four receptions adding a 49-yard grab in the third quarter.
The Panthers were again hit by penalties in the red zone as they settled for a Bruno 36-yard field goal at 5:07 of the second quarter after a penalty on a fourth and one at the 9-yard line led to the field goal attempt.
Making adjustments at the half, EIU drove down the field and scored on its opening drive to cut the Redbirds lead to 21-13. Jalen Whitlow connected with Anthony Taylor to move the drive over midfield before the transfer quarterback rushed in from 14-yards out with 13:34 to go.
EIU held ISU to a 25-yard field goal by Nick Aussieker at 7:30 to make it a two-score contest at 24-13. Neblett added his touchdown grab and Aussieker tacked on another field goal to account for ISU’s scoring.
EIU would add a safety when Robert Haynes and Laquesse Taylor tackled a Redbirds running back in the end zone. That was set up by EIU fumbling the ball at the 2-yard line.
Duncan rushed for 87 yards on 14 carries. Whitlow played a majority of the second half rushing for 30 yards and passing for 150 on 10-of-22 passes. Coprich finished with 105 yards for ISU.
Kamu Grugier-Hill, Fedney Delphonse and Jourdan Wickliffe each finished with seven tackles for EIU. Pat Meehan led ISU with 11 tackles including four tackles for loss.
#14 CHATTANOOGA 42, AUSTIN PEAY 6
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Chattanooga scored on its last possession of the first half and the first three times it touched the ball in the second as the Mocs rolled to a 42-6 victory against Austin Peay State University, Saturday, ruining the debut of new Governors Stadium.
The loss left APSU 0-2 on the season while Chattanooga, the Southern Conference favorite, recorded its first victory after two difficult early-season losses.
The 28-point mid-game run was highlighted by a 42-yard pass from Jacob Huesman to Xavier Borishade and a 58-yard Tommy Hudson punt return.
The 36-point loss belied a defensive effort that saw the Governors tallied nine tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. Unfortunately, the Governors offense could not match the defense's production. The Govs gained just 180 yards in total offense, just 58 in the second half.
Chattanooga gouged the Govs defense in the early going, taking the opening drive and marching 82 yards in seven plays, culminated by Keon Williams' three-yard TD run.
The Mocs got the ball right back after quarterback Darrien Boone, starting in place of the injured Trey Taylor, fumbled on a third-down play with Chattanooga taking over at the APSU 33. One player later quarterback Jacob Huesman hooked up with Tommy Hudson for a 33-yard score for 14-0 lead less than four minutes into the game.
The Govs got back into the game when they took advantage of a Chattanooga fumble forced by Benedict Louis and recovered by fellow freshman linebacker Zach Stuart. On first down Boone hooked up with Javier Booker for a 45-yard score. But sophomore Evan Toby, attempting his first college point after, sailed it wide right.
That would be the last time the Governors would threaten to score. APSU's defense settled in to force three Chattanooga punts before the Mocs took momentum into half, going 61 yards in 13 plays with Williams scoring his second touchdown, this one from one-yard out with 48 seconds left in the half.
Chattanooga maintained that momentum entering the second half and quickly put away the game, the crunching blow coming on Hudson's 58-yard punt return.
Huesman, the SoCon Offensive Player of the Year in 2013, finished 18 of 23 passing for 224 yards and two TDs. Hudson finished with seven catches for 102 yards and a TD to go with his long punt return. Williams ended with a difficult 53 yards on 18 carries.
APSU's leading rusher was Justin Roberson, who ended with just 27 yards on 11 attempts. The Govs ended with only 42 rushing yards on 36 carries while Boone finished 15-of-20 passing for 124 yards.
APSU's offensive woes resulted in Ben Campbell, who punted a school-record 90 times a year ago, punted 10 times for a second game in a row.
On the flip side, defensive tackle Malcolm Goines collected a pair of tackle for losses while linebacker Antonio Turner led the way with nine total tackles while safety Damien Whitfield added eight.
#25 EASTERN KENTUCKY 55, MOREHEAD STATE 13
RICHMOND, Ky. - On the first play from scrimmage, junior running back Dy’Shawn Mobley took the hand-off and ran 61 yards for a touchdown. The Eastern Kentucky University football team never looked back, cruising past Morehead State Saturday night at Roy Kidd Stadium, 55-13.
With the win, the 25th ranked Colonels are 3-0 for the first time in 22 years. EKU began the 1992 season with four straight victories.
Eastern ran for 204 yards on just 10 carries in the first quarter. Mobley had 127 of those yards, averaging 25 each time he touched the ball. EKU outgained the Eagles 225-60 in the first quarter and led 25-0 after the first 15 minutes of play.
An all-around effort from EKU helped make sure Morehead State (1-2) never made it a game. The Colonels kept a shutout until the 2:23 mark of the third quarter.
Eastern Kentucky’s offense scored touchdowns on six of its first eight possessions. One of the possessions that did not end in a touchdown was capped by an Andrew Lloyd 32-yard field goal.
Mobley’s second outburst of the night came at the 8:29 mark of the first quarter. He caught a lateral throw on the left side from quarterback Bennie Coney, cut back all the way across the field and was eventually tackled by Morehead State’s Dominic Iori at the three-yard line. The 54-yard run set up quarterback Jared McClain’s touchdown to finish the Colonels’ third possession. The ensuing extra point put the home squad up, 18-0.
Mobley contributed all 123 of his yards in the first quarter and had just one carry the rest of the game.
The Colonels’ fullback also got into the action. Redshirt senior Channing Fugate ran for 56 yards on two carries, but most of those came from just one. Late in the first quarter, Fugate took a hand-off from Coney and ran 49 yards for a touchdown, diving into the left corner of the end zone in front of the student section.
Coney finished 7-of-10 for 117 yards and two touchdowns. McClain contributed a rushing and a passing touchdown to the final total. The EKU running backs stole the show, though, totaling 353 rushing yards. The Eagles managed just 60 yards running the ball.
Jared Sanders finished with 61 yards on eight carries and scored EKU’s final touchdown.
Nine EKU players had at least one carry and eight caught at least one pass.
Morehead State quarterback Austin Gahafer completed 29 of his 49 passes for 272 yards against a tough EKU defense. Gahafer broke the shutout with a one-yard touchdown run with 2:23 left in the third quarter and then added a 22-yard scoring pass in the fourth quarter.
Twenty-seven EKU defenders recorded at least one tackle during the game.
#22 TENNESSEE STATE 35, JACKSON STATE 7
MEMPHIS - A fast start propelled the Tennessee State football team to a, 35-7, victory over Jackson State in the 25th annual Southern Heritage Classic in front of 46,914 spectators.
The TSU offense played its finest football of the young season in the first half, totaling all of its 35 points.
Tom Smith, who was named the game’s Offensive MVP, anchored an offense that racked up 189 yards in the first 30 minutes. The junior transfer totaled 48 yards on only seven carries and scored twice - once to start the game from two-yards out and had the final score of the half from 13 yards away.
Sophomore quarterback Ronald Butler took over for Mike German with 13 minutes left in the second quarter and he quickly found Dantwaun O’Neal on crossing pattern for a 13-yard touchdown to give Tennessee State a 28-0 lead.
The TSU defense was strong as well during the first two periods, only allowing 21 yards of total offense, 0.7 yards per play and one first down.
Senior cornerback De’Ante Saunders had two interceptions in the first half and ran the first one back 45 yards for a touchdown when TSU was up by just two scores.
Tennessee State was content to sit on its lead in the second half and only managed 135 yards and did not score again.
Jackson State, meanwhile, finally found the end zone once with 2:44 left in the third quarter with a four-yard touchdown run.
The TSU defense held JSU to minus-one yard rushing, a one-for-16 line on third down tries and recorded seven sacks.
#14 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 50, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 23
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southeast Missouri (1-2) had five turnovers in a 50-23 loss to regional-rival and No. 14 Southern Illinois (3-0) Saturday night in front of a crowd of 10,385 at Saluki Stadium.
Southeast lost four fumbles and had an interception in its second-straight loss. Those miscues led to a total of 28 SIU points.
Mark Iannotti matched a single-game school record six touchdown passes and threw for 225 yards to lead the Salukis to their first 3-0 start since 2007.
The first half saw a combined five turnovers, including four by Southeast. The Redhawks fumbled three times and threw an interception.
Southeast quarterback Kyle Snyder fumbled on each of the Redhawks first two drives.
On 3rd-and-3 at the Southeast-46, Snyder lost the ball and Cory Lee recovered. Following a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by the Redhawks, SIU took over on downs at the Southeast 10-yardline.
Three plays later, Iannotti threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Adam Fuehne giving the Salukis a 7-0 lead with 11:36 left to play in the first quarter.
During the first play of Southeast's next possession, Snyder fumbled again when he was hit by Jordan Poole. D.J. Cameron recovered for SIU at the Southeast-48.
Nothing came of that miscue as Eriq Moore forced and recovered a fumble for Southeast at its own 9-yardline.
After the Redhawks punted, SIU scored its second touchdown, this time in just 44 seconds. Malcolm Agnew caught Iannotti's screen pass on the third play of the drive and ran 33 yards down the near sideline to put the Salukis ahead, 14-0, at the 7:25 mark.
Cameron recorded his second takeaway when he intercepted Snyder's third-down pass and ran 18 yards to the Redhawks 2-yardline. Agnew then hit paydirt on a 1-yard plunge, expanding SIU's lead to 21-0.
Ryan McCrum's career-long 43-yard field goal gave Southeast its first points at the end of an 11-play, 64-yard march with 1:12 remaining. Key plays of that drive included a 16-yard pass from Snyder to Paul McRoberts on a 3rd-and-long and a 26-yard pass from Snyder to Ron Coleman.
SIU kicker Thomas Kinney missed a 51-yard field goal attempt before Southeast's next possession culminated in three more points for the Redhawks.
Lennies McFerren gained a combined 29 yards on two carries to get Southeast to the SIU-36. The 9-play, 45-yard drive resulted in a 38-yard field goal by McCrum, cutting the Salukis lead to 21-6 with 10:50 left.
Three plays into SIU's ensuing drive, Tim Hamm-Bey picked off Iannotti and sprinted 56 yards to the end zone for Southeast's first touchdown. Hamm-Bey's big defensive TD quickly chopped the Salukis lead to 21-13 with a little under nine minutes on the clock. Hamm-Bey was the first Redhawk to return an interception for a touchdown since Darrick Borum and Branden Spann accomplished the feat vs. Tennessee Tech on Sept. 22, 2012.
SIU, however, used a big play of its own to answer right back.
The Salukis faced a 3rd-and-4 at its own 32 when their drive was extended due to a pass interference by Southeast. The penalty came back to haunt the Redhawks as Iannotti completed a 60-yard touchdown pass to Tay Willis. Willis caught the ball in stride and dashed down the far sideline, grabbing SIU a 28-13 lead at the 6:54 mark.
Southeast took over on downs deep in its own territory at the 6-yardline when Spencer Davis fumbled. Tyler Williamson recovered and Iannotti then threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to MyCole Pruitt immediately after a SIU penalty to give the Salukis a 35-13 advantage with 5:37 left.
Two plays after McFerren ran for five yards to keep the Redhawks drive alive on a 4th-and-1 at the SIU-44, the Salukis called timeout. Once play resumed, Davis ran for nine yards before Snyder hooked up with McRoberts on a 19-yard scoring strike to make it 35-20 at the half.
McCrum began the second half by splitting the uprights for his game-high third field goal, a 43-yarder with 10:36 left in the third quarter.
Exactly three minutes later, Iannotti tossed a 6-yard touchdown pass to McKinney, capping a 7-play, 83-yard drive to give SIU a 42-23 lead at the 7:36 mark. The 83-yard march was the longest drive of the night.
SIU capitalized on another Southeast turnover when Iannotti connected with Pruitt on a 16-yard touchdown pass just six seconds into the fourth quarter. A two-point conversion followed as the Salukis polished off their 50-23 win.
Iannotti completed 15-of-21 passes and and Agnew finished with 162 yards and one touchdown on 31 carries to lead SIU.
In his first start of the season for the injured DeMichael Jackson, McFerren gained 80 yards on 16 rushes, averaging five yards per attempt.
Meanwhile, Snyder completed 16-of-29 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown. It was the second-straight game where Snyder had over 200 passing yards. McRoberts added seven catches for a game-high 86 yards and a touchdown, his 15th-career receiving TD.
Defensively, Wisler Ymonice led the Redhawks with 10 tackles.
SIU outgained Southeast 465-357 in total yards.
Tonight's matchup marked the 82nd meeting between rivals Southeast and SIU. The Salukis, who beat the Redhawks for the fourth-straight year, won eight of the last nine contests in the overall series which dates all the way back to 1909.