SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Southeast Missouri 24, #3 Southeastern Louisiana 23
#22 Eastern Kentucky 49, @UT Martin 24
@Eastern Illinois 63, Austin Peay 7
@#20 Tennessee State 10, Tennessee Tech 7
@#8 Jacksonville State 45, West Alabama 34
@Western Michigan 45,
Murray State 14
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 24, #3 SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 23
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Paul McRoberts caught a 2-yard game-winning touchdown pass with four seconds left and Southeast Missouri (2-2) upset No. 3 Southeastern Louisiana (2-2), 24-23, Saturday night in a barn-burner at Missouri National Guard Field/Houck Stadium.
McRoberts secured a dart thrown by quarterback Kyle Snyder on a slant route to polish off Southeast's first win over a ranked opponent at home since 2000.
Snyder made a huge play on a 3rd-and-10 when he busted up the middle for 15 yards on a gutsy quarterback draw. He picked up the first down at the 2-yardline before throwing the decisive touchdown pass.
Snyder made another key play at a time when it appeared as though Southeast's final drive was stalling. He threw a 16-yard completion to Spencer Davis on a 3rd-and-8.
The dramatic fourth quarter began with Bryan Bennett throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Smiley. Smiley's TD capped a 7-play, 90-yard drive to bring the Lions to within a point (17-16) with 5:18 left to play.
SLU then went for two, but Wisler Ymonice blew things up when he tackled D'Shaie Landor short of the goal line. On the first play of Southeast's ensuing possession, Lennies McFerren fumbled and Josh Dakin recovered at the Southeast 38-yardline. Six plays later, Bennett scored on a 22-yard run to give SLU a 23-17 lead with 2:53 on the clock.
After McRoberts scored his second touchdown of the night, Ryan McCrum had to win the game twice. His first extra point split the uprights, but the Redhawks were called for a holding penalty. McCrum then made his second attempt to send Southeast's sideline into a frenzy.
Both teams battled to a 10-10 deadlock at the half.
Ryan Adams got SLU on the board first with a 25-yard field goal at the 7:15 mark of the first quarter. McFerren scored his fourth career rushing touchdown on a 1-yard run with 6:04 left in the second quarter. Jeremy Myers hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass from holder Cole Leblanc on a fake field goal to give the Lions a 10-7 edge with just under three minutes (2:58) remaining.
McCrum kicked a career-long 54-yard field goal to tie the game as time expired in the first half. The field goal was the second-longest in school history.
Snyder completed 16-of-31 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 95 yards on 17 carries. McRoberts caught a game-high seven passes for 89 yards and two TDs. He is now third all-time with 17 career touchdown receptions at Southeast.
Meanwhile, Davis broke the Redhawks all-time career record in all-purpose yardage. He finished with 145 yards and now has 4,248 in his career, surpassing Kelvin Anderson (4,173 from 1992-94) for the new mark.
Defensively, Roper Garrett paved the way with 12 tackles, while true freshman Hunter Bledsoe followed with eight tackles and a fumble recovery. Chad Meredith also added six tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss.
Bennett threw for 200 yards and a touchdown on 15-of-29 passes to lead the Lions. He was also sacked twice.
SLU outgained Southeast, 436-365, in total yards. Both teams were nearly even in rushing as the Lions had 225 yards to the Redhawks 224.
Southeast, which beat its highest-ranked opponent in school history, snapped an eight-game losing streak against ranked Football Championship Subdivision teams.
#22 EASTERN KENTUCKY 49, UT MARTIN 24
MARTIN, Tenn. - The Eastern Kentucky University football team put the pedal to the metal in the second half and pulled away from host UT Martin Saturday afternoon, 49-24. The No. 22 Colonels outscored the Skyhawks, 21-0, in the final 30 minutes of the OVC opener for both teams.
With the win, Eastern (4-0, 1-0 OVC) moves to 12-1 all-time on the road at UT Martin (1-3, 0-1).
The first half was full of action that saw the two teams combine for 52 points and 624 yards of offense. Eastern Kentucky took a slim 28-24 lead into the locker rooms. Momentum quickly turned in the Colonels’ favor in the opening two drives following intermission.
UT Martin began the second half with a surprise on-sides kick, but the ball rolled out of bounds. Three plays later, sophomore quarterback Bennie Coney connected with junior wide receiver Jeff Glover down the far sideline for a 39-yard gain, moving the ball inside the UTM 10-yard line. Coney then capped the drive with a five-yard scoring pass to senior fullback Channing Fugate to make the score, 35-24.
The Skyhawks tried to answer on their ensuing possession, but a pivotal personal foul call eventually forced UT Martin to settle for a 41-yard field goal attempt. However, wide receiver Devin Borders came up with his third blocked kick of the season, this time a deflection on the field goal attempt, to keep UTM off the scoreboard.
EKU’s offense wasn’t done as the Colonels methodically moved the ball on its second drive. Senior quarterback Jared McClain finished the 13-play, 76-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 42-24.
Junior defensive back Johnny Joseph gave the ball right back to Eastern Kentucky with his first interception of the season. One play later, junior running back Dy’Shawn Mobley put the game on ice with a 75-yard touchdown run.
The visiting Colonels racked up 202 yards of offense in the third quarter alone and scored three times. UT Martin’s offense went missed field goal, interception, interception and turnover on downs in the second half.
In the first half, EKU only had the ball for 8:41, but scored four touchdowns. UT Martin trailed at one point 28-10 before scoring twice in its final three drives before the half.
Mobley led the Colonels with 183 yards rushing on just 11 carries. The native of Powell, Tennessee, scored on runs of 68, 14 and 75 yards. Coney completed 10-of-17 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Glover piled up career highs in receptions (seven) and receiving yards (128).
On defense, Eastern forced four turnovers. Joseph, senior linebacker Tyrelle Johnson and junior linebacker Trey Thomas each registered an interception. Junior defensive lineman Marquise Piton came away with a fumble recovery. The Colonel defense also racked up four sacks.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 63, AUSTIN PEAY 7
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois set one rushing record and tied another as the Panthers won their 13th straight Ohio Valley Conference game with a 63-7 win over Austin Peay on Saturday afternoon at O'Brien Field.
EIU improved to 1-3, 1-0 in the OVC as the Panthers opened defense of their back-to-back OVC regular season titles. APSU dropped to 0-3, 0-1 in the OVC as the Governors have now lost 15 straight games dating back to the 2012 season.
Quarterback Jalen Whitlow rushed for 137 yards on 15 carries with a pair of touchdowns. He broke the school record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a game previously held by Joe Davis in 1968 against Bradley University. Whitlow passed for 159 yards going 13-of-15 with two touchdowns.
The Panthers as a team rushed for 413 yards on 63 carries with six touchdowns as the tied the school record for rushing yards in a game set last season against Jacksonville State. Ten different EIU players rushed the ball with Jimmy Lera adding two rushing touchdowns. AJ Woodson and Malik Harrison each added a rushing touchdown as EIU played without Walter Payton Award candidate Shepard Little, out with an injury. The six rushing touchdowns were the most for the Panthers since scoring seven on the ground against Indiana State in 2007.
EIU scored 60+ plus points against Austin Peay for the third straight year. The Panthers beat the Governors 63-7 last year in Clarksville and 65-15 in 2012 at O'Brien Field.
The Panthers led 7-0 after the first quarter as Whitlow scored a 6-yard run his first score of the game. The Panthers extended the lead to 28-0 with 5:24 to go in the second quarter on Lera’s first rushing touchdown. Taylor Duncan caught one of his two touchdown passes at the 11:39 mark of the second quarter and Whitlow added another short touchdown run from six yards at the 8:45 mark.
Austin Peay scored its lone touchdown of the game on a Justin Roberson 1-yard run with 3:27 left to play in the first half. EIU added a 13-yard run by Lera to lead 35-7 at the break. EIU limited Austin Peay to just eight first downs and 224 yards of total offense.
Duncan caught his second touchdown pass of the game to open the third quarter as the senior running back had four catches for 16 yards to go with 33 yards on the ground. EIU scored on special teams with Antoine Johnson blocking a punt at the 12-yard line and recovering the ball in the end zone for a score.
Harrison and Woodson both scored in the fourth quarter. EIU had 620 yards of total offense which is the 10th best single game total in school history. Adam Drake hauled in four passes for 81 yards to lead the Panthers air attack.
Roberson was APSU’s top rusher with 45 yards. Mickey Macius took over at quarterback passing for 72 yards on 4-of-11. The Governors defense was led by Montez Carlton with 11 tackles.
EIU had a balanced defense effort with senior Robert Haynes leading the way with nine tackles including two tackles for loss. Horace Arkadie added seven tackles and Laquesse Taylor six. Brandon Ross forced the lone turnover of the game as the fumble was recovered by Bradley Dewberry.
#20 TENNESSEE STATE 10, TENNESSEE TECH 7
NASHVILLE - A dominant performance from the Tennessee State defense helped the Tigers to a, 10-7, win over Tennessee Tech on Saturday in front of 9,217 fans at Hale Stadium.
TSU (3-1, 1-0 OVC) held the Golden Eagles (1-2, 0-1 OVC) to just 150 yards of total offense and five of TTU’s 16 series were three-and-outs.
Quarterback Ronald Butler started in place of Mike German and finished the day 15-of-24 for 113 yards and an interception. Most of Butler’s passes went Weldon Garlington’s way, and the senior had six receptions for 54 yards.
Vantavious Williams led the TSU defense with seven stops and Gabe Terry recorded two sacks.
TSU spotted TTU seven points early in the first quarter when Austin Tallant picked off Ronald Butler and raced 29 yards for an easy score. The Tigers inched a little closer when Lane Clark booted a 26-yard field goal to make the score 7-3 in favor of the visitors with 2:23 to play in the opening period. Two plays later, Ronnie Vinson picked off a Jared Davis’s throw at the 50-yard line and ran all the way in for the Tigers’ first touchdown.
Both sides were unable to put points on the board in the second quarter, and TSU went into the break up, 10-7.
Tennessee State held the ball for 21 minutes in the first half and the Tiger defense only allowed 42 yards of total offense. TTU passers were 3-of-11 during the opening 30 minutes and the Golden Eagles averaged just 1.9 yards per play.
After another scoreless quarter, Bernell Brooks intercepted a deep pass to begin the fourth, but the Tigers were forced to punt once again.
Tennessee Tech completed a 50-yard bomb with just six minutes left in the game, putting the Golden Eagles at the TSU 26-yard line. TTU only gained two yards from there, and John Arnold’s 42-yard game-tying field goal went wide left.
The Golden Eagles got one more chance with 1:57 left and the ball on their own 20-yard line, but they lost one yard in four plays and the Tigers took over.
#8 JACKSONVILLE STATE 45, WEST ALABAMA 34
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - A 22-year hiatus in the series did nothing to change Jacksonville State's continued dominance of West Alabama.
The eighth-ranked Gamecocks (2-1) tuned up for its Ohio Valley Conference opener next week with a 45-34 win over the Tigers before a Band Day crowd of 18,912 at Burgess-Snow Field. Backup quarterback Max Shortell tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Josh Barge as Jacksonville State beat its former Gulf South Conference rival for the eighth straight time.
Barge also caught a 14-yard scoring pass from third-team quarterback Christian LeMay, becoming the third player in JSU history with three touchdown receptions in a game.
Starter Eli Jenkins contributed an 88-yard TD pass to Markis Merrill in the first quarter, the first time ever the Gamecocks had three quarterbacks toss touchdown passes in a game.
Jacksonville State rolled up 630 total yards, 22 yards shy of its all-time single-game yardage record.
West Alabama fell to 2-1. Saturday's matchup was the first between the in-state schools since Jacksonville State's final season as a Division II member in 1992.
West Alabama stunned the home crowd with a three-play, 67-yard scoring drive after the opening kickoff. Kyle Caldwell finished it off with the first of his four touchdown passes, a 5-yarder to Tyshaan Alston at the 13:36 mark in the first quarter.
Jenkins connected with Merrill for the 88-yard touchdown to draw the Gamecocks even at 7-7 with 8:43 left in the opening quarter. Barge's first TD catch, a 32-yarder from Shortell, capped off a three-play, 85-yard drive and gave JSU its first lead with 1:12 to go in the first.
Connor Rouleau added a 38-yard field goal and a 3-yard touchdown from DeMarcus James - who ran 18 times for 67 yards - as the Gamecocks opened a 24-7 lead late in the second quarter. The Tigers, however, answered with a quick 72-yard scoring drive to pull to within 24-14 at halftime.
Barge snagged a 13-yard touchdown pass from Shortell and a 14-yard strike from LeMay in the third quarter as the Gamecocks built a 38-14 lead.
Barge had six receptions for 100 yards. Troymaine Pope pounded out 121 yards on 10 carries, while Miles Jones also eclipsed the century mark with 108 on 20 rushes.
West Alabama's Caldwell threw for 356 yards and four touchdowns in the loss. His only interception, which Jermaine Hough returned 34 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, marked the first turnover forced by the Gamecocks' defense this season.
Hough's interception with 10:27 remaining gave the Gamecocks their largest lead, 45-14.
West Alabama scored three touchdowns in the final 10 minutes against JSU's defensive reserves.
WESTERN MICHIGAN 45, MURRAY STATE 14
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Murray State football team fell to Western Michigan, 45-14, on Saturday evening at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo.
The Broncos (2-1) were first on the board in the contest when Zach Terrell found Corey Davis for a 17-yard touchdown pass to give Western Michigan an early 7-0 lead. However, the Racers (1-2) quickly got momentum back as Pokey Harris returned the kickoff 30 yards, giving MSU prime field position.
Quarterback KD Humphries, making his first collegiate start, was able to make good use of the position, as he went 5-for-5 on the opening drive for 67 yards. Marcus Holliday made sure Humphries work was not for naught, as he punched the ball in from the 3-yard line to tie the game at seven with 8:03 to go in the first.
Neither team was able to score in the remainder of the first quarter, leaving it at 7-7. However, in the second quarter the Broncos outscored the Racers 17-0 to take a 24-7 lead into the locker room at the break.
In the third, T-Ray Malone brought MSU within 10 at 24-14 when he intercepted a pass from Terrell and returned it for his second career touchdown. Malone’s first touchdown came last season when he recovered a fumble in the end zone at UT Martin.
From that point on Western Michigan would score 21 unanswered points to pick-up the 45-14 win. The game marks the second straight week that Racers have scored at least two touchdowns on an FBS opponent.
Humphries finished the game with 16 of 31 passes completed for a total of 185 yards, while CJ Bennett came in during the fourth quarter to complete three of four passes for 29 yards. Jeremy Harness led the Racer receiving core with five receptions for 69 yards, while Harris was the leading rusher with 50 yards on nine carries.
Defensively, Travis Taylor broke his career-high in tackles for the second consecutive game, this time with 15. Jonathan Jackson also set a new career mark in the game, following closely behind Taylor with 13.