SATURDAY'S SCORES
@#21 Southeast Missouri 34, Tennessee Tech 20
#14 UT Martin 45, @Murray State 16
@Eastern Illinois 35, Northwestern State 27
Lindenwood 52, @Central Arkansas 49
@Tennessee State 41, Bethune-Cookman 17
#21 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 34, TENNESSEE TECH 20
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Ryan Flournoy caught five passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns, and Geno Hess surpassed 3,000 career rushing yards to lead #21 Southeast Missouri (5-1, 2-0) to a 34-20 win over Tennessee Tech (1-4, 0-2) Saturday at Houck Field.
Flournoy posted the second 100-yard receiving game of his career and Hess became only the third player in program history to rush for over 3,000 yards. He now has 3,051 yards and ranks third among the school's all-time leaders.
SEMO used a good balance of offense and defense to pick up its fifth-straight win and remain unbeaten in Ohio Valley Conference play.
Tied, 13-13, SEMO scored two touchdowns in the final minutes of the first half to take a 27-13 lead at halftime and those scores held up big in the end.
The Redhawks immediately answered a game-tying touchdown by the Golden Eagles with a 5-play, 52-yard drive on their next possession.
A nice 48-yard kickoff return by Darrell Smith gave SEMO good field position at its 48-yard line. Paxton DeLaurent ran for 24 yards and threw an 11-yard completion to Damoriea Vick to get SEMO to the TTU 12-yard line. On the next play, DeLaurent threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Flournoy regaining a 20-13 advantage for the Redhawks.
Trai Hodges intercepted Jeremiah Oatsvall's pass and returned the ball 49 yards to the TTU 26-yard line just before the intermission.
DeLaurent, after completing a 19-yard pass to Garrett Todd, followed that with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Johnny King widening SEMO's lead by two scores.
Both of those touchdowns came in a quick span of 1:52.
SEMO and TTU scored just once each in the second half.
Flournoy scored his second touchdown of the game on a 4-yard catch to make it 34-13 with 4:40 left to play in the third quarter.
TTU later closed the gap with a 30-yard pass from Oatsvall to Bradley Clark at the 9:39 mark in the fourth period.
The Golden Eagles made it to SEMO's 20-yard line and faced a fourth-and-8 when William McCall intercepted Oatsvall with 32 seconds on the clock.
McCall's pick was one of a season-high three for the Redhawk defense today.
DeLaurent threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns on 22-of-33 passes, and ran for 16 yards on six carries.
Hess finished the day with 88 yards and one touchdown on 13 attempts. He scored a touchdown in four-straight starts.
TTU held a 400-377 advantage in total yards, but committed three turnovers.
Bryce Norman and Lawrence Johnson led the Redhawks with 12 and 10 tackles, respectively. Johnson added an interception, two quarterback hurries and a breakup as well.
McCall and Hodges each followed with a pick of their own.
SEMO's five-game winning streak is its longest since it won six in a row during the 2019 campaign. Additionally, the Redhawks moved to 19-5 in their previous 24 games in Cape Girardeau.
#14 UT MARTIN 45, MURRAY STATE 16
MURRAY, Ky. - The No. 14 ranked University of Tennessee at Martin football team overcame a slow start to rack up 691 yards of total offense and five defensive interceptions en route to a 45-16 road victory at Ohio Valley Conference rival Murray State on Saturday.
The Skyhawks (4-2, 3-0 OVC) had little problem moving the ball against the winless Racers (0-6, 0-2 OVC) this afternoon, tallying 691 yards of total offense to rank as the highest single-game output since the team visited Roy Stewart Stadium back in 2012. UT Martin accumulated 441 of those yards through the air while notching 250 yards on the ground – including six touchdowns. The visitors were especially lethal in the fourth quarter where they scored 24 unanswered points to finish the game while chewing up 255 yards.
While the offense was dynamic, the Skyhawk defense was dominant. UT Martin limited Murray State to just 287 yards of total offense – allowing 114 yards on the ground and 173 yards through the air. The team was especially potent in the secondary where the squad tallied five interceptions – marking the highest single-game total since 2001.
Several players posted impressive individual performances in all three phases of the game. Quarterback Dresser Winn completed 27-of-47 pass attempts for a career-high 441 yards while securing one rushing touchdown on a keeper. The wide receiver tandem of Colton Dowell and DeVonte Tanksley put on a show, combining for 388 yards on 21 receptions. Dowell led the game with 12 catches for 168 yards while Tanksley joined William Mackall (283 yards, 1988) as just the second player in program history to eclipse 200 yards in addition to becoming the school's Division I record holder with 220 yards on nine catches.
The ground attack also proved fruitful as the running back duo of Sam Franklin and Zak Wallace combined for four of the team's six rushing touchdowns. Franklin exploded for 157 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries. The redshirt-freshman scored on carries of 28 and 65 yards to break the game open in the second half. Meanwhile Zak Wallace brought his career rushing touchdown total up to 26 with a pair of scores.
The defensive unit was highlighted by its turnover ability with five interceptions by its graduate performers. Cornerback Tyler Gore got the Skyhawks started with a take away to close out the first quarter before Deven Sims capped off the Racers next offensive drive with his second career interception. Cornerback Shaun Lewis joined in the action in the final minutes of the half with his fourth pick of the season while John H. Ford II and Ty Woods closed out the game with interceptions of their own in the fourth quarter to cement the contest.
Rounding out the team victory was a solid afternoon by specialist Tyler Larco. The junior cashed in a 26-yard field goal while also converting all six point after attempts for nine points to bring his career scoring total up to 150. He also averaged 53.5 yards per punt attempt – including a 67-yard blast – while tallying five touchbacks on kickoffs.
Murray State hung tough in the contest with a bend but don't break defensive recipe. While the Skyhawk offense gashed the secondary, the Racers were able to tally six tackles for loss and hold the high-powered offense in check once in the redzone with three stops and three turnovers on downs.
Quarterback Jayden Stinson had a tough afternoon as he completed just 10-of-25 pass attempts for 173 yards and one touchdown along with the five interceptions. His top target was Taylor Shields who caught four passes for 117 yards, including an 83-yard touchdown reception. Meanwhile on the ground, Jawaun Northington tallied 88 yards and his first career touchdown.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 35, NORTHWESTERN STATE 27
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois scored 35 first half points and then made a defensive stop when it needed it most as the Panthers won their second straight with a 35-27 win over Northwestern State.
The Panthers were able to avoid the Demons running off a third straight late game comeback as Jordan Vincent picked off a pass with 19 seconds remaining to stop one last NSU drive.
EIU improved to 2-3 on the season while NSU fell to 2-4.
The Panthers employed a two quarterback system throughout the game and the results were evident from the start as EIU scored touchdowns on its first four possessions, two led by Jonah O'Brien and two led by Dom Shoffner.
O'Brien capped both of his drives under center with touchdown runs from 10 yards and 11 yards, the second coming with 2:27 left in the first quarter that put the Panthers up 21-7.
Shoffner capped both of his drives with a pair of touchdown runs as well from 27 yards and 2 yards out. Shoffner scored his second touchdown with 12:36 to play in the opening half staking EIU to a 28-7 lead.
The Panthers led 35-7 at the half after Shoffner hit Markenzy Pierre for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 2:56 left in the half.
EIU would rush for 340 yards in the game. Shoffner had 134 yards on 18 carries. Pierre rushed for 71 yards and O'Brien added 64.
Northwestern State's quick-paced offense countered in the second half as Zachary Clement led the Demons on a touchdown drive with 2:03 left in the third to cut into the EIU lead.
A touchdown run by Kennieth Lacy with 9:25 remaining in the game brought NSU within striking distance before Clement hit Zach Patterson for a 17-yard touchdown with 4:44 left to make it a one score game. The extra point was not good as a pass attempt failed following a bad center / holder exchange.
EIU was not able to run the clock out giving NSU the ball one final time with 37 seconds left in the game. The first two attempts of the drive were incomplete before Vincent picked off a pass to seal the Panthers win. It was the second interception of the day for EIU's defense with Tyris Harvey getting one earlier in the game. Alton Jefferson recovered a fumble that was forced by Nick Coates to account for the Panthers third turnover gained in the contest. Coates was one of three EIU players with six tackles joining Elijawah Tolbert and Phoenix Porter.
Clement ended the day passing for 343 yards, his third straight 300-plus yard passing day. Patterson hauled in 12 passes for 167 yards and two scores.
Jomard Valsin led the Demons defense with ten tackles.
LINDENWOOD 52, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 49
CONWAY, Ark. - The Lindenwood football team (3-2) took down Central Arkansas (2-4) 52-49 in a shootout on Saturday on the road in Conway, Ark.
The Lions took the ball to start the game, as a 63-yard run by Andrew Martin on the first play set the tone. Cade Brister later ran the ball in for six-yards out to take an early 7-0 lead. Central Arkansas responded on the ensuing kickoff, as the Bears ran it back 100 yards to tie the game. Lindenwood put together another strong drive, as Dom McManus hauled in his first-career touchdown pass to put the Lions up by seven points. UCA needed just two plays on the next drive to tie the game at 14-14 after the first quarter.
The Lindenwood offense continued to roll, as the Brister capped off an eight-play, 75-yard drive with his one-yard touchdown run. After another Bears touchdown to tie the game, Lindenwood came back with a 10-play drive. Brister found Kobe Smith for a 14-yard pitch and catch to make it a 28-21 lead for the Lions. Central Arkansas answered the bell each time, and tied the game at 28-28 nearing the end of the half. Lindenwood was able to sneak in another one-yard touchdown run by Brister to take a 35-28 lead after 30 minutes of football.
The Bears came out and started the third quarter with a touchdown pass on the first play to immediately tie the game yet again. Brister took the Lions down on a 75-yard drive on the ensuing drive, setting up another short touchdown run. In a game of haymakers, UCA tied the game at 42-42 to keep pace with the Lions. Brister scored the final touchdown of the game for the Lions late in the third quarter on his fifth touchdown rush on the night. For the final time, the Bears tied the game at 49-49, as the slugfest came down to the fourth quarter.
The final 15 minutes was a display of tired teams, but the heart from the Lindenwood squad proved to be the difference maker. At the 9:47 mark of the fourth quarter, Logan Seibert knocked in a 36-yard field goal to put the Lions up 52-49. The Lindenwood defense fought each play to keep the Bears out of the end zone in the last quarter. On the last two plays for the Bears offense, Jayden Patrick and Darion Bolden registered clutch pass breakups to force a turnover, and solidify the wild road win for the Lions.
Lindenwood combined for 641 yards of total offense, and converted on all eight trips into the red zone. Chase Lanckriet hauled in six passes for 119 yards, while Payton Rose compiled 103 yards on five receptions. On his first reception of the game, Rose became the program leader in career receptions. Smith tallied 94 yards in the passing game to go along with his one touchdown. Martin had a strong night running the football, as the senior powered his way for 138 yards for an average of 8.6 yards per carry. Brister tied his career-high for rushing touchdowns in a game with five scores. Brister totaled 475 yards of total offense with seven total touchdowns. The O'Fallon, Mo. native now has 26 rushing touchdowns in his career, ranking his third in the school's record book.
TENNESSEE STATE 41, BETHUNE-COOKMAN 17
NASHVILLE - Behind a crushing defensive effort that forced four turnovers, Tennessee State took down Bethune-Cookman 41-17 at home Saturday night to pick up their first win of the season.
The win improved Tennessee State's record to 1-4 on the season while the BCU fell to 1-4.
Jalen Rouse paced the TSU rushing attack by accumulating 87 yards and one touchdown over the course of the game, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Devon Starling also added 43 yards on the ground, averaging 4.3 yards per carry.
Karate Brenson reeled in three catches for 64 yards.
Josh Green showed out for the Tennessee State defense, collecting four tackles, 1.0 TFL, and one interception for a score. Tre Boone III added one recovered fumble and Cameron Stewart had 1.0 TFL and one recovered fumble in the win.
The TSU won the turnover battle in Saturday's game, forcing four turnovers while coughing the ball up three times, with Tennessee State turning those takeaways into 14 points. Tennessee State converted on 60 percent of third-down attempts on the day.
Tennessee State's defense held up fairly well against the run, limiting Bethune-Cookman to 185 yards on the ground. The TSU defense lived in Bethune-Cookman's backfield all game, collecting four sacks and 10 total tackles for loss.
JMU found itself down early 3-0, but responded to take a 7-3 lead with 3:28 left in the first quarter.The TSU then extended their lead to 14-3 with another score.
Tennessee State kept Bethune-Cookman off the scoreboard and extended its lead to 24-3 with 3:09 remaining in the second quarter.The TSU continued to add to their advantage after Bethune-Cookman closed the gap to 31-10, scoring again to go up 34-10.
Tennessee State kept building its advantage after Bethune-Cookman made it a 34-17 game, scoring again with 4:09 left in the fourth quarter make the score 41-17. Neither team scored again in the game.