Week Zero came to an end on Saturday as Southeast Missouri won at Indiana State while Tennessee State came up short in the John Merritt Classic.
 

SATURDAY'S SCORES
Southeast Missouri 23, @Indiana State 21	Box Score
Jackson State 26, @Tennessee State 24 (John Merritt Classic)	Box Score

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 23, INDIANA STATE 21
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Southeast Missouri (1-0) began its 2026 season with a 23-21 win over Missouri Valley Football Conference member Indiana State (0-1) Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.

Justin Keller made three field goals and scored 11 of his team's points guiding SEMO to its second season-opening win in three years and 12th overall since joining the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.

SEMO struck first after Pervis Brunson tackled Spencer Conrad short of a first down on a fake punt. Brunson's play gave the Redhawks excellent field position at the ISU 29-yard line. On the seventh play of the drive, Khyair Spain ran to his left for eight yards into the end zone for his first career SEMO touchdown giving the Redhawks a 7-0 lead with 3:13 remaining in the first quarter.

Less than two minutes into the second quarter, ISU tied things up. Elijah Owens threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to KeShon Singleton capping a 9-play, 75-yard drive with 13:57 on the clock. A 36-yard completion from Braylen Ragland to Jobe Bryant put SEMO in field goal range with eight seconds left. On the next play, Keller kicked a 42-yard field goal to put the Redhawks ahead, 10-7, at the half.

A 42-yard kickoff return by Khylen Harris-Norman started things off for the Redhawks in the second half. Andrew Civey then caught three passes for 27 yards to get SEMO to the ISU 32-yard line. Two plays later, Ragland hooked up with John Anthony, Jr. for an 18-yard touchdown to stretch the Redhawks lead to 17-7 with 12:16 to go in the third quarter. 

The Sycamores made it a one-score game putting together a 10-play, 84-yard march that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Ashton Hayes. Hayes' TD trimmed SEMO's lead to 17-14 with 1:51 left to play. On its next possession, SEMO settled for a 43-yard field goal by Keller to grab a 20-14 advantage at the 12:30 mark in the fourth quarter.

ISU managed to take its only lead of the night when Owens threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Reed. Reed's score gave the Sycamores a 21-20 cushion with 10:26 to go. Keller, however, came up big again for the Redhawks. This time, his 45-yard field goal reclaimed a 23-21 edge with 7:04 left.

SEMO's defense forced ISU to punt and that would be the last time the Sycamores had the ball. The Redhawks took over on downs with a little over four minutes remaining and picked up two first downs along the way. SEMO ran out the clock following Spain's 4-yard run.

Tom Matukewicz picked up his first win over ISU as SEMO's head coach. The three matchups with the Sycamores (2015, 2016, 2026) with Matukewicz at the helm were decided by a combined six points.

Both teams were close in terms of rushing yards (ISU 58, SEMO 53), passing yards (ISU 288, SEMO 274) and total offense (ISU 346, SEMO 327).

Ragland, in his first career start as SEMO's quarterback, completed 26-of-36 passes for 274 yards and one touchdown. Anthony, Jr. finished with six receptions for 88 yards and one touchdown, while Spain ran for 66 yards and one touchdown. Anthony, Jr. and Spain made their Redhawk debuts, as well.

Defensively, DJ Delmore paved the way with a career-high 13 tackles. The Redhawks added four sacks, 11 tackles for loss and one turnover too.


JACKSON STATE 26, TENNESSEE STATE 24
NASHVILLE -  Tennessee State took a 24-23 lead on Daylin Lee's 5-yard touchdown pass to Francisco Pratts III with 8:48 remaining, but Jackson State answered with a 15-play, 77-yard drive and Andrew Ivaniciuc's 21-yard field goal with 2:31 left to hand TSU a 26-24 loss Saturday night at FirstBank Stadium.

Tennessee State drove from its 25-yard line to the Jackson State 7 on its final possession. A delay-of-game penalty and a sack pushed TSU back before the drive ended on downs with 53 seconds remaining.

Tennessee State dropped to 0-1, while Jackson State improved to 1-0.

Lee completed 23 of 41 passes for 265 yards and a touchdown without an interception. He also led TSU with 40 rushing yards on 13 carries and scored on a 1-yard run.

Brenton Paul added 38 yards on nine carries, including a 9-yard touchdown. Jayden Guy caught nine passes for 148 yards, while Cam Bulluck finished with seven receptions for 53 yards. Pratts had two catches for 11 yards and the fourth-quarter touchdown.

Brendan Hale led the Tennessee State defense with a game-high 10 tackles. Epoki Fakaosi added six stops, while Brandon Collins recorded 1.5 tackles for loss and shared TSU's lone sack with Jaylon Price.

Tennessee State converted 12 of 19 third-down opportunities, controlled possession for 33:01 and did not commit a turnover. Jackson State finished 6 of 14 on third down.

Jackson State outgained TSU 402-354, including a 180-89 advantage on the ground. Jared Lockhart completed 17 of 26 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown. Nate Blount IV rushed for 101 yards on 15 carries, and Jabari Jones caught four passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Ivaniciuc made four of five field-goal attempts, connecting from 38, 45, 51 and 21 yards.

Jackson State opened the scoring when Lockhart connected with Jones for an 88-yard touchdown with 7:46 remaining in the first quarter.

Tennessee State responded with a 13-play, 75-yard drive. Paul completed the possession with a 9-yard touchdown run, and Preston Hurless tied the score with the extra point at the 2:04 mark.

After Ivaniciuc missed a 25-yard field-goal attempt early in the second quarter, TSU drove 80 yards in 10 plays and took a 14-7 lead on Lee's 1-yard touchdown run with 6:49 remaining in the half.

Hurless extended the lead to 17-7 with a 45-yard field goal with 1:56 left. Ivaniciuc answered with a 38-yard field goal in the final minute, sending TSU into halftime with a 17-10 advantage.

Jackson State scored 13 unanswered points in the third quarter. Ivaniciuc made field goals from 45 and 51 yards, while Emari Matthews scored on a 2-yard run to put Jackson State ahead 23-17.

Tennessee State regained the lead with a 14-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 7:20 and extended into the fourth quarter. Lee completed the march with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Pratts, and Hurless' extra point gave TSU a 24-23 advantage.

Jackson State began its final scoring drive at its 20-yard line with 8:44 remaining. The possession included a fourth-and-1 conversion and a TSU pass-interference penalty that moved the ball to the 9. Tennessee State kept Jackson State out of the end zone, but Ivaniciuc converted the go-ahead field goal from 21 yards.

TSU moved 68 yards on its final possession, reaching the Jackson State 7. After an incomplete pass, a delay-of-game penalty and a 7-yard sack, the drive ended on fourth down at the Jackson State 29.