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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Left-footed kicker
Alex Knight kicked a game-winning 30-yard field goal to send Southeast Missouri (1-5, 1-2) to its first win of the season with a 37-34 triple overtime thriller over Murray State (4-3, 2-1) Saturday afternoon at Missouri National Guard Field/Houck Stadium.
Southeast scored 10 points and recovered a fumble, while Murray State missed a field goal and forced a turnover of its own during a wild overtime period.
"This was a made-for-TV football game," said an elated Southeast head coach Tony Samuel. "We played three overtimes, and in my mind, won the first half. I feel like they won the third quarter, but then both teams were standing up and fighting. It was great and our kids really hung in there."
The Redhawks, who improved to 6-1 all-time in overtime games since moving to the NCAA Division I level, snapped an eight-game losing streak dating back to Nov. 3, 2012. Southeast also ended a streak of five-straight losses in Ohio Valley Conference play.
In his second start of the season, quarterback
Scott Lathrop threw for a career-high 247 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for another score. He tied the game at 27-27 on an 18-yard scoring strike to
Paul McRoberts with less than a minute left to play in regulation.
Southeast built its first halftime with the help of a 1-yard run by Lathrop and a 78-yard touchdown pass from Lathrop to
D.J. Foster in the second quarter. The Redhawks led, 13-3, at the intermission, as the three first-half points were the fewest allowed by Southeast against a Football Championship Subdivision opponent this year.
The Racers later trailed 20-6 in the third quarter, but mounted a comeback to take a 27-20 advantage midway through the fourth.
Lathrop then found McRoberts again, this time on a 15-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 34-34 on the Redhawks first overtime possession.
Both teams turned the ball over the second time they had the ball.
Jordan Benton then missed a 42-yard field goal before Southeast took over. Knight's first career field goal split the uprights on the eighth play of that possession to end the game.
Lathrop completed 19-of-32 passes and had a hand in all five of Southeast's touchdowns. He also ran for 94 yards on 24 carries.
Foster caught five passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns, while McRoberts followed with 76 yards and two TDs on six catches.
Defensively,
Wisler Ymonice paved the way with 12 tackles for Southeast.
Cantrell Andrews and
Austin Black added nine apiece. Black also had two big sacks on the afternoon.
Maikhail Miller threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns on 30-of-45 passes for Murray State. Walter Powell also had a game-high 15 receptions for 158 yards and two touchdowns.
Southeast finished with a season-high 469 yards of total offense, while the Racers tallied 493. The Redhawks gained 222 of their yards on the ground.
The Redhawks return to action when they visit OVC leader and No. 4/5 Eastern Illinois on Oct. 19.