Redhawks Lose Season Finale to #3 Jacksonville State, 49-30

Saturday, November 22

Cape Girardeau, Mo.

1:00 PM

Southeast Missouri State University

5-7 , 3-5

Jacksonville State

10-1 , 8-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Jacksonville State	21	7	14	7	49
Southeast Missouri	7	3	14	6	30

Paul McRoberts posted his third 100-yard receiving performance this season

11/22/2014 5:08:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Final Statistics | Postgame Notes | Photo Gallery

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri (5-7, 3-5) ended its 2014 season with a 49-30 loss to No. 3 Jacksonville State (10-1, 8-0) Saturday afternoon at Missouri National Guard Field/Houck Stadium.

The Ohio Valley Conference champion Gamecocks jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and finished with 612 yards of total offense. JSU averaged 7.2 yards per play and converted 68.8 percent (11-of-16) of the time on third down.

"We were able to move the ball offensively and I was pleased with that," said Southeast head coach Tom Matukewicz. "Our guys battled and never gave up."

JSU went to work early, scoring three touchdowns in the first 7:32.

Eli Jenkins took off for a 26-yard run on the second play from scrimmage to get the Gamecocks into Southeast territory. Seven plays later, DaMarcus James scored from 13 yards out on a 3^rd-and-1, giving JSU a 7-0 lead less than three minutes in.

After a Southeast punt, JSU had the ball at its own 27-yardline. On the third play, Jenkins tossed a 58-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Bo Brummell, pushing the Gamecocks lead to 14-0 with 10:10 left to play in the first quarter. That score came in a short 48 seconds and capped a 73-yard drive.

Jaylen Hill intercepted Kyle Snyder's pass at the Southeast-34. JSU then faced a 4^th-and-9 when Jenkins delivered a 30-yard touchdown pass to Ruben Gonzalez. Gonzalez jumped to make the catch in the back left corner of the end zone with Reggie Jennings defending on the play.

DeMichael Jackson sent a jolt in the Redhawks when he gained 29 yards on four-straight carries to move Southeast to the JSU 46-yardline. Snyder took over from there, running for 19 yards on three carries.

After picking up another two yards, Snyder then threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Paul McRoberts. McRoberts' ninth touchdown reception of the season narrowed the Gamecocks lead to 21-7 with 2:39 remaining.

JSU marched 88 yards in nearly six minutes for its fourth-straight score. Jenkins' 26-yard pass on a 3^rd-and-11 kept the drive alive. Once the Gamecocks got inside the Redhawks 30-yardline, James and Troymaine Pope shared carries to close out the drive. James' 1-yard fourth-down plunge extended JSU's lead to 28-7 at the 11:39 mark.

Southeast's ensuing 10-play, 65-yard drive resulted in a 25-yard field goal, as the Redhawks cut the Gamecocks lead to 28-10 at halftime. McCrum broke Southeast's single-season field goal record on that kick. He surpassed Mike Wood who made 17 field goals in 1976.

The Redhawks and Gamecocks traded touchdowns in a see-saw second half.

Tim Hamm-Bey picked off Jenkins and ran six yards to the Southeast 43-yardline. The Redhawks capitalized on the turnover when Snyder hooked up with Adrian Davis on a 19-yard strike to make it a 28-17 game with 10:59 left in the third quarter.

Snyder also completed 9-yard passes to Jackson and McRoberts, and a 5-yard pass to Tyler Manne before hitting Davis. For Manne, it was his first career reception.

JSU, however, answered right back with an 8-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in a 18-yard run by Pope to give the Gamecocks a 35-17 advantage with 7:35 on the clock. James had a 28-yard run to help set up Pope's third-down score.

Southeast responded with a touchdown of its own, this time a 2-yard rush by Jackson. Snyder threw a 44-yard completion to McRoberts for a first down at the JSU-4. Jaylen Hill was then penalized for pass interference after making contact with McRoberts on the next play before Jackson crossed the goal line.

After JSU called timeout during its next possession, Jenkins picked up a first down on a 3^rd-and-9 to extend another drive. Jenkins threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Dalton Screws three plays later. Screws sprinted down the near sideline to widen the Gamecocks lead to 42-24 with two minutes left.

JSU and Southeast each found the end zone once more in the fourth quarter.

Christian LeMay scored on a 1-yard run with 7:41 left to play and Logan Larson caught his first career touchdown pass on a 5-yard throw from Snyder with 3:32 remaining.

Pope and James each rushed for over 100 yards. Pope had 114 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and James followed with 111 yards and two scores on 12 attempts. James averaged a game-high 9.2 yards per carry, as well.

Jenkins completed 11-of-16 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns, adding to JSU's offensive assault.

Meanwhile, Snyder threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-27 passes. Snyder broke the school's single-season record in total offense, ending his career with 3,243 total yards in 2014.

McRoberts caught a game and career-high eight passes for 135 yards and a touchdown, his second-straight 100-yard receiving performance.

Defensively, the Redhawks had four double-digit tacklers led by Wisler Ymonice's 12 stops. Matt Starks and Daniel Siehndel followed with 11 apiece and Jenning chipped in 10.

Saturday marked the final game at Southeast for 20 seniors. Zach Clouse, Ron Coleman, Mike Cyliax, Spencer Davis, Ron Davis, Justin Elias, Kyle Finney, Hamm-Bey, Jennings, Myles Littlejohn, Lennies McFerren, Lucas Melo, Sam Poole, Corey Porter, Ben Schmidt, Siehndel, David Smart, Snyder, Starks and Ymonice were all honored prior to kickoff.

"Our seniors have done a lot of great things here," said Matukewicz. They helped lay the foundation for our program and I want them to continue to be a part of it."