Southern Illinois (1-0) vs. Southeast Missouri (0-2)

Date: Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017
Kickoff: 6 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Stadium: Houck Field (10,000)
Surface: FieldTurf
Weather Forecast: Mostly Sunny, 88 degrees
Series History: SEMO leads, 40-36-8
Last Meeting: SIU 30, SEMO 22 (Sept. 10, 2016 / Carbondale, Ill.)
Head Coaches: Tom Matukewicz (12-24, 9-14 OVC at SEMO). Nick Hill (5-7 at SIU).

Media Coverage
Radio: SEMO ESPN 92.9 FM, Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean, Rick Wieser, Rusty Hendricks)
Video: OVC Digital Network
Live Stats: GoSoutheast.com
Twitter: @SEMOFootball
Southeast Missouri Notes

Redhawks Host Salukis Saturday
Southeast Missouri (0-2) plays host to longtime rival Southern Illinois (1-0) in its home-opener Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., CT, at Houck Field.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen to Saturday's game on the radio at ESPN 92.9 FM and Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean, Rick Wieser and Rusty Hendricks will call the action. Video can be accessed online at the OVC Digital Network. Live stats are available at GoSoutheast.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOFootball.

Black Out
Saturday's game is officially deemed a "Black Out." All fans are encouraged to wear black. Free t-shirts will be given to the first 500 students in the Cape Trails Redhawks Nest Student Section. Burrito-Ville is sponsoring the student t-shirt giveaway. Treat cards for a free cone at Andy's Frozen Custard will be given to the first 600 students Cape Trails Redhawks Nest Student Section. In addition, motorcycles are welcome to ride into the stadium and rev their engins as the Redhawks take Houck Field for the first time in 2017.

Series History
Southeast and Southern Illinois meet for the 85th time in 2017. The Redhawks, who played SIU more than any opponent in their football history, hold a 40-36-8 advantage in the all-time series that began in 1909. Southeast ended a four-game losing streak against the Salukis with a 27-24 victory at Houck Field in 2015. The Redhawks are 18-17-4 vs. SIU in Cape Girardeau.

Home-Openers
The Redhawks are 16-10 all-time in home-openers since joining the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision in 1991. Southeast is 2-1 in such games with Tom Matukewicz as its coach, defeating Missouri Baptist, 77-0, on Aug. 28, 2014 and Southern Illinois, 27-24, on Sept. 12, 2015. The Redhawks won their home-opener in eight of the last 11 years.

Against the MVFC
Southeast is 77-95-8 against the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the nation's strongest Football Championship Subdivision conference. The Redhawks faced Southern Illinois (40-36-8), Illinois State (3-7), Indiana State (4-5), Missouri State (28-46), Northern Iowa (1-1) and Western Illinois (1-0) out of the MVFC. A total of seven MVFC schools are ranked in this week's FCS Top-25 Polls.

Final Non-Conference Tilt
The Redhawks host Southern Illinois in their final non-conference matchup this season. Southeast is looking to snap a seven-game losing skid against non-league foes. The Redhawks last non-conference win came against SIU (27-24) on Sept. 12, 2015 at Houck Field.

Matukewicz vs. Southern Illinois
Tom Matukewicz is 1-2 against Southern Illinois as a head coach. Southeast fell to then-#14 SIU, 50-23, in Carbondale during the 2014 season and beat the Salukis, 27-24, in Cape Girardeau in 2015. The Redhawks, who scored 13 fourth-quarter points, dropped a 30-22 decision at SIU on Sept. 10, 2016.

Old Stomping Grounds
Southern Illinois was once home to Southeast head coach Tom Matukewicz and defensive coordinator Bryce Saia. Matukewicz spent seven seasons under head coach Jerry Kill at SIU. As linebackers coach and run-game coordinator, Matukewicz had a big hand in three Missouri Valley Football championships (2003, 2004, 2005) and five NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playo  berths (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007). He was named the 2007 FCS Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association after helping turn the Salukis into one of the top rushing defenses in the nation. Saia coached the defensive line for four years (2004-07). The Salukis ranked either first or second in the MVFC during his tenure, and had the top-ranked scoring defense in the FCS in 2004. Saia was also with Matukewicz at Toledo for two seasons.

Matukewicz vs. Hill
Second-year Southern Illinois head coach Nick Hill was a quarterback when Tom Matukewicz was part of Jerry Kill's staff at SIU. Hill played for the Salukis from 2005-07. All three of those teams Hill was on made the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs. Hill, who ranks on several record lists at SIU, came one win away from leading the Salukis to the FCS National Championship game in 2007. Hill is 1-0 against Matukewicz's Redhawks.

Coming Together
Longtime rivals Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois stood beseide each other to show support for a great cause on July 21. SIU Hall of Fame quarterback Joel Sambursky and his family recently welcomed a baby boy to the world, but Theodore was born with some health complications. That day, friends of the family and other programs across the country rallied behind the Samburskys. Teddy turned 100 days old on July 21 and the SEMO football coaches and student-athletes participated in a 100-yard run at Houck Field to lend their support. Players and coaches were divided into teams of three. Two members of the team carried the other person for the entire 100-yard jaunt.
 
The Last Time . . .
Southeast and Southern Illinois met at Houck Field, Ryan McCrum kicked a 42-yard field goal with five seconds left to send the Redhawks to a 27-24 victory on Sept. 12, 2015. McCrum missed three-straight field goals before coming on to kick the game-winner. Southeast's defense forced seven turnovers in the game, including four fumbles and three interceptions.

It's Been Awhile
The Redhawks are looking to beat Southern Illinois for the second-straight time in Cape Girardeau after last beating the Salukis, 27-24, at Houck Field in 2015. The last time Southeast won consecutive games against SIU at Houck Field was 1953 (32-6) and 1955 (7-0).

Seven to Go
Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference and All-American outside linebacker Chad Meredith is inching closer to 200 career tackles. Meredith led Southeast with six tackles at Kansas (Sept. 2) and 11 at Dayton (Sept. 9). He currently has 193 total stops. Meredith has started 24-straight games and is sixth in career tackles for loss (26) and 12th in career sacks (8.5) at Southeast.

McWilliams Gets First Southeast Start
University of South Carolina transfer Rico McWilliams made his first start at cornerback for Southeast at Dayton (Sept. 9). McWilliams recorded two tackles against the Flyers. He started 18 games in the last three years at South Carolina. McWilliams started 10 games and recorded 32 tackles for the Gamecocks in 2016.

Billington On the Rise
Wide receiver Trevon Billington had another strong performance at Dayton (Sept. 9). Billington, who caught a touchdown pass in each of his first two starts this season, had six catches for a career-high 135 yards against the Flyers. He was on the receiving end of a 68-yard touchdown pass from Jesse Hosket in the third quarter, the Redhawks longest completion of the season to date. Billington leads Southeast in yards per catch (17.9), receiving yards per game (89.5) and receiving yards (179) through the first two weeks of 2017.

First Lead
Trevon Billington's 68-yard touchdown reception gave Southeast its first lead of the 2017 season with 8:58 remaining in the third quarter at Dayton (Sept. 9). Billington's second career touchdown put the Redhawks ahead, 17-16.

Terry Springs for First 100-Yard Game
Tailback Marquis Terry ran for 111 yards and a touchdown at Dayton (Sept. 9). Terry averaged 4.4 yards per carry on 25 attempts. He scored the first touchdown of his Southeast career on a 3-yard run with 7:41 left to play in the second quarter. Terry ranks third in the Ohio Valley Conference in rushing with just under 100 yards per game (99).

Start Tracker
Outside linebacker Chad Meredith carries a streak of 24-straight starts into Saturday's game against Southern Illinois. Jesse Hosket started 13-consecutive games since he took over as Southeast's quarterback in 2016. Hosket is the Redhawks first quarterback to start back-to-back seasons in six years. Meanwhile, Drew Forbes has started 13 games in a row at left tackle. In addition, senior Alex Snyder has started 23 of his last 24 games. Snyder started 11 games at left tackle and 12 at right tackle during his career.

Hosket Approaching 3,000 Passing Yards
Quarterback Jesse Hosket is approaching 3,000 passing yards in his two-year Southeast career. Hosket has thrown for 2,753 yards in 13 starts under center. He needs 247 to hit that mark. Hosket's 2,332 passing yards in 2016 were fifth-most in a season at Southeast.

Back-to-Back Road Games
The Redhawks opened a season with back-to-back road games for the second-straight year. Southeast fell to Football Bowl Subdivision Kansas, 38-16, on Sept. 2 and Dayton, 25-23, on Sept. 9. The Redhawks began a season with consecutive road contests for the third time in five years.

Welcome to the Club
A total of 10 players, including wide receiver Trevon Billington, safety Bydarrius Knighten, running back Marquis Terry, left guard Kyle Thies, cornerback Shabari Davis, center Lucas Orchard, right guard Junior Pierre, nose tackle Reggie Miles, tight end Broedy Wheeler and cornerback Rico McWilliams made their first career starts this season. Terry, Thies, Davis, Orchard, Pierre, Miles and McWilliams are all first-year players at Southeast.

Multiple TD Passes
Quarterback Jesse Hosket completed 20-of-32 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns in his last start at Dayton (Sept. 9). Hosket engineered a nine-play, 87-yard scoring drive in a quick 1:01 to pull the Redhawks to within two points with 46 seconds left. He threw for two touchdowns in four of his last five starts dating back to last season.

On the Double
Chad Meredith led Southeast with 11 tackles at Dayton (Sept. 9) becoming the first Redhawk this season to get double-digit tackles in a game. That performance marked the sixth time Meredith finished a game with 10 or more tackles in his career.

Receiving Duo
Redhawk receivers Kristian Wilkerson and Trevon Billington each rank among the top 10 Ohio Valley Conference leaders in receptions and receiving yards per game. Wilkerson tops the league with nine catches per game, while Billington is sixth with five receptions per contest. Billington ranks third with 89.5 receiving yards per game and Wilkerson is sixth with 78 per contest. Both are also tied for third in scoring touchdowns with two apiece. Additionally, Wilkerson is third in the Football Championship Subdivision in receptions per game.

Terry on the Carry
Marquis Terry ran the ball 25 times in his most recent start at Dayton (Sept. 9). Terry's 25 carries were more than any Southeast running back had in a game all of last year. His 48 carries are most by any running back in the Ohio Valley Conference this young season. In addition, Terry is one of three backs in the OVC to rush for over 100 yards in a game through the first two weeks of the 2017 campaign.

Scoring Streak
The Redhawks presently have the third-longest scoring streak in the Ohio Valley Conference. Southeast has scored in 68-consecutive games and ranks behind Murray State (134) and UT Martin (82) in that category. The last time the Redhawks were shutout in a game was at Purdue (59-0) on Sept. 17, 2011.