Big Fourth Quarter Sends Redhawks to Dramatic 31-27 Win Over Austin Peay

Saturday, October 13

Cape Girardeau, Mo.

1:00 PM

Southeast Missouri State University

4-2 , 2-1

Austin Peay

3-4 , 1-3

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Austin Peay	6	7	0	14	27
Southeast Missouri	3	0	7	21	31

Photo by: Marc Mahnke

10/13/2018 5:59:00 PM | Football

Box Score Highlights Final Statistics Photos

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Preseason All-American tailback Marquis Terry scored the game-winning touchdown on a 2-yard plunge with 15 seconds left, Daniel Santacaterina threw for 344 yards and three touchdowns and Jerrick Orr had 163 receiving yards to lead Southeast Missouri (4-2, 2-1) to a thrilling 31-27 come-from-behind win over Austin Peay (3-4, 1-3) Saturday.

SEMO scored 21 points in the final 15 minutes and used a huge fourth-down conversion to set up its decisive score.

"That was awesome," said SEMO head coach Tom Matukewicz. "We made some big plays down the stretch and it was a great team victory. I'm proud of how we won the fourth quarter as our offense and defense both put us in position to win the game."

On fourth-and-15 at the APSU 40-yard line, Santacaterina heaved the ball downfield. Orr jumped over a Governors defender and made a spectacular catch to keep the Redhawks drive alive with less than 30 seconds left. Two plays later, Terry crossed the goal line for his team-high seventh rushing touchdown.

The Redhawks trailed, 13-10, entering the exciting fourth quarter which saw a combined 35 points scored. Santacaterina completed 10 of his final 14 passes of the game after going 9-of-23. All three of his passing touchdowns came in the last period.

Santacaterina threw a 19-yard pass to Austin Crump to grab SEMO's first lead of the game at 17-13 with 13:55 left to play. Crump's third touchdown on four receptions this season capped an 8-play, 96-yard march.

Tre Nation found the end zone from six yards out to regain a 20-17 edge for APSU as the see-saw fourth quarter continued.

SEMO, however, countered when Santacaterina threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Zack Smith. Smith slipped a tackle and raced to the end zone putting the Redhawks ahead, 24-20, at the 7:30 mark.

The Governors faced a fourth-and-4 at the SEMO 17-yard line on their ensuing drive when Jeremiah Oatsvall hooked up with DeAngelo Wilson for a 17-yard touchdown to put APSU back on top, 27-24, with 3:41 remaining.

APSU led 13-3 at halftime following a 13-yard run by Kentel Williams in the first quarter and 23-yard touchdown pass from Oatsvall to Wilson just before the intermission.

Santacaterina completed passes of 15, 22 and 37 yards to move SEMO to the APSU 3 before Terry's touchdown polished off the clutch 9-play, 73-yard strike.

Santacaterina threw for over 300 yards in his second-straight start, completing 14-of-37 passes on the day. He also went without being sacked.

Orr's career-high 163 yards were most by a Redhawk receiver since Paul McRoberts had 169 vs. Murray State on Oct. 3, 2015.

SEMO finished with 497 yards of total offense.

Defensively, the Redhawks held APSU to 3-of-11 on third down. Zach Hall was one of three double-digit tacklers for SEMO, paving the way with a game-high 14 stops. Hall added three tackles for loss and a sack. He is now 12^thall -time in career tackles for loss with 23.5.

Justin Swift and Bydarrius Knighten followed with 12 and 10 tackles, respectively.

SEMO improved to 5-0 in home Ohio Valley Conference openers under Matukewicz. The Redhawks also evened their record to 14-14 in homecoming games since joining the NCAA Division I ranks.

The Redhawks, who have won two in a row and four of their last five, host OVC leader and #7 Jacksonville State on Oct. 20.