Southeast Missouri (2-1) at Eastern Kentucky (1-2)

Date: Saturday, September 22, 2018
Kickoff: 3 p.m., CT
Location: Richmond, Ky.
Stadium: Roy Kidd Stadium (20,000)
Surface: Synthetic Turf
Weather Forecast: Scattered Thunderstorms, 80 degrees
Series History: EKU leads, 24-4
Last Meeting: SEMO 29, EKU 10 (Sept. 30, 2017 / Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Tom Matukewicz (18-31 overall; 17-31 at SEMO; 12-19 OVC). Mark Elder (8-17 overall; 8-17 at EKU; 5-11 OVC).

Media Coverage
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM; ESPN 1220 AM (Erik Sean)
Video: ESPN+  
Live Stats: EKUSports.com
Twitter: @SEMOFootball
Southeast Missouri Notes

Redhawks Head to Eastern Kentucky
Southeast Missouri (2-1) opens Ohio Valley Conference play on the road when it travels to Eastern Kentucky (1-2) Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m., CT, at Roy Kidd Stadium.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen to Saturday's game live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean will call the action. Video can be accessed online at ESPN+. Live stats are available at EKUSports.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOFootball.

OVC Openers
Southeast Missouri is 9-18 all-time in Ohio Valley Conference openers. This year marks only the second time SEMO and Eastern Kentucky meet to start conference play. The Redhawks and Colonels last squared off against each other to open their OVC schedule on Sept. 30, 2000. EKU won that game, 48-24, in Richmond. SEMO starts OVC play on the road for the third-straight season.

Series History
Eastern Kentucky leads the all-time series against Southeast Missouri by a count of 24-4. The Redhawks ended a six-game losing streak in the series when they beat the Colonels, 29-10, on Sept. 30, 2017 in Cape Girardeau. SEMO is looking to snap a six-game losing streak in the series again, this time in games played at Roy Kidd Stadium. The Redhawks are 2-12 against the Colonels in Richmond and last won there on Oct. 18, 2003 (41-38).

Bluegrass State
Southeast Missouri has four players on its roster from Kentucky and all have started at least once this season. Wide receiver Zack Smith (Louisville) and linebackers Marcus Goree (Elizabethtown), Zach Hall (Louisville) and Omardrick Douglas (Louisville) form that group. Both Elizabethtown and Louisville are less than a two-hour drive from Richmond, Kentucky.

Preseason Picks
Eastern Kentucky was picked fifth, two spots ahead of Southeast Missouri, in this year's Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll. EKU tallied 69 points and the Redhawks garnered 62 in the overall voting by the league's Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors.

Matukewicz in OVC Openers
Southeast Missouri head coach Tom Matukewicz is 3-1 in Ohio Valley Conference openers. The Redhawks began league play with wins against UT Martin (2014) and Murray State (2015, 2016) under Matukewicz. Three of SEMO's first four OVC openers have been decided by four or less points with Matukewicz at the helm.

Receiving Votes
Southeast Missouri received five votes in this week's STATS FCS Top 25 Poll. The last time the Redhawks received votes in the STATS Top 25 Poll was also the week after it beat Southern Illinois in 2015. SEMO received nine votes in the Sept. 14 version of the poll that year.

Against the OVC
Fifth-year Southeast Missouri head coach Tom Matukewicz is 12-19 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Matukewicz has at least one win against seven of the eight league schools. Jacksonville State is the only OVC team he hasn't beat. Here is a breakdown of Matukewicz'a records in the conference:
vs. Austin Peay    3-1
vs. Eastern Illinois    1-3
vs. Eastern Kentucky    1-3
vs. Jacksonville State    0-4
vs. Murray State    3-1
vs. Tennessee State    1-2
vs. Tennessee Tech    2-2
vs. UT Martin    1-3

Sack Tracker
The Redhawk defense has recorded a sack in 10 of its last 11 games dating back to last season. So far, Demarcus Rogers, Ryan Ochoa and Bryson Donnell each have one sack this year. Southeast Missouri led the Ohio Valley Conference and ranked sixth in the Football Championship Subdivision with 37 sacks in 2017.

Oh Snap!
Southeast Missouri snapped a 10-game losing streak on the road when it took down rival Southern Illinois, 48-44, on Sept. 15. The Redhawks are 4-21 all-time on the road under head coach Tom Matukewicz. The Redhawks beat UT Martin (2014), Austin Peay (2015) and Murray State (2016) in addition to SIU for those victories away from home. SEMO's last win on the road was at Murray State (17-16) on Sept. 24, 2016.

Record Setter
Senior running back Marquis Terry was unstoppable in the Redhawks latest win at Southern Illinois (Sept. 15). Terry broke single-game Southeast Missouri and Ohio Valley Conference records in rushing (311) and all-purpose yardage (438). His 311 yards rushing and 438 all-purpose yards are the most by a player at any level of NCAA football (FBS, FCS, II, III) this season.

Unanimous Choice
Marquis Terry was a unanimous choice for the Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 16. Terry carried the ball 30 times (10.4 ypc) and scored four touchdowns on runs of 74, 23, 11 and 10 in his record 311-yard performance at Southern Illinois (Sept. 15). He also caught one pass for 13 yards and returned five kickoffs for 114 yards en route to his record 438 all-purpose yards. Terry, who had an upset stomach prior to kickoff at SIU, became the first running back in Southeast MIssouri's Division I era to rush for over 200 yards in back-to-back games. SEMO won at least one OVC weekly honor in each of the first three weeks of the season. Terry is the Redhawks second-straight OVC Offensive Player of the Week after Daniel Santacaterina took the award on Sept. 9. It is the first time in four years since SEMO had an OVC Offensive Player of the Week in consecutive weeks (Paul McRoberts, Sept. 21; Peter Lloyd, Sept. 28, 2014).

Turnover Battle 
Southeast Missouri won the turnover battle in all three of its games this season. The Redhawk defense leads the Ohio Valley Conference and ranks third in the Football Championship Subdivision with a +8 turnover margin. SEMO forced a season-high four turnovers at Southern Illinois (Sept. 15). SEMO leads the OVC and ranks second in the FCS with six interceptions and is fourth in the nation with nine turnovers gained. The Redhawks are just four interceptions away from matching their season total of 10 interceptions a year ago. 

Mr. Perfect 
Nicholas Litang is the only kicker in the Ohio Valley Conference who has not missed a kick in three games this season. Litang is a perfect 13-of-13 in PATs and 4-of-4 in field goals. His 25 points are the most scored by a kicker in the league. Litang is averaging 8.3 points per game. He leads the Football Championship Subdivision in field goal percentage and is 20th in field goals per game (1.3).

Terry Wins Four Weekly Awards
Following the best single-game rushing performance in Southeast Missouri football history, Marquis Terry won four weekly awards. Terry was named both the Ohio Valley Conference (Sept. 16) and STATS (Sept. 17) Offensive Player of the Week. He was also tabbed the College Sports Madness OVC and National Offensive Player of the Week. Terry is SEMO's second-straight OVC Offensive Player of the Week. He is also the Redhawks first offensive player to win a National Player of the Week award since Dante Vandeven was named STATS Freshman of the Week in 2015.

Race to 1,000 Yards
In just three starts this season, tailback Marquis Terry is already more than halfway to 1,000 rushing yards. Terry leads the Ohio Valley Conference and is second in the nation with 590 rushing yards. He leads the nation and the OVC with six rushing touchdowns and tops the league and rates second in the Football Championship Subdivision with 196.7 rushing yards per game. Terry is 410 yards away from hitting the 1,000 mark for the second year in a row after rushing for a team-high 1,076 yards last season. Currently, Eastern Kentucky's Daryl McCleskey is the next closest to Terry in the OVC with 311 yards this year.

Last Time it Happened
If Marquis Terry rushes for over 1,000 yards this season he will become only the second running back in Southeast Missouri history to run for over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Kelvin Anderson, SEMO's all-time leading rusher, surpassed 1,000 yards in three-straight seasons (1,371 in 1992; 1,016 in 1993; 1,005 in 1994).

Working With Purpose
In addition to his success running the football, Marquis Terry is gaining yards in other ways too. Terry broke the Southeast Missouri and Ohio Valley Conference record with 438 all-purpose yards at Southern Illinois (Sept. 15). He picked up 311 rushing yards, caught one pass for 13 yards and returned five kickoffs for 114 yards against the Salukis. That performance alone put Terry at the top of the OVC and all of NCAA football (FBS, FCS, II, III) with 264.6 all-purpose yards per game.

Now Trending
Southeast Missouri has three winning seasons in its NCAA Division I era (since 1991). All three of those winning seasons came at eight-year intervals (1994, 2002, 2010). The 2018 campaign marks eight years from SEMO's last winning record. The Redhawks went 9-3, won their only Ohio Valley Conference title and made the NCAA Playoffs that 2010 season. And, SEMO beat then-ranked #5 Southern Illinois, 24-21, in Carbondale during week three, like it did this year.

Terry Cracks Top 10
Marquis Terry placed himself among Southeast Missouri's top 10 career leaders in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, most 100-yard games, rushing yards per carry and 200-yard games. Terry enters the week ranked 10th in rushing yards (1,666), tied for ninth in rushing touchdowns (13) and most 100-yard games (6), third in rushing yards per carry (5.7) and tied for first in most 200-yard games (2).

Going for Three in a Row
The Redhawks go for their third-straight win when they travel to Eastern Kentucky this weekend. If SEMO wins, it will mark the first time the Redhawks put together a three-game winning streak since 2014, Tom Matukewicz's first year as head coach. The Redhawks beat Southeastern Louisiana (24-23), UT Martin (31-27) and Tennessee State (28-21) during that stretch. Both Southeastern Louisiana and Tennessee State were ranked when they lost to the Redhawks in 2014.

Winning Non-Conference
Southeast Missouri wrapped up the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 2-1 record. SEMO posted back-to-back non-conference victories for the first time in 11 years beating Dayton, 40-21, on Sept. 8 and Southern Illinois, 48-44, on Sept. 15. The Redhawks won their consecutive non-conference games on exactly the same dates in 2007 when they defeated Southwest Baptist, 38-17, on Sept. 8 and Indiana State, 13-10, Sept. 15. SEMO enjoyed its first non-conference winning record since 2010.

Crump Delivers
Redshirt-sophomore tight end Austin Crump never had a touchdown in his life until the Southern Illinois game on Sept. 15. Two of Crump's first three career receptions were touchdowns and they were huge. He scored the Redhawks first and last touchdowns of the contest. Crump made a 7-yard touchdown pass to narrow SIU's lead to 10-7 with 2:25 left to play in the first quarter. Then, with 25 seconds left, Crump caught the game-winning 14-yard pass from Daniel Santacaterina in the fourth quarter. Crump finished with three receptions for 23 yards in his third career start.

This Guy's a Winner
Daniel Santacaterina improved to 2-1 as Southeast Missouri's starting quarterback following another efficient game at Southern Illinois (Sept. 15). Santacaterina completed 18-of-31 passes (58 percent) for 179 yards and two touchdowns. He completed passes to eight different Redhawk receivers and also rushed for 22 yards. Santacaterina has engineered nine scoring drives of 70 or more yards in three games. After SEMO had the ball at its own 24 with 1:45 left against SIU, Santacaterina threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Austin Crump with 25 seconds left to cap a big 7-play, 76-yard march on the Redhawks final drive. He begins the week ranked third in the Ohio Valley Conference in passing average (179 ypg), fifth in pass efficiency (149.2) and tied for fifth in total offense (185 ypg). His six passing touchdowns are second behind UT Martin's Dresser Winn (7). Nationally, Santacaterina is 19th in passing touchdowns and 25th in completion percentage (.653).

Redhawks Produce
After ranking sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference with just over 20 points per game (20.5) last season, Southeast Missouri has already jumped to second in the league in scoring with an average of 36.3 points per game in its first three contests. SEMO is also third in the league in rushing offense (228.7 ypg), fourth in total offense (432.3 ypg), fifth in passing offense (203.7 ypg) and fourth in pass efficiency (138.6). The Redhawks 48 points against Southern Illinois (Sept. 15) tied for 10th most in a game in SEMO's Division I era. Additionally, the Redhawks averaged 44 points in their last two games alone, marking the first time they scored over 40 points in back-to-back non-conference games in their D-I history.

First Win
The Redhawks picked up their first win of the season with a 40-21 victory over Pioneer League member Dayton (Sept. 8). Southeast Missouri scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to fuel its win. The 40 points were SEMO's most in a game since the Redhawks put up 41 at home against Austin Peay on Oct. 29, 2016.

Big Plays 
Southeast Missouri had five plays go for 50 or more yards in its first three weeks of the 2018 season. Marquis Terry scored touchdowns on runs of 67, 95 and 74 yards, while Daniel Santacaterina completed passes of 52 and 73 yards. SEMO had just two plays cover 50 or more yards in its first three games a year ago.

Hall is the OVC's Leading Tackler
Inside linebacker Zach Hall leads the Ohio Valley Conference in tackles through three games this season. Hall recently posted his second double-digit tackle effort when he finished with 10 at Southern Illinois (Sept. 15). Hall collected 41 tackles and ranks nationally in total tackles (5th, 13.7 per game) and solo tackles (13th, 6.7 per game). His 17 solo stops also lead the league.

Conference Leaders 
Southeast Missouri leads the Ohio Valley Conference in turnover margin (+8), red zone offense (12-of-12, 1.00), PAT kicking percentage (13-of-13, 1.00) and interceptions (6). Marquis Terry leads the league in rushing (196.7 ypg), scoring (12 ppg) and all-purpose yards (264.7 ypg), Jake Reynolds is first in punting (43.1 ypp), Nicholas Litang is tied for first in PAT kicking percentage (13-of-13, 1.00),  Zach Hall is first in tackles (41) and Bydarrius Knighten and Mark Robinson are tied for first in fumbles recovered (1).

Starting Streak
Senior Drew Forbes enters Saturday's game with a streak of 25 consecutive starts at left tackle. Forbes anchors an offensive line that features three returning starters.

Road to 100
Junior wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson is seven receptions away from 100 in his career. Wilkerson has caught 97 passes for 1,429 yards and 11 touchdowns as Southeast Missouri's top target. He averages just under 15 yards per catch (14.7) in his career. Wilkerson caught a pass in five-straight games dating back to last season.

Scoring Streak
The Redhawks presently have the second-longest scoring streak in the Ohio Valley Conference. Southeast Missouri has scored in 80-consecutive games and ranks behind Murray State (145) in that category. The last time the Redhawks were shutout in a game was at Purdue (59-0) on Sept. 17, 2011.

Up Next
Southeast Missouri is idle on Sept. 29. The Redhawks will return to action when they visit Tennessee Tech on Oct. 6.