Tennessee Tech (4-1, 1-0 OVC) vs. #23 Southeast Missouri (2-2, 0-0 OVC)

Date: Saturday, October 5, 2019
Kickoff: 6 p.m., CT                                                                                                 
Stadium: Houck Field (10,000)
Surface: Field Turf
Weather Forecast: Clear, 77 degrees
Series History: TTU leads, 15-12
Head Coaches: Tom Matukewicz (27-36 overall; 26-36 at SEMO; 18-21 OVC). Dewayne Alexander (5-11 overall; 5-11 at TTU; 2-7 OVC).

Media Coverage
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM & ESPN 1220 AM (Erik Sean, Rick Wieser, Rusty Hendricks)
Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoSoutheast.com
Twitter: @SEMOFootball
Southeast Missouri Notes

Redhawks Open OVC Play
#23 Southeast Missouri (2-2, 0-0) opens its eight-game Ohio Valley Conference slate at home against Tennessee Tech (4-1, 1-0) Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., CT, at Houck Field.

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

OVC Openers 
Southeast Missouri is 9-19 all-time in Ohio Valley Conference openers. This year marks the first time the Redhawks start league play at home since 2015 (W, 27-10, vs. Murray State). SEMO and Tennessee Tech hook up in an OVC opener for the fourth time in 2019. The Redhawks and Golden Eagles previously faced each other to begin OVC play in 2008, 2011 and 2012. SEMO went 1-2 against TTU in those contests.

Fresh Off a Bye
The Redhawks were idle last week and face Tennessee Tech after their bye for the sixth-straight season. Southeast Missouri is 3-2 against the Golden Eagles under head coach Tom Matukewicz. SEMO lost by a point twice in Cookeville before hanging 70 points in a 70-38 win over the Golden Eagles there last season. Here are the results of the Redhawks matchups with TTU under Matukewicz.
11/8/14    at Tennessee Tech    L, 26-27
10/31/15    vs. Tennessee Tech    W, 38-17
10/22/16    at Tennessee Tech    L, 20-21
10/14/17    vs. Tennessee Tech    W, 31-3
10/6/18    at Tennessee Tech    W, 70-38

Series History
Southeast Missouri is 12-15 in its series against Tennessee Tech, which began when the Redhawks turned NCAA Division I in 1991. TTU has won eight of the last 13 matchups between these teams and is 6-8 all-time in Cape Girardeau. Eleven of the last 16 games in the series have been decided by seven or less points. SEMO won each of the last two games and outscored TTU, 101-41, in those contests.

Home Winning Streak
The Redhawks are on a nine-game winning streak at Houck Field. Southeast Missouri went undefeated at 6-0 in Cape Girardeau a year ago and won its season-finale at home in 2017 before starting this year a 2-0 mark at home. It is currently the longest home winning streak in the Ohio Valley Conference and longest in the Redhawks NCAA Divsion I era.

Redhawks Crush West Virginia State
Southeast Missouri pounded NCAA Division II member West Virginia State, 56-10, in the first meeting between the teams on Sept. 21. The Redhawks ended a two-game losing skid with the win. SEMO also improved to 16-1 against non-Division I opponents since it moved to the NCAA Division I ranks.

Wilkerson Eyes Career Record
Senior Kristian Wilkerson needs just 45 yards to break Southeast Missouri's all-time career record in receiving yardage. Wilkerson presently stands third on the list with 2,499 receiving yards. Willie Ponder (2001-02) holds the top mark with 2,543 yards.

OVC Play
The Redhawks are 78-136 all-time in Ohio Valley Conference play since joining the league in 1991. Southeast Missouri finished second in the OVC behind Jacksonville State with a 6-2 record in 2018. The six wins were the Redhawks second-most in conference play behind the 2010 OVC Championship team (7-1). SEMO wrapped up a season among the top three in the OVC standings just three times -- 3rd in 1994 (5-3); 1st in 2010 (7-1); 2nd in 2018 (6-2). 

Santacaterina Coming Up on 4,000 Total Yards
Daniel Santacaterina is 184 yards away from reaching 4,000 total yards in his two-year Southeast Missouri career. Santacaterina has 3,530 passing yards and 286 rushing yards for 3,816 yards of total offense in 602 snaps as the Redhawks starting quarterback. If Santacaterina hits the 4,000-yard mark, he will join SEMO's top-10 career total offense leaders. 

Starting Streaks
Inside linebacker Zach Hall and defensive back Bydarrius Knighten have each started 28-consecutive games. Wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson has logged 19-straight starts, while outside linebacker Justin Swift and quarterback Daniel Santacaterina follow with 18 and 17, respectively.

Total Offense
Southeast Missouri racked up a season-high 668 yards of total offense on 67 plays against West Virginia State (Sept. 21). The Redhawks averaged 10 yards per play on 67 snaps. It was SEMO's second-most total yards in a game in its NCAA Division I era. The Redhawks (668) and Tennessee Tech (671 yards, vs. Samford) have the highest two total yards marks in the Ohio Valley Conference this season.

Reynolds Leads OVC in Punting
Junior Jake Reynolds leads the Ohio Valley Conference in punting after four games this season. Reynolds has punted 28 times for 1,186 yards and is averaging 42.4 yards per punt. Four of his punts have sailed 50 or more yards  with a season-long 53-yard punt at Montana State (Sept. 7).

Crump Returns 
Tight end Austin Crump, who missed the first three games of the 2019 season, returned to the field against West Virginia State (Sept. 21).  Crump was Southeast Missouri's starting tight end a year ago. He tore his pectoral muscle weightlifting prior to the start of SEMO's preseason camp.

Next in Line
Redshirt-senior Eric Williams was the third tight end to start this season after Austin Crump (torn pectoral muscle) and Bud Hilburn (season-ending knee injury) went down ahead of him. Williams was active in the passing game against West Virginia State (Sept. 21) catching two passes for 58 yards. His 51-yard reception in the third quarter was the longest of his career.

Over 50
Southeast Missouri became the third Ohio Valley Conference school to score over 50 points in a game this season when it beat West Virginia State, 56-10, on Sept. 21. Tennessee Tech (59 points vs. Samford) and Murray State (59 points vs. Pikeville) are the others who hit that mark. It tied SEMO's fourth-highest point total in a game during the Redhawks NCAA Division I era. The Redhawks have scored over 50 points in a game a total of nine times since becoming a Division I program in 1991.

Touchdown Redhawks!
Seven different players scored a touchdown in the Redhawks 56-10 rout of West Virginia State (Sept. 21). Geno Hess (2 TD), Mark Robinson, Zion Custis, Daniel Santacaterina and walk-on Brayden Hull each scored a rushing touchdown. Aaron Alston and Kristian Wilkerson added one receiving touchdown apiece. For Hull, it was the first touchdown of his career.

Racking Up Sacks
Southeast Missouri led the Ohio Valley Conference in sacks each of the last two seasons. The Redhawks finished with 29 sacks in 2018. SEMO has accumulated 135 sacks for an average of 22.5 per season under head coach Tom Matukewicz. The Redhawks twice finished a season with over 30 sacks (31 in 2015; 37 in 2017) during that span. Matukewicz's 2017 (2nd) and 2015 (4th) teams are among the school's top four single-season leaders in sacks. SEMO has recorded a sack in 16-straight games. The last time the Redhawks  went without a sack was at Arkansas State on Sept. 1, 2018.

90-Yard Scoring Drives
The Redhawks put together their longest scoring drive of the season to date when they covered 92 yards in nine plays with 2:54 remaining in the third quarter against West Virginia State (Sept. 21). It was the third-longest scoring drive under Southeast Missouri second-year offensive coordinator Jeromy McDowell. The Redhawks have had four scoring drives over 90 yards with McDowell calling the offense.

Young Suffers Season-Ending Injury
Senior cornerback Al Young became the third Southeast Missouri starter to suffer a season-ending injury. Young tore his Achilles when he landed after making an interception in the fourth quarter against West Virginia State (Sept. 21). He will be eligible for a redshirt season. Prior to that, graduate starting inside linebacker Devin Alexander and fifth-year senior tight end Bud Hilburn suffered year-ending inuries at Montana State (Sept. 7). Alexander tore his tricep and had surgery days before SEMO's game at SEC member Missouri, while Hilburn injured his knee. 

Balanced Attack
Southeast Missouri's backfield trio of junior Mark Robinson, sophomore Zion Custis and redshirt-freshman Geno Hess has been equally impressive thus far. Hess presently leads the Redhawks with 280 yards and three touchdowns on 42 carries. Robinson follows with 214 yards and three touchdowns on a team-high 46 attempts. Meanwhile, Custis, who made his first career start at #13 Montana State (Sept. 7), follows with 191 yards on 39 touches. All three are averaging over 4.6 yards per carry. Hess is fifth (70.0 ypg), Robinson is eighth (53.8 ypg) and Custis is 10th (47.8 ypg) in the Ohio Valley Conference in rushing. As a team, the Redhawks are second in the league in rushing with 208.5 yards per game.

103 To Go
Zach Hall is on pace to break Southeast Missouri's all-time career tackles record. Hall, who broke the school's single-season record with 168 tackles last season, is 103 away. Robert Haggerty (1993-96) presently holds the all-time career record with 424 stops. Hall has 322 tackles.

Games With a Catch
Senior wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson has caught a pass in 19 consecutive games. Wilkerson had six receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown against Southern Illinois (Aug. 29). He finished with over 100 receiving yards in a game for the seventh time in his career. He leads the Redhawks with 309 receiving yards.

Ranked Redhawks
Southeast Missouri enters the week ranked 23rd in the STATS Media and tied for 25th in the AFCA Coaches Polls. Here are the Redhawks rankings this season:
Preseason
Athlon Sports    #19 (June 4)
Street & Smith's    #22 (July 9)
STATS Media    #17 (Aug. 5)
AFCA FCS Coaches    #18 (Aug. 19)
        STATS Media    Coaches
8/26/19    #17    #18
9/2/19    #12    #13
9/9/19    #19    #20
9/16/19    #23    #25
9/23/19    #23    RV
9/30/19    #23    #t25

FCS Rankings
Southeast Missouri ranks among the top 20 leaders in the Football Championship Subdivision in the following categories after four games this season.
Team
•    1st in Fumbles Lost (0)
•    10th in 4th Down Conversion Pct. (.750)
•    19th in Red Zone Offense (.933)
Individual
Daniel Santacaterina
•    16th in Passing Yards Per Completion (14.0)
Geno Hess
•    17th in Rush Yards Per Carry (6.7)

OVC Rankings
Southeast Missouri ranks among the top five leaders in the Ohio Valley Conference in the following categories after four games this season.
Team
•    1st in Red Zone Offense (93.3 pct.)
•    1st in 4th Down Conversions (75.0 pct.)
•    1st in Opp. 3rd-Down Convert (34.5 pct.)
•    1st in Onside Kicks (1-1, 100.0 pct.)
•    2nd in Rushing Offense (208.5 ypg)
•    2nd in Pass Defense (202.2 ypg allowed)
•    2nd in Pass Defence Efficiency (117.4)
•    t2nd in Interceptions (7.0)
•    t2nd in Turnover Margin (+1)
•    3rd in Punt Return Average (13.1 ypr)
•    3rd in Sacks Allowed (9)
•    4th in Red Zone Defense (78.9 pct.)
•    4th in Punting (36.0 ypp)
•    4th in Time of Possession (30:08)
•    4th in Kickoff Coverage (38.5 avg.)
•    4th in Sacks (6)
•    5th in Opponent First Downs (74)
•    t5th in Scoring Defense (31.0 ppg)
•    t5th in Field Goals (.667)
Individual
Geno Hess
•    5th in Rushing (70.0 ypg)
Daniel Santacaterina
•    5th in Passing Average (171.5 ypg)
Kendrick Tiller
•    3rd in Scoring (Kick) (7.0 ppg)
•    4th in Field Goals (2-3, 0.67 fgm per game)
Zack Smith
•    2nd in Punt Return Average (11.8 ypr)
Jake Reynolds
•    1st in Punting (42.4 ypp)
Zach Hall
•    2nd in Tackles (9.8 per game)
Bryant Pirtle
•    t4th in Sacks (2.0)
•    t4th in Tackles for Loss (3.5)
Al Young
•    t3rd in Interceptions (2)

Senior Class
The Redhawks senior class, which consists of 20 players, has won a total of 17 games since 2016, the second-most by any senior class during the school's NCAA Division I era. The 2010 class is presently the winningest group of seniors with 18 victories (2007-2010). 

The Chase is On
Redshirt-senior quarterback Daniel Santacaterina is 14 touchdown passes away from breaking Southeast Missouri's all-time career record. Santacaterina threw for 32 touchdowns as SEMO's starting signal-caller. Jeff Brown (1983-87) presently holds the all-time career record with 45 passing touchdowns.

Ball Security
Southeast Missouri lost only one fumble in 2018, the fewest in the Football Championship Subdivision and Ohio Valley Conference. The Redhawks fumbled the ball just seven times on a single-season school record 891 plays. SEMO has not lost a fumble in 13-straight games and 17 of its last 18 contests.

About Tennessee Tech
After finishing last in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2018, Tennessee Tech is off to a 4-1 start and picked up its first conference win with a 40-29 road victory at Eastern Illinois. under second-year head coach Dewayne Alexander this season. TTU has the Ohio Valley Conference's top scoring offense which averages 37 points a game. The Golden Eagles also lead the league in kickoff returns (30.4 ypr), sacks (12) and time of possession (31:52 per game), and rank second in rushing defense (121.4 ypg allowed). Kicking wise, TTU hasn't missed a field goal (5-of-5) through five games. Quarterback Bailey Fisher, the 2018 OVC Freshman of the Year, is second in the league in scoring with 43 points. Fisher also tops the OVC with seven rushing touchdowns and has thrown for 1,248 yards and 10 TDs on 96-of-152 passes.