#21 Southeast Missouri (0-1) at Eastern Illinois 

Game Information
Date: Sunday, February 28, 2021
Kickoff: 2 p.m., CT
Weather Forecast: 52 degrees, Rain
Location: Charleston, Ill.
Facility: O'Brien Field (10,000)
Surface: MatrixTurf
Series: EIU leads, 18-9
Last Meeting: SEMO 26, EIU 12 (Nov. 16, 2019 | Charleston, Ill.)
Head Coaches: Tom Matukewicz (34-39 overall; 33-39 at SEMO; 25-22 OVC). Adam Cushing (1-11 overall; 1-11 at EIU).

Follow the Redhawks
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Clint Allen)
Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: EIUPanthers.com
Twitter: @SEMOMBB
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF)

#21 Redhawks Open Spring Season
#21 Southeast Missouri (0-1) opens its Ohio Valley Conference spring season at Eastern Illinois Sunday. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m., CT O'Brien Field.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean will be on the call. Watch on ESPN+. Live stats are available at EIUPanthers.com and Twitter updates will be provided @SEMOfootball.

OVC Openers
Southeast Missouri is 10-19 all-time in Ohio Valley Conference openers. The Redhawks begin their OVC slate at home for the second-straight season. SEMO hosts Murray State to start league action for the first time since 2015. That year, the Redhawks beat the Racers, 27-10, on Oct. 3. SEMO is 4-2 in OVC openers under head coach Tom Matukewicz.

Series History
Eastern Illinois leads its all-time series against Southeast Missouri, 18-9. The Redhawks won each of the last two games of the series and three of the previous four matchups between these teams. SEMO beat EIU, 26-12, the last time it played in Charleston, Illinois on Nov. 16, 2019. The Redhawks have never beaten the Panthers in Charleston in back-to-back trips to O'Brien Field.

Weather or Not, Spring Football is Here
Cape Girardeau was slammed with large amounts of sleet, snow and ice the week Southeast Missouri was initially scheduled to open its spring season at home against Murray State. Temperatures ranged anywhere between 11-24 degrees (highs) and 13-1 degrees (lows). As a result of the winter weather conditions, the SEMO vs. Murray State game was rescheduled for Mar. 7. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m., CT at Houck Field that day.

Only Fall Contest
Southeast Missouri was one of four Ohio Valley Conference teams that played at least one football game in the fall. SEMO made a close trip to longtime rival Southern Illinois on Oct. 30. Combined, OVC schools were 6-11 in the fall with Jacksonville State going 3-1, Eastern Kentucky finishing 3-6, SEMO going 0-1 and Austin Peay posting an 0-3 mark.

121 Days Ago
The Redhawks technically kicked off their 2020-21 season exactly 121 days before Sunday's scheduled Ohio Valley Conference opener Eastern Illinois. Nick Gualdoni kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired to give #24 Southern Illinois a 20-17 victory over #25 Southeast Missouri on Oct. 30 in Carbondale. SIU scored 10 fourth-quarter points to seal its win. The SEMO and SIU game counts toward the 2020-21 season record and be used by the selection committee when determining the proposed 16-team playoff field. 

First Action as Redhawks
A total of 17 players saw their first action in a Southeast Missouri uniform at Southern Illinois (Oct. 30). Jerome Afe, Keandre Booker, Andrew Bunch, Micah Fann, Kareem Gaulden, Matt Hansen, Zach Haynes, LaWilliam Holmes, Isaiah Hunt, Johnny King, Jacob Morrissey, Shyron Rodgers, LaDarrius Rule, James Sackie, Josepha Siatini, Izeal Terrell and Will Weidemann all played in their first game as Redhawks. Rodgers (C), Siatini (RG), Bunch (QB) and Hunt (DE) made their first career starts.

Season 116
The 2020-21 campaign is Southeast Missouri's 116th season of college football. The Redhawks begin their 30th season at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. SEMO joined the FCS in 1991 and is 122-209 with two Ohio Valley Conference titles (2010, 2019) and three NCAA Playoff appearances (2010, 2018, 2019) as a Division I program. 

Approaching 2,000
Zion Custis is approaching 2,000 all-purpose yards in his career. Custis (1,897) is 103 yards away from reaching that mark. He has 1,069 rushing yards, 57 receiving yards and 771 kick return yards.

Redhawks #21 in STATS Media Poll 
Southeast Missouri is one of three Ohio Valley Conference teams ranked in the first STATS Perform Top 25 Media Poll that was released on Feb. 22. SEMO is ranked 21st entering its spring opener at Eastern Illinois. Jacksonville State (16th) and Tennessee Tech (23rd) are the other ranked OVC teams. TTU beat Austin Peay, 27-21, in the first game of the conference spring season on Feb. 21. 

Matukewicz vs. Eastern Illinois
Tom Matukewicz is 3-3 against Eastern Illinois. Matukewicz has defeated the Panthers the second-most times of any Ohio Valley Conference opponent he has coached against. Southeast Missouri defeated EIU in three of the last five years with Matukewicz at the helm.

About Eastern Illinois
Eastern Illinois finished its first season under head coach Adam Cushing with a 1-11 record and 1-7 mark in Ohio Valley Conference play during the 2019 campaign. EIU's only win came at Tennessee State (49-38) on Nov. 9, 2019. The Panthers were last in the Ohio Valley Conference in nine different statistical categories a year ago, including scoring offense (14.8 ppg), total offense (276.3 ypg), rushing offense (105.7 ypg), pass efficiency (91.8), kickoff returns (15.9 ypr), punt return average (2.0 ypr), punting (30.6 ypp), first downs (15.8 per game) and third down conversions (26.7 pct.).

One of 17
Southeast Missouri was one of 17 Football Championship Subdivision programs (out of 127 overall) that decided to play at least one non-conference game last fall. Due to COVID-19 concerns, the Ohio Valley Conference postponed its conference schedule to the spring.

Most in the OVC
The Redhawks won 13 Ohio Valley Conference games over the last two seasons and lead the league during that span. Southeast Missouri went 7-1 in 2019 and 6-2 in 2018 for a combined 13-3 record vs. league foes.

Good Start on the Ground
Southeast Missouri gained 281 yards on the ground and averaged over six yards per carry (6.1) in its season-opener at Southern Illinois (Oct. 30). In its last three meetings with the Salukis, SEMO rushed for a combined 914 yards with an average of 304.6 yards in those matchups.

Hess Springs for 128
Geno Hess ran for 128 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, and averaged eight yards per touch at Southern Illinois (Oct. 30). Hess scored the first points of the season on a 2-yard run which he set up with a previous 64-yard rush. It marked the second time Hess rushed for over 100 yards in his career. The 128 rushing yards were the most in a non-conference game for Hess.

Bunch Debuts at Quarterback
Nebraska transfer Andrew Bunch made his first career start as Southeast Missouri's quarterback at Southern Illinois (Oct. 30). Bunch completed 6-of-15 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. He also threw two interceptions and ran for 115 yards on nine carries. Bunch became the first SEMO quarterback to rush for over 100 yards in a game since Kyle Snyder had 116 at Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 25, 2014.

Home Winning Streak
Southeast Missouri has won 12-consecutive regular season games at Houck Field. SEMO is 12-1 on its home field in the last two years with its only blemish coming against Illinois State in the first round of the FCS Playoffs in 2019. The Redhawks last regular-season home loss was to UT Martin (16-14) on Nov. 4, 2017.

Matukewicz Momentum
Southeast Missouri is in its seventh year under the direction of Head Coach Tom Matukewicz. Matukewicz led the Redhawks to back-to-back nine-win seasons for the first time in program history (9-4 in 2018; 9-4 in 2019). The defending Ohio Valley Conference Champions, SEMO is also coming off back-to-back FCS Playoff appearances. Matukewicz is 33-39 overall and 25-22 in the OVC as the Redhawks head coach.

One More Will Do It
With one more victory, Tom Matukewicz will break Southeast Missouri's record for most wins of any head coach during its NCAA Division I era. Matukewicz and John Mumford (1990-99) are currently tied with 33 victories. Matukewicz also needs one more Ohio Valley Conference win to get the most conference victories of any SEMO head coach since the Redhawks moved to Division I. Matukewicz and Mumford each have 25 OVC wins.

Games with a Catch
Aaron Alston has caught a pass in 16-straight games dating back to the 2018 season. Alston finished with two receptions for 11 yards in Southeast Missouri's season-opener at Southern Illinois (Oct. 30).

Season-Openers
With their 20-17 loss at Southern Illinois (Oct. 30), the Redhawks dropped to 10-20 all-time in season-openers during the NCAA Division I era (since 1991). Southeast Missouri took its ninth-straight loss in road season-openers. 

FBS Transfer Quarterbacks
Andrew Bunch is the fourth quarterback to transfer to Southeast Missouri from a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) school in seven years with Tom Matukewicz at the helm. Bunch moves under center after Daniel Santacaterina (Northern Illinois) started at quarterback the last two seasons. Kyle Snyder (Ohio) and Alex Niznak (Central Michigan) are the other FBS transfer quarterbacks that played at SEMO since 2014. 

2020 Roster
Southeast Missouri's 92-man roster includes 18 seniors, 23 juniors, 13 sophomores and 38 freshmen. SEMO returns 14 starters with eight on offense and six on defense.

Two Over 100
Southeast Missouri had two players rush for over 100 yards in a game for the first time in seven years when it accomplished that feat at Southern Illinois (Oct. 30). Geno Hess ran for 128 yards and Andrew Bunch rushed for 115 against the Salukis. DeMichael Jackson (183) and Lewis Washington (111) were the last SEMO players to get over 100 rushing yards in a game at Jacksonville State on Nov. 23, 2013.

King Scores First Touchdown
Northeastern Oklahoma A&M transfer Johnny King caught a 21-yard pass from Andrew Bunch to score his first Southeast Missouri touchdown at Southern Illinois (Oct. 30). King's touchdown reception gave the Redhawks a 14-10 lead with 2:21 remaining in the third quarter. He led SEMO with two catches for 34 yards in his first NCAA Division I FCS game.

Haynes Punts It
Redshirt-freshman Zach Haynes punted for the first time in his Southeast Missouri career at Southern Illinois (Oct. 30). Haynes' first career punt sailed 50 yards and was downed at SIU's 1-yard line. He punted three times for 135 yards, averaging 45 yards per punt.

Veteran Redhawks
Nine of Southeast Missouri's 14 returning starters are seniors. Dane Nelson (C), Jaden Rosenthall (RG), Ja'Chai Baker (LT), Austin Crump (TE), Zack Smith (WR), Daterraion Richardson (NT), Omardrick Douglas (OLB), Al Young (CB) and Bydarrius Knighten (FS) form the experienced group.

Quite a Turnaround
Prior to the 2018 season, Southeast Missouri had a combined 18 wins over a five-year period (2013-17). The Redhawks matched that win total in the last two seasons alone. SEMO went 18-8 with one Ohio Valley Conference title, one postseason win and two FCS Playoff berths during the 2018 and 2019 campaigns. The 18 victories are the most in a two-year span in program history. SEMO's highest two-year win total during the Redhawks NCAA Division I era was 13 (8 in 2002; 5 in 2003) before SEMO topped that mark last season.

Preseason All-OVC Honors
Southeast Missouri landed three players on the 2020 Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Team. Seniors Bydarrius Knighten (DB) and Ja'Chai Baker (OL), and junior Aaron Alston (WR) earned preseason all-conference honors for the Redhawks. A native of Tunica, Mississippi, Knighten is SEMO's top returning tackler. He ranked third on the team with 75 tackles en route to claiming Second-Team All-OVC accolades a year ago. Knighten posted 53 solo tackles and led the Redhawks with three interceptions. He was also a 2020 HERO Sports Preseason All-OVC selection. Baker, who hails from Council Bluffs, Iowa, started nine games at left tackle and appeared in 12 contests during his first year with the Redhawks in 2019. A native of Brighton, Tennessee, Alston was SEMO's second-leading receiver with 687 yards and four touchdowns on 51 catches a year ago. He averaged 13.5 yards per reception and 52.8 receiving yards per game. 

Offensive Line Report
In what was a big area of concern a year ago, Southeast MIssouri's offensive line is in excellent shape with the return of four starters. Ja'Chai Baker is back at left tackle, Dane Nelson returns at center, Jaden Rosenthall is back at right guard and Nate Korte returns at right tackle. Baker (9), Nelson (9), Rosenthall (12) and Korte (12) combined for 42 starts up front in 2019.

Returning All-OVC Performers
Free safety Bydarrius Knighten and running back Geno Hess are Southeast Missouri's returning All-Ohio Valley Conference selections. Knighten, a second-team pick, led the Redhawks with three interceptions and ranked third on the team with 75 tackles in 2019. Hess was named to the league's All-Newcomer Team after finishing as SEMO's second-leading rusher with 575 yards and six touchdowns on 202 carries.

Double Threat
Southeast Missouri returns its top two running backs in 2020. Zion Custis and Geno Hess accounted for over 50 percent of SEMO's carries last season. Both were equally productive with Custis leading the way with 684 yards and five touchdowns on 142 touches. Hess followed close behind with 575 yards and six touchdowns on 102 carries. Custis and Hess ranked sixth and seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference with 52.6 and 52.3 yards per game, respectively. 

Senior Driven
Southeast Missouri's current group of 18 seniors is just four victories away from becoming the all-time winningest senior class in program history. This senior class (2017-present) has 21 wins. The senior class from 2016-19 holds the record with 24 victories.