Tennessee Tech (1-3, 1-3 OVC) vs. Southeast Missouri (1-4, 1-3 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Sunday, March 28, 2021
Kickoff: 2 p.m., CT
Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy, 63 degrees
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Facility: Houck Field (10,000)
Surface: FieldTurf
Series: TTU leads, 15-13
Last Meeting: SEMO 43, TTU 37 OT (Oct. 5, 2019 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Tom Matukewicz (35-42 overall; 34-42 at SEMO; 26-25 OVC). Dewayne Alexander (8-19 overall; 8-19 at TTU).

Follow the Redhawks
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean, Rick Wieser)
Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoSoutheast.com
Twitter: @SEMOfootball
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF)

Redhawks Host Tennessee Tech
Southeast Missouri (1-4, 1-3) hosts Tennessee Tech (1-3, 1-3) in its final home game of the spring Sunday. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m., CT at Houck Field.

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

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Tennessee Tech hook up for the 29th time Sunday. TTU holds a 15-13 lead in the all-time series. SEMO won each of the last three matchups and four of the last five meetings in the series. The Redhawks beat the Golden Eagles, 43-37, in double overtime the last team these teams played on Oct. 5, 2019 in Cape Girardeau.

Senior Day
The Redhawks will honor seniors Daterraion Richardson, Rashad Hughes, Camden Boyle Cleyton Gracie, Dane Nelson and Austin Crump prior to kickoff Sunday. Richardson, Hughes, Boyle, Gracie Nelson and Crump are part of a senior class that has won 22 games.

Looking for a Win
Southeast Missouri is looking to snap a three-game losing streak when it takes the field for its home finale Sunday. The Redhawks fell to Murray State (24-21, Mar. 7) and Austin Peay (49-42 2OT, Mar. 14) at home and #8 Jacksonville State (21-3, Mar. 21) on the road. It is SEMO's first losing streak of three or more games since 2017 (four games from 
Oct. 21-Nov. 11).

Last Time vs. Tennessee Tech
The Redhawks scored the final 13 points of the game to edge Tennessee Tech, 43-37, in double overtime on Oct. 5, 2019 at Houck Field. Zion Custis scored the game-winning touchdown on a 13-yard run to seal the victory. Southeast Missouri's defense came up with a huge stop when it dropped Bailey Fisher for a 3-yard loss.

So Close
Three of Southeast Missouris four losses this season were by a combined 13 points. The Redhawks lost, 20-17, on a last second field goal at #24 Southern Illinois (Oct. 30). Against Murray State (Mar. 7), SEMO lost by a score of 24-21. And, the Redhawks suffered a 49-42 double overtime setback against Austin Peay (Mar. 14). In 2019, SEMO was involved in five games decided by seven points or less. The Redhawks, however, won all of those contests that year -- 43-37 vs. Tennessee Tech; 24-21 at Jacksonville State; 17-10 vs. UT Martin; 38-31 vs. Eastern Kentucky; 31-24 vs. Murray State.

Hess Among OVC Top-Five
Geno Hess ranks fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference in rushing with 78.4 yards per game. Hess also leads the conference in scoring (TDs) and ranks second in scoring with 8.4 points per contest.

Mincey Sees Doubles
Linebacker Brandon Mincey became the fourth player to reach double figure tackles in a game this season. Mincey registered a career-high 11 tackles at Jacksonville State (Mar. 21). He had five solo tackles and six assisted stops. Bryson Donnell (10, vs. Murray State), Bydarrius Knighten (10, vs. Austin Peay) and Izeal Terrell (12, vs. Austin Peay) are the others that turned in double-digit tackles this spring.

What a Drive!
Southeast Missouri put together an impressive 21-play, 75-yard drive to tie the game at 35-35 with 23 seconds left in regulation against Austin Peay (Mar. 14). The Redhawks converted on fourth down four times during that possession which ended with a 5-yard touchdown run by Geno Hess. That drive also consumed over seven minutes (7:21). SEMO also had a 93-yard scoring drive in the second quarter.

Clutch Catches
Zack Smith finished with five receptions for 41 yards vs. Austin Peay (Mar. 14). All of Smith's catches came on third or fourth down and resulted in Southeast Missouri moving the chains. Smith also returned three kickoffs for 70 yards. He then followed that up by establishing a career-high eight catches at Jacksonville State (Mar. 21). Smith leads the team with 24 receptions and ranks second with 196 receiving yards.

Working for Sacks
Southeast Missouri is the only Ohio Valley Conference team without a sack this season. SEMO last recorded a sack in its Football Championship Subdivision Playoff game vs. Illinois State on Nov. 30, 2019. Tennessee Tech has allowed 12 sacks, second-most in the OVC this season.

About Tennessee Tech
Tennessee Tech comes to Cape Girardeau on a three-game losing streak after falling to Jacksonville State (27-10, Feb. 28), Murray State (36-31, Mar. 14) and Eastern Illinois (28-20, Mar. 21). TTU is last in the Ohio Valley Conference in total offense averaging 261 yards per game. The Golden Eagles are also eighth in passing offense (157 ypg). Individually, Kurt Taylor ranks third in the league with 4.7 receptions per game and Seth Carlisle is seventh with eight tackles per contest.

Fifth in Total Offense
Andrew Bunch ranks fifth the Ohio Valley Conference in total offense with 176.4 yards per game. Bunch also enters the week ranked third in passing average (155.6 ypg) and eighth in pass efficiency (92.3).

Terrell Gets Second Interception
Izeal Terrell recorded his second interception of the season at Jacksonville State (Mar. 21). Terrell intercepted a Zion Webb pass in the third quarter of that game. He is tied for first on the team in interceptions as one of three Redhawks with two picks. Shabari Davis and Al Young are the others.

Second in Scoring
Southeast Missouri ranks second in the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring with 26 points per game. The Redhawks have scored over 40 points twice this year with a season-high 47 at Eastern Ilinois (Oct. 30). 

Pick Six
The Redhawks returned an interception for a touchdown in two of their first four games this spring. Al Young had a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown at Eastern Illinois (Feb. 28) and Shabari Davis ran back his interception 33 yards vs. Murray State (Mar. 7). Davis' touchdown gave the Redhawks a 21-17 lead with 11:47 remaining in the game. Young and Davis are tied for first on the team with two interceptions each. Southeast Missouri is tied for first in the Ohio Valley Conference with nine interceptions and has intercepted a pass in every game this season.

Fourth Down Stops
The Redhawks have stopped their opponents on fourth down 10 times this year. Opponents are 4-of-14 against Southeast Missouri's defense on fourth down. That equates to 28.6 percent. SEMO is second in the Ohio Valley Conference in opponent fourth down conversions.

Good on Fourth Down
Southeast Missouri rates second in the Ohio Valley Conference in fourth-down conversions. The Redhawks are 9-of-14 for 64.3 percent on fourth down this year. SEMO was a near-perfect 5-of-6 in fourth-down conversions against Austin Peay (Mar. 14).

Haynes Second in Punting
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 that game. Four games into the spring, Haynes is second in the Ohio Valley Conference in punting with 40.8 yards per punt.

Matukewicz vs. Tennessee Tech
Tom Matukewicz is 4-2 against Tennessee Tech. TTU is one of three Ohio Valley Conference teams Matukewicz has the most wins against. Austin Peay (4-3) and Murray State (4-3) are the others.