HUNTSVILLE, Texas – #1 Sam Houston (2-0) used a 24-point second quarter and scored the final 38 points of the game in a 52-14 win over Southeast Missouri (0-2) Saturday night at Bowers Stadium.
 
SEMO gave the reigning Football Championship Subdivision National Champion all it could handle early.
 
The Redhawks twice tied the Bearkats in the first half. 
 
Aaron Alston made a bobbling catch along the near sideline and ran to the end zone on a 43-yard pass play to make it a 7-7 game with 6:33 remaining in the first quarter. The touchdown was Alston's first of the season and fifth of his career.
 
Keandre Booker later picked off Eric Schmid and ran 31 yards to the SHSU 2-yard line setting up the Redhawks next score, a 1-yard touchdown run by Geno Hess. Hess, who led the FCS in rushing touchdowns last season, brought the contest to a 14-14 deadlock at the 11:01 mark of the second period.
 
After that, the Bearkats responded with 38 unanswered points to put the game out of reach.
 
Ramo Jefferson broke free for a 70-yard touchdown run and Jaylen Thomas intercepted a pass off the hands of SEMO running back Zion Custis and dashed 49 yards to the end zone. A 50-yard field goal by Seth Morgan gave the Bearkats a 31-14 advantage at the half.
 
SEMO, which was shutout in the second half, had some nice plays on special teams. 
 
The Redhawks opened the second half with a perfectly executed onside kick. Adam Krause kicked and then recovered the ball at SEMO's 47-yard line. 
 
Then, on a fourth-and-8, Zach Haynes completed a 35-yard pass to Will Weidemann on a faked punt to give SEMO a first down at the Bearkats 23-yard line. SEMO, however, came up empty on each of its drives following those plays.
 
SHSU finished with 561 total yards to SEMO's 306. The Bearkats picked up 297 yards on the ground.
 
Jefferson ran for a game-high 153 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, while Eric Schmid completed 16-of-28 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Bearkats.
 
CJ Ogbonna threw for 168 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-27 passes, and Hess ran for 42 yards and his first touchdown of the season on 15 attempts to pace the Redhawks.
 
Defensively, SEMO had two takeaways. Freshman Bryce Norman from nearby Jackson collected eight tackles and Jacob Morrissey followed with six stops and a game-high two sacks in his first start of the season at middle linebacker.
 
Trevor Williams posted 12 tackles for SHSU.
 
The Redhawks fell to 0-5 all-time against #1 ranked teams.
 
SEMO remains on the road to face Football Bowl Subdivision and Southeastern Conference member Missouri Sept. 18.