Tennessee State (1-2) vs. Southeast Missouri (0-3)

Game Information
Date: Saturday, September 25, 2021
Kickoff: 2 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo. 
Facility: Houck Field
Surface: FieldTurf
Series: Tied, 14-14
Last Meeting: SEMO 46, TSU 23 (Apr. 11, 2021 | Nashville, Tenn.)
Head Coaches: Tom Matukewicz (38-45 overall; 37-45 at SEMO; 29-25 OVC). Eddie George (1-2 overall; 1-2 at TSU).

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

Redhawks Open OVC Play
Southeast Missouri (0-3) opens Ohio Valley Conference play when it hosts Tennessee State (1-2) during Family Weekend Saturday. 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, Rick Wieser and Rusty Hendricks will be on the call. Watch on ESPN+. Live stats are available at SEMORedhawks.com and Twitter updates will be provided @SEMOfootball.

OVC Openers
Southeast Missouri is 11-19 all-time in Ohio Valley Conference openers. The Redhawks begin their OVC slate at home for the second time in three seasons. SEMO hosts Tennessee State in its league opener for the third time in program history. The Redhawks and Tigers last met to start a conference season in 2002 (SEMO won, 49-25, Oct. 5, Cape Girardeau). SEMO is 5-2 in OVC openers under Head Coach Tom Matukewicz. This year marks the Redhawks 31st season as a member of the OVC.

OVC Home-Openers
The Redhawks are an even 15-15 in their Ohio Valley Conference home-openers. Southeast Missouri is 6-1 in such games with Tom Matukewicz as head coach. SEMO won six-straight OVC home-openers prior to its close 24-21 loss to Murray State (Mar. 7) last spring.

OVC Finale to OVC Opener
Southeast Missouri ended Ohio Valley Conference play last season and will begin league action this year against Tennessee State. SEMO wrapped up its seven-game spring OVC campaign on a three-game winning streak when it beat the Tigers, 46-23, in Nashville on Apr. 11. SEMO and TSU meet again exactly 167 days after that contest.

Series History
Saturday marks the 29th meeting between Southeast Missouri and Tennessee State. The all-time series is currently deadlocked at 14-14. SEMO won each of the last three matchups between these teams. Head Coach Tom Matukewicz is 4-2 against the Tigers. The Redhawks are 10-5 against TSU at Houck Field.

Family Weekend Games
Southeast Missouri is 5-1 on Family Weekend with Tom Matukewicz as its head coach. SEMO has a three-game winning streak in Family Weekend contests. Here are those results under Matukewicz. The Redhawks averaged 48 points a game in their last two Family Weekend victories.
9/20/14    #3 Southeastern Louisiana    W, 24-23
9/12/15    Southern Illinois    W, 27-24
9/17/16    Indiana State    L, 27-34
9/13/17    Eastern Kentucky    W, 29-10
9/8/18    Dayton    W, 40-21
9/21/19    West Virginia State    W, 56-10

Non-Conference Finish
The Redhawks wrapped up their rugged non-conference slate with a 59-28 loss to Football Bowl Subdivision and Southeastern Conference member Missouri (Sept. 18). This year's non-conference schedule, one of the toughest in the nation, also featured dates with Top-10 Football Championship Subdivision opponents #7 Southern Illinois (Sept. 2) and reigning National Champion and #1 Sam Houston (Sept. 11). Southeast Missouri went 0-3 in those contests. 

Former NFL Legend Eddie George Visits Cape Girardeau This Weekend
Historic Houck Field is the first Ohio Valley Conference facility former NFL legend and current Tennessee State Head Coach Eddie George visits when the Tigers come to Cape Girardeau this weekend. George is currently 0-2 in his first year at the TSU helm. He played at Ohio State and won the Heisman in 1995. In 1996, George was the first-round selection of the then-Houston Oilers. He won the NFL Rookie of the Year award the same year, and was the Oilers/Tennessee Titans' starting tailback through 2003, never missing a start. George made the Pro Bowl four consecutive years (1997-2000) and assisted the Titans to a championship appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV. He is only the second NFL running back to rush for 10,000 yards while never missing a start.

Final Spring Game
On Apr. 11, 2021, Southeast Missouri was en route to Nashville, Tennessee to face Tennessee State when reports were made that Eddie George would become the school's next head coach. Two days after SEMO beat TSU, 46-23, George was introduced as the Tigers' head football coach. 

Fourth Quarter Points
Southeast Missouri has scored 28 fourth-quarter points through three games, second-most in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Redhawks recently put up 21 points in the final quarter at Football Bowl Subdivision member Missouri (Sept. 18). The 21 points tied for third-most in the fourth quarter during SEMO's NCAA Division I era. Austin Peay leads the league with 38 fourth-quarter points.

Redhawks Win Second Half at Missouri
Down, 38-0, at halftime, Southeast Missouri outscored Missouri, 28-21, in the second half. The Redhawks scored their points on four rushing touchdowns and put up 21 points in the final 15 minutes of play. SEMO's 28 points tied for the most against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent under Head Coach Tom Matukewicz.

FCS vs. Power Five
Southeast Missouri's 28 points at Missouri (Sept. 18) marked the most by a Football Championship Subdivision school against a Power Five opponent this season. Prior to that, Albany had scored 24 points against Atlantic Coast Conference affiliate Syracuse.  

Rucker Delivers
Shamenski Rucker, Southeast Missouri's second-string running back following the departure of Zion Custis, scored the first rushing touchdowns of his career at Missouri (Sept. 18). Rucker scored on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter. He picked up his first career rushing touchdown on an 18-yard run with 13:14 remaining and followed that up with a 2-yard plunge at the 5:00 mark. Rucker finished with 48 yards on seven carries against the Tigers.

Anderson Hits Paydirt
On the first play of the Redhawks final drive against Missouri (Sept. 18), Q'Nairies Anderson sprinted 75 yards for his first career touchdown. Anderson's 75-yard run is currently Southeast Missouri's longest play this season and tied for 10th among the program's longest rushing plays. He became the third different Redhawk to score a rushing touchdown in 2021.

Nelome Claims Career-High
Defensive back Tyler Nelome topped Southeast Missouri with a game and career-high 10 tackles at Missouri (Sept. 18). Nelome, SEMO's first double-digit tackler this season, recorded nine solo stops and assisted on one other in that contest. 

Ground Attack
The Redhawks gained a season-high 294 rushing yards at Missouri (Sept. 18). Southeast Missouri outrushed the Tigers, 294-235, for a +59 margin on the ground. The 294 yards surpassed SEMO's combined total of 245 yards in the Redhawks first two games. It was the most rushing yards SEMO had in a non-conference game since it racked up 381 vs. West Virginia State on Sept. 21, 2019. The Redhawks rank second in the Ohio Valley Conference in rushing with 179.7 yards per game.

First Touchdown vs. Missouri
Geno Hess scored Southeast Missouri's first touchdown against in-state opponent Missouri (Sept. 18) on a 4-yard run with 2:54 remaining in the third quarter. Prior to this year's matchup, SEMO had never scored a touchdown in four meetings with the Tigers. 

Ogbonna Narrowly Misses 100
Quarterback CJ Ogbonna fell just four yards shy of 100 rushing yards against Missouri (Sept. 18). Ogbonna picked up 96 yards on 12 carries averaging eight yards per attempt. He also threw for 53 yards on 7-of-14 passes. 

Haynes Named OVC Specialist of the Week
Southeast Missouri punter Zach Haynes was named Ohio Valley Conference Specialist of the Week on Sept. 19. A native of Potosi, Missouri, Haynes punted five times for 232 yards (46.4 yards per punt) against Football Bowl Subdivision and Southeastern Conference member Missouri. He had two punts downed inside the 20-yard line, including a career-long 62-yarder that backed the Tigers up to their 1-yard line. Haynes ranks third in the OVC and 24th in the nation with 41.8 yards per punt this season. Haynes claimed the first OVC weekly honor of his career. Draylen Ellis (Austin Peay, Co-Offensive), Peyton Logan (UT Martin, Co-Offensive), Jack McDonald (Austin Peay, Co-Defensive), John Ford (UT Martin, Co-Defensive) and Rodell Rahmaan (Tennessee State, Newcomer) rounded out this week's honorees.

Morrissey Reaches Career-High
In his first start of the season at inside linebacker, Jacob Morrissey finished with six tackles and a career-high two sacks against #1 Sam Houston (Sept. 11). Morrissey's sacks were the first of his career.  

Custis Leaves the Team
Running back and return man Zion Custis decided to leave the team and enter the transfer portal on Sept. 14. At the time of his departure, Custis led the Ohio Valley Conference in kick returns with 26.3 yards per return. He was also Southeast Missouri's second-leading running back.

Injury Update
Southeast Missouri was without starters Zack Smith (WR, foot), Brandon Mincey (ILB, knee) and Shabari Davis (CB, ankle) each of the last two games. Omardrick Douglas (OLB, tail bone) missed the Missouri game. Douglas is expected to be back for this weekend's game. Davis could also be ready for the Tennessee State matchup. Meanwhile, Mincey is doubtful.

Transfer Quarterbacks
A transfer has started at quarterback in all seven of Southeast Missouri's season-opening games with Tom Matukewicz at the helm. Kyle Snyder (Ohio University, 2014), Tay Bender (Iowa Western, 2015), Jesse Hosket (East Central CC, 2016 & 2017), Daniel Santacaterina (Northern Illinois, 2018 & 2019) and Andrew Bunch (Nebraska, 2020-21) form that group. CJ Ogbonna is the third junior college transfer to start as SEMO's quarterback under Matukewicz.

Season 117
The 2021 campaign is Southeast Missouri's 117th season of college football. The Redhawks are in their 31st season at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. SEMO joined the FCS in 1991 and is 126-216 with two Ohio Valley Conference titles (2010, 2019) and three NCAA Playoff appearances (2010, 2018, 2019) as a Division I program.

Matukewicz Momentum
Tom Matukewicz is in his eighth year as Southeast Missouri's head coach in 2021. With a total of 37 wins and 29 in Ohio Valley Conference play, Matukewicz has the most victories of any head coach in SEMO's NCAA Division I era. He has also guided the Redhawks to one OVC title (2019) and two Football Championship Subdivision Playoff appearances (2018, 2019). Matukewicz is 37-45 and 29-25 as SEMO's head coach. He will assume the role of defensive coordinator in addition to his head coaching position this season.

Redhawk Graduates
A total of six Southeast Missouri players will be playing their 2021 season as graduates. Veterans Omardrick Douglas (OLB) and Zack Smith (WR) are both in their sixth year with the program. Shabari Davis (CB) returns for his fifth season and Terry Cook (OL) is back for his third year at SEMO. Maine transfer Kenny Doak (K) and Northern Illinois transfer Jordan Cole (OLB) are also in their final college football season with the Redhawks in 2021. 

From Walk-On to Scholarship
A trio of Southeast Missouri walk-ons were awarded scholarships prior to the 2021 season. Kicker/punter Adam Krause and running back Shamenski Rucker received their scholarships during the offseason, while quarterback Patrick Maddox was given his on the final day of the Redhawks preseason camp (Aug. 21). A total of 18 walk-ons have earned scholarships during Tom Matukewicz's eight years as SEMO's head coach. 

Unprecedented Success
In 2020-21, Southeast Missouri Athletics reached unprecedented success when it won its first-ever Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner's Cup. The Commissioner's Cup is the league's ultimate symbol of overall athletic excellence in Conference-sponsored championships. SEMO accumulated 119 points and finished 7.5 points ahead of second-place Belmont (111.5) to win the coveted prize. Since the start of the 2019 calendar year, the Redhawks have won 11 conference championships, most in the OVC. Five of those titles came during a COVID-19 plagued spring in 2021. The Redhawks completed their remarkable 2020-21 campaign with a 93-42-1 (.688) record in conference regular-season play, their highest OVC regular-season conference winning percentage in school history. In addition, SEMO was the only OVC school that qualified for every conference championship last season.

South Side of Houck Field Closed for 2021 Season
A recent structural assessment revealed that Houck Field's south grandstand structure has surpassed its original useful life and the rate of deterioration of the concrete structure has accelerated. The safety of the fans is of utmost importance and, as a result, Southeast Missouri made the difficult decision to cease the use of the south grandstand and press box area of the stadium. The decision results in modified gameday operations and reduced spectator capacity for the fall 2021 season. Houck Field will turn 91 years old on Oct. 3.