CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Geno Hess broke a Southeast Missouri and Ohio Valley Conference single-game record with 317 yards and four touchdowns as the #15 Redhawks (9-2, 5-0) dis-mantled Murray State (2-9, 1-4), 52-22, to win the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference title Saturday.
 
With the win, SEMO clinched at least a share of the crown. If UT Martin also wins, a coin flip later this evening will determine which school gets the automatic berth in the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs.
 
SEMO won its third OVC title in program history and second under Head Coach Tom Matukewicz. The Redhawks hoisted the OVC regular-season trophy in 2010, 2019 and 2022.
 
The Redhawks made light work of MSU all day and wasted no time getting a lead.
 
SEMO pulled ahead on the third play of the game with a defensive touchdown when William McCall intercepted Jayden Stinson and ran 49 yards to the end zone. McCall's second interception of the season gave the Redhawks a 7-0 lead just 1:25 into the contest.
 
Two more first-quarter touchdowns followed, including a 8-yard run by Ryan Flournoy and 73-yard rush by Hess to run SEMO's lead to 21-3 with 2:51 remaining.
 
After MSU scored its first touchdown of the game, the Redhawks answered with 10 points to close out the half and take a comfortable 31-9 lead at the intermission.
 
DC Pippin kicked a 26-yard field goal before Hess broke free for a 43-yard touchdown in the final 6:36 of the first half.
 
The Redhawks tacked on 14 more points in the third quarter and another seven in the fourth to bury the Racers.
 
Hess took off for a 31-yard touchdown run and Flournoy returned an onside kick 52 yards for a score in third quarter.
 
A 21-yard touchdown run by Hess put the final points on the board for the Redhawks.
 
Hess scored four touchdowns in a game for the third time in his career and second this season. He ran for over 100 yards for the sixth time in eight starts. It marked the fourth time he ran for over 200 yards in his career, as well. Hess' 317 yards surpassed SEMO's previous record of 311 yards by Marquis Terry at Southern Illinois during the 2018 campaign.
 
In his first career start at quarterback, freshman Patrick Heitert completed 10-of-19 passes for 81 yards and ran for 11 yards on six carries.
 
Johnny King and Flournoy each paved the way with three receptions. Flournoy finished with a team-high 39 receiving yards.
 
Defensively, Bryce Norman had 12 tackles for his sixth double-digit tackle game this season. Norman went over 100 tackles this year. Christian Fuhrman and Jacob Morrissey followed with eight tackles apiece.
 
SEMO racked up 445 yards of total offense with 364 of those coming on the ground. The Redhawks outgained the Racers 364-174 in rushing yards.
 
The Redhawks honored their 16 seniors prior to kickoff.
 
SEMO earned the OVC's automatic berth after winning a coin flip that broke the tie with UT Martin. UTM called "tails" and the coin landed "heads." The Redhawks and Skyhawks share this year's OVC regular-season championship.