MISSOULA, Mont. – #12 Southeast Missouri (9-3) saw its season end with a 34-24 loss to #17 Montana (8-4) Saturday night in the first round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
 
SEMO led, 24-3, with 8:41 remaining in the third quarter before Montana erased a three-score deficit with 31 unanswered points to pull off its come-from-behind win.
 
Right after Geno Hess scored his second touchdown of the game on a 3-yard run, Malik Flowers returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown. Flowers tied an FCS record with his seventh kick return for a touchdown.
 
After SEMO's next drive resulted in a missed 48-yard field goal by DC Pippin, the Grizzlies took over on downs at their own 31-yard line.
 
On the fifth play, Lucas Johnson threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Keelan White following a SEMO pass interference penalty to make it a one-score game at 24-17.
 
The Redhawks went three-and-out and Zach Haynes' punt was returned by Junior Bergen 58 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 24-24 with 4:04 left to play in the third quarter.
 
SEMO's 21-point lead disappeared in just 4:25 and the Redhawks didn't recover. 
 
A 32-yard field goal by Nico Ramos gave the Grizzlies their first lead of the contest at 27-24 with 12:28 to go in the fourth quarter. 
 
Ty Leonard intercepted a Johnson pass in SEMO's end zone and the Redhawks later moved to Montana's 31-yard line. On fourth-and-5, the Redhawks elected to go for it, but Pervis Frazier was tackled short of the first down on a 2-yard pass.
 
In only two plays and 36 seconds, the Grizzlies struck again as Johnson completed a 52-yard pass to Xavier Harris and followed that up with a 19-yard touchdown toss to Cole Grossman giving Montana a 34-24 advantage at the 6:42 mark of the fourth quarter.
 
SEMO seized the momentum early with a defensive touchdown when Lawrence Johnson scooped up a Johnson fumble and ran nine yards to the end zone for the first touchdown of the game with 9:22 remaining in the first quarter.
 
The Redhawks added 10 more points to their lead in the second quarter.
 
Pippin kicked a 35-yard field goal to widen SEMO's margin to 10-0 with 13:21 left to play.
 
Then, the Redhawks began their final possession of the first half at their own 8-yard line and covered 92 yards in 14 plays for their longest scoring drive of the season. Hess capped the march with a 1-yard touchdown plunge to put SEMO ahead, 17-3. 
 
Paxton DeLaurent also completed four passes for 57 yards and picked up a first down at the Montana 7-yard line during that impressive drive that lasted nearly seven minutes (6:56).
 
SEMO outrushed the Grizzlies 92-9 in the first half.
 
Hess ran for 122 yards and two touchdowns. He finished his record-breaking season with a new SEMO single-season mark of 21 rushing TDs.
 
DeLaurent, who missed the last two games with a foot injury, completed 25-of-49 passes for 277 yards. Ryan Flournoy had 161 receiving yards on 11 catches and Damoriea Vick followed with 67 yards on seven receptions.
 
SEMO outgained Montana in total (419-390) and rushing (142-84) yards. The Redhawks possessed the ball for 36:49 to the Grizzlies 23:11. SEMO had 11 penalties for 110 yards, as well.
 
Defensively, Bryce Norman and Johnson paved the way with 11 and 10 tackles, respectively. SEMO had two takeaways.
 
Tonight's matchup marked the first between SEMO and Big Sky Conference member Montana.
 
SEMO dropped to 1-4 all-time in postseason play over four FCS Playoff appearances.