CARBONDALE, Ill. – Paxton DeLaurent threw for 332 yards and four touchdowns including the game-winning 2-yard pass to Damoriea Vick with 11 seconds left leading Southeast Missouri (1-1) to a 34-31 win over #17 Southern Illinois (0-2) Saturday.
 
In a back-and-forth game that featured nine lead changes, SEMO never let up en route to securing its first win of the season. The Redhawks also reclaimed the War for the Wheel trophy that has been in Carbondale each of the last two years.
 
After Justin Strong's 4-yard touchdown run gave SIU a 31-27 lead with 2:50 on the clock, SEMO went to work at its own 24-yard line.
 
DeLaurent completed a 28-yard pass to Ryan Flournoy to get the Redhawks into SIU territory at the Saluki 23-yard line.
 
Four plays later, SEMO faced a fourth-and-9 at SIU's 22-yard line. DeLaurent's pass intended for Flournoy was incomplete, but the Salukis were penalized with a pass interference giving the Redhawks an automatic first down at the 11.
 
SEMO again faced a fourth-and-2, this time at the SIU 3-yard line when the Salukis committed another pass interference on an incomplete pass. That penalty gave the Redhawks a first down at the 2-yard line.
 
On the ensuing play, DeLaurent rolled to his right and found Vick open in the end zone for the game-winner. Vick played SIU three times during his previous tenure at Missouri State, but never scored a touchdown against the Salukis until tonight.
 
DeLaurent put together a strong first half for SEMO completing 16 passes for 123 yards and a pair of touchdowns to grab the Redhawks their first halftime lead of the season. At one time, DeLaurent threw 16-consecutive completions.
 
After SIU scored the game's first points on a 30-yard field goal by Jake Baumgarte, SEMO put together an 8-play, 75-yard march culminating with a 6-yard touchdown pass from DeLaurent to Johnny King to put the Redhawks ahead, 7-3, with 3:27 remaining in the first quarter.
 
The Salukis reclaimed the lead on a 16-yard pass from Nic Baker to Avante Cox less than a minute into the second quarter.
 
Following a SIU punt, the Redhawks engineered their longest drive covering 86 yards in 15 plays to grab a 14-10 advantage at the intermission. King caught his second touchdown pass, this time from three yards out, with 3:01 left in the second quarter. SEMO's final drive of the first half consumed 6:50.
 
The see-saw battle carried into the second half and SIU wasted no time regaining the lead.
 
Ro Elliott broke free for a 42-yard run to finish off a 76-yard drive on the Salukis first possession in the third quarter. Elliott's touchdown gave SIU a 17-14 edge at the 9:02 mark.
 
DC Pippin kicked field goals from 50 and 45 yards, respectively, to give SEMO a 20-17 advantage before both teams scored a pair of touchdowns in the last 8:40 of the contest.
 
SEMO scored 17 fourth-quarter points and outgained SIU, 390-385.
 
DeLaurent completed 33-of-44 passes and did not throw an interception. His 332 yards were the most in a game by a SEMO quarterback since Daniel Santacaterina threw for 386 yards at UT Martin on Oct. 27, 2018. DeLaurent completed passes to nine different receivers.
 
Flournoy and King each had huge 100-yard receiving performances. Flournoy caught 10 passes for 145 yards and one touchdown, while King added a game-high 14 receptions for 125 yards and two TDs. SEMO finished with a pair of 100-yard receivers in a game for the first time in four years.
 
Geno Hess ran for a game-high 65 yards on 19 carries.
 
Defensively, Joedrick Lewis and William McCall each led SEMO with six tackles. Keandre Booker had two sacks and Christian Fuhrman turned in five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack in his first career start at linebacker.
 
Tonight was the 90th meeting between longtime rivals SEMO and SIU separated 45 miles apart. 
 
The Redhawks knocked off a ranked opponent for the eighth time under Head Coach Tom Matukewicz. Matukewicz has the most wins over ranked opponents of any head coach in program history. Three of Matukewicz's four career wins over the Salukis came in the final 25 seconds.
 
SEMO hosts Southland Conference member Nicholls in its home-opener on Sept. 17.