Hess Breaks Program's Career All-Purpose Yardage Record as Redhawks Beat Eastern Illinois, 35-28 - Southeast Missouri State University Athletics

Saturday, October 14

Cape Girardeau, Mo.

2:00 PM

Southeast Missouri State University

2-4 , 2-0

Eastern Illinois

4-3 , 0-2

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Eastern Ill.	7	7	7	7	28
Southeast Mo. St.	7	7	7	14	35

Final Statistics Photos

10/14/2023 5:50:00 PM | Football

Box Score Final Statistics Photos

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Geno Hess ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns, had 53 receiving yards and broke his program's career all-purpose yardage record as Southeast Missouri (2-4, 2-0) hung on for a dramatic 35-28 win over Eastern Illinois (4-3, 0-2) Saturday.

SEMO, which ended a three-game losing skid (three losses by a combined nine points), outlasted EIU in front of a Homecoming crowd of 7,263.

Tied, 21-21, the Redhawks scored 14 fourth-quarter points and made it a two-touchdown game when Keveon Robbins plunged into the end zone for his second career touchdown extending SEMO's lead to 35-21 with 8:06 left to play.

Robbins' touchdown came after a EIU pass interference penalty which gave SEMO and automatic first down at the 2-yard line.

It took only 1:14 for EIU to make it a one-score contest. The Panthers ran three plays, covered 71 yards and scored on a 21-yard pass from Pierce Holley to Justin Thomas narrowing SEMO's lead to 35-28 with 6:52 to go.

After SEMO punted, the Panthers began their final drive with 1:22 on the clock.

On fourth-and-2, EIU kept its drive alive on a 2-yard completion from Holley to MJ Flowers. Then, Holley completed a 20-yard pass to Eli Mirza getting EIU to the SEMO 26. Two incompletions later, the Panthers faced a third-and-10 with five seconds to go. On the last play, Joedrick Lewis knocked down Holley's pass at the goal line to secure the victory.

SEMO started strong striking on its first possession of the game. On third-and-5 at the EIU 21-yard line, Paxton DeLaurent rushed to his left and sprinted to the end zone to put the Redhawks ahead, 7-0, with 10:07 remaining in the first quarter. DeLaurent's fourth rushing touchdown of the season capped an 8-play, 80-yard march that consumed 3:20.

On the Redhawks next drive, Blake Ruffin intercepted DeLaurent and ran 17 yards to the SEMO 32-yard line. Two plays later, Holley threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Justin Bowick to tie things up at 7-7 with 7:09 left.

After EIU's defense stopped SEMO at its own 1-yard line, the Panthers covered 99 yards in 11 plays and took nearly seven minutes off the clock.

Holley completed a 43-yard pass to Thomas and later threw a 27-yard completion to Mirza on a fourth-and-3. Mirza went out of bounds for a first down at the SEMO 6-yard line. EIU took its first lead on a 1-yard run by Kevin Daniels with 1:26 to play in the second quarter.

SEMO, however, answered when it scored in a quick 40 seconds. On first-and-10 at the EIU 41-yard line, DeLaurent completed a pass to Ryan Flournoy who dashed 25 yards after the catch to score his third touchdown of the season bringing the game to a 14-14 deadlock at halftime.

EIU regained the lead on its first possession of the second half.

The Panthers converted on a fourth-and-7 when Holley threw a 24-yard pass to Mirza for a first down at the SEMO 7-yard line. On the next play, Flowers found the end zone to give EIU a 21-14 advantage with 9:59 in the third quarter.

After SEMO turned the ball over, EIU elected to go for it on fourth-and-11 at the Redhawks 33-yard line. Holley's pass, however, fell incomplete.

Four plays into the Redhawks ensuing possession, Hess ripped off a 44-yard touchdown run to put SEMO back on top, 28-21, with 13:02 remaining in the contest. Hess broke the all-purpose record on that run.

SEMO's defense came up with another big stop, this time on fourth-and-1 at the EIU 39. Christian Fuhrman dropped Daniels for a loss of four yards.

Hess carried the ball 17 times and averaged 7.6 yards per carry en route to the twentieth 100-yard game of his career. The rushing touchdowns brought Hess' career total to 59, as well. Hess now has 4,962 all-purpose yards and surpassed Spencer Davis (4,919, 2010-14) for the new mark.

DeLaurent completed 19-of-31 passes for 257 yards and rushed for one touchdown, and Flournoy added five catches for 98 and a TD. Robbins picked up 25 yards on seven touches with his late touchdown proving to be the game-winner.

SEMO finished with 447 total yards with 190 on the ground.

Defensively, Bryce Norman reached double-digit tackles for the third time this season to lead the way. Norman had 11 stops. SEMO also had six tackles for loss to go along with a season-high four sacks. Additionally, the Redhawks stuffed the Panthers twice on fourth down.

SEMO moved to 17-15 all-time in Homecoming games since turning Division I in 1991. The Redhawks also beat the Panthers for the sixth-straight game in the series between the teams.

The Redhawks return to action when they travel to Tennessee Tech on Oct. 21.