Southeast Missouri (2-4, 2-0 Big South-OVC) at Tennessee Tech (2-4, 0-1 Big South-OVC)

Game Information
Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m., CT
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Facility: Tucker Stadium (16,500)
Surface: Field Turf
Series: TTU leads, 16-15
Head Coaches: Tom Matukewicz (53-56 Overall; 52-56 at SEMO; 40-27 Big South-OVC). Dewayne Alexander (58-69 Overall; 18-40 at TTU; 9-26 Big South-OVC).

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

Redhawks Head to Tennessee Tech 
Southeast Missouri (2-4, 2-0) heads to Tennessee Tech (2-4, 0-1) for a Big South- OVC Association matchup Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m., CT at Tucker Stadium.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean and Rick Wieser will be on the call. Video can be accessed online at ESPN+. Live stats are available at TTUSports.com. Twitter updates will be provided @SEMOFootball.

Series History
Tennessee Tech holds a slight 16-15 edge in the overall series between the teams. Southeast Missouri won five of the last six against TTU. SEMO is 4-10 in Cookeville, last winning there in 2018 (70-38).

First in the Big South-OVC
Southeast Missouri enters Saturday's matchup with Tennessee Tech tied for first in the Big South-OVC Association standings. SEMO and UT Martin currently share the top spot with identical 2-0 league records.

Homecoming Win
The Redhawks ended a three-game losing streak (all three losses by a combined nine points) when they took down Eastern Illinois, 35-28, on Oct. 14. Southeast Missouri scored a season-high 14 fourth-quarter points and used a 1-yard touchdown run by Keveon Robbins to seal the victory. SEMO improved to 17-15 in Homecoming games since joining the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision ranks in 1991. The Redhawks also moved to 6-3 in such matchups under Head Coach Tom Matukewicz.

Two More Records for Hess
Graduate running back Geno Hess ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns, and caught four passes for 53 yards in Southeast Missouri's win over Eastern Illinois (Oct. 14). Hess broke SEMO's all-time career record in all-purpose yardage and the Ohio Valley Conference all-time career record in rushing touchdowns. He now has 4,962 all-purpose yards and 59 rushing touchdowns in his career. Hess surpassed Spencer Davis (4,919, 2010-14) for his program's all-purpose yardage record and Eastern Kentucky's Elroy Harris (28 TDs, 1985-88) for the new OVC rushing touchdowns mark.

DeLaurent Closing in on 5,000
Yards of Total Offense Paxton DeLaurent needs 335 yards to reach 5,000 yards of total offense in his career. DeLaurent, who is in his second year as Southeast Missouri's starting quarterback, ranks seventh among the school's all-time career leaders with 4,665 yards. He is on pace to become the fifth quarterback in program history to get 5,000 or more yards of total offense. Matt Scheible (7,436, 2008-11), Jeff Brown (5,935, 1983-87), Jason Liley (5,764, 1989-92) and Daniel Santacaterina (5,633, 2018-19) are the others.

20th Career 100-Yard Game
Geno Hess ran for 100 or more yards for the 20th time in his career when he gained 129 on 17 carries against Eastern Illinois (Oct. 14). Hess averaged 7.6 yards per carry and scored two touchdowns in that game. His 20 100-yard games are a program record. It was Hess' second-straight 100-yard game, as well.

Defense Rises
Southeast Missouri's defense registered a season-high four sacks in its victory over Eastern Illinois (Oct. 14). Sam Cook, LaWilliam Holmes and Jeremy Walton each had a sack to lead the way. SEMO also stopped the Panthers twice on fourth down and collected six tackles for loss.

Huge Touchdown for Robbins
Backup running back Keveon Robbins scored the biggest touchdown of his career when he scored on a 1-yard run to give Southeast Missouri a 35-21 lead with 8:06 left to play in the fourth quarter against Eastern Illinois (Oct. 14). Robbins' touchdown proved to be the game-winner after EIU scored with a little under seven minutes left to make it a one-score game. For Robbins, it was the second touchdown of his career.

Conference Winning Streak
The Redhawks are on an eight-game winning streak in conference games dating back to the end of the 2021 season. Southeast Missouri won its final league contest that year and went undefeated at 5-0 against Ohio Valley Conference foes in 2022. So far this season, SEMO is 2-0 against league opponents.

Playing with Purpose
Geno Hess needs only 38 yards to hit the 5,000-mark in career all-purpose yardage at Southeast Missouri. Hess recently broke his program's career all-purpose yardage record vs. Eastern Illinois (Oct. 14).

Road to 5,000 Rushing Yards
Geno Hess is 384 yards away from reaching 5,000 rushing yards in his career. Hess is the program's all-time leading rusher with 4,616 yards. No player in Southeast Missouri football history has ever rushed for 5,000 yards.

On Tap Saturday
Southeast Missouri, which ranks second in the Big South-OVC Association in scoring offense, faces the worst scoring offense
in the league in Tennessee Tech. TTU is averaging only 12 points per contest. Meanwhile, SEMO is putting up 29.3 points per game behind conference leader UT Martin (32.6 ppg). The Golden Eagles have been held to 10 or less points four times and were shutout once this year.

Active Conference Leaders
Redhawks Geno Hess, Paxton DeLaurent and Ryan Flournoy are presently active leaders in Big South-OVC Association categories. Hess is the conference's active career leader in rushing (4,612 yards), scoring (366 points), rushing touchdowns (59) and all-purpose yards (4,962). DeLaurent is the active leader in passing average per game (268.2), pass efficiency (138 rating) and total offense (4,665 yards). Flournoy tops the Association in receptions (5.75) and receiving yards (84.7) per game.

DeLaurent Climbing Record Lists
After his big performance at Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 23), Paxton DeLaurent cracked Southeast Missouri's top-10 career lists in passing completions, most touchdown passes and total offense. DeLaurent ranks sixth in passing completions (362), seventh in total offense 4,665 yards), and tied for seventh in most touchdown passes (29).

Touchdown Pass Streak
Paxton DeLaurent has thrown a touchdown pass in five-straight games. DeLaurent most recently threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Flournoy against Eastern Illinois (Oct. 14). His season-high is three touchdown passes vs. Lindenwood (Sept. 9) and at Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 23).

Big South-OVC Leaders
Several Southeast Missouri players are first in the Big South-OVC Association in various statistical categories this season. Paxton DeLaurent leads the league in total offense (282.2 ypg), Damoriea Vick is first in receiving yards (76.5 ypg) and receptions (7.5) per game, DC Pippin tops the conference in scoring (kick) (8.4 ppg) and field goals (7-of-8) and Joedrick Lewis is first in passes defended (1.6 per game). As a team, SEMO leads the Big South-OVC in passing offense (270.5 ypg), fewest interceptions (2), field goals (7-of-8, 87.5 pct.), punt return average (14.7 ypr), first downs (142), third down conversions (41-of-89, 46 pct.) and red zone offense (20-of-21, 95 pct.).