NASHVILLE, Tenn. – #11 Southeast Missouri (9-3, 6-2) nearly overcame a 21-point deficit in a one-score 28-21 loss to #25 Tennessee State (9-3, 6-2) Saturday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
 
With SEMO's loss, the Redhawks, TSU, UT Martin and Tennessee Tech all shared the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Association title. Since the Skyhawks beat Lindenwood, SEMO will head to the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs as the league's automatic qualifier.
 
The Tigers scored 21 first-quarter points with their first two touchdowns coming in the opening 7:08 of the contest.
 
After winning the coin toss, TSU elected to receive and returned the opening kickoff 47 yards.
 
The Tigers, who later kept their possession going with a first down on a fourth-and-1, finished off a 12-play, 51-yard drive when Draylen Ellis threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jalal Dean giving the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 9:34 remaining in the first quarter.
 
On SEMO's first possession, Meontre Kimbrough sacked Paxton DeLaurent. DeLaurent fumbled on the play and former Redhawk Keandre Booker scooped up the ball and ran 22 yards to the end zone extending TSU's lead to 14-0 with 7:08 to go.
 
After the Redhawks punted, TSU marched 66 yards in 12 plays and tacked on its third touchdown when CJ Evans scored on a 56-yard screen pass from Ellis making it 21-0 in favor of the Tigers with 2:35 left to play.
 
TSU had a touchdown negated by an offensive pass interference penalty and James Lowery missed a 48-yard field goal giving the ball back to SEMO.
 
The Redhawks the got on the board when they covered 70 yards in nine plays. DeLaurent capped the drive with a 31-yard touchdown pass to Dorian Anderson. Anderson's team-high 10^th receiving touchdown cut TSU's lead to 21-7 with 7:56 left in the second quarter.
 
SEMO's defense forced the Tigers to punt and the Redhawks managed to get another score right before halftime.
 
DeLaurent extended the drive when he picked up a first down on a fourth-and-2. Three plays later, he tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Payton Brown making it a one-score game, 21-14, at the intermission.
 
Following a scoreless third quarter which saw both teams combine for five punts, the game stayed a one-score affair entering the final 15 minutes.
 
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Ellis broke free for a 42-yard touchdown run to increase the Tigers margin to 28-14 at the 14:45 mark. TSU scored quickly in a little over two minutes going 77 yards in five plays.
 
After TSU punted, SEMO went to work with excellent field position at the Tigers 49-yard line.
 
It then took the Redhawks just two minutes to make it a one-score game again, this time when Brown hit paydirt on a 1-yard run with just under seven minutes left.
 
Those were the last points of the game as TSU finished off its upset.
 
DeLaurent completed 27-of-46 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns to lead SEMO. Brown ran for 45 yards and one touchdown, and caught five passes for 25 yards and a TD. Anderson had four receptions for 61 yards and the other score.
 
Defensively, Bryce Norman topped the Redhawks with 12 tackles and Khalani Riddick turned in 10.
 
Ellis threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for another to pace TSU. Evans added 107 receiving yards and a touchdown on six catches.
 
SEMO won its fourth Big South-OVC title and clinched its fifth NCAA Playoff berth in program history. Three of those conference championships (2019, 2022, 2024) and four of those playoff appearances (2018, 2019, 2022, 2024) are with Tom Matukewicz as head coach.
 
SEMO's football team will gather to watch the 2024 FCS Playoff Selection Show at the Buckner-Ragsdale Event Center Ballroom Sunday. The show airs live at 11:30 a.m., CT on ESPNU. 
 
The event is open to the public, however, no food and beverages will be available. Enter through the Main Street level doors.
 
The playoffs begin Nov. 30 with the first-round games. The second-round games are on Dec. 7, the quarterfinals are on the weekend of Dec. 13 and 14, the semifinals are scheduled for the weekend of Dec. 20 and 21 and the title game is set for Monday, Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas.