UT Martin (0-1, 0-0 Big South-OVC) vs. Southeast Missouri (1-1, 0-0 Big South-OVC)

Game Information
Date: Saturday, September 7, 2024
Kickoff: 6 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Facility: Houck Field (8,000)
Surface: Field Turf
Series: UTM leads, 20-19
Last Meeting: UTM 41, SEMO 14 (11/11/23, Martin, Tenn.)
Last Meeting in Cape Girardeau: SEMO 31, UTM 14 (11/20/21)

Head Coaches
UT Martin: Jason Simpson (115-88 overall; 115-88 at UTM; 87-48 Big South-OVC)
Southeast Missouri: Tom Matukewicz (56-60 overall; 55-60 at SEMO; 41-30 Big South-OVC)

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

Redhawks vs. UT Martin
•    Southeast Missouri opens Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Association play when it hosts UT Martin in its home-opener Saturday.
•    SEMO plays its first home game of the season under the lights at 6 p.m., CT.
•    Saturday's contest is the Redhawks only night game at Houck Field this year.
•    SEMO is 10-8 all-time against UTM in Cape Girardeau.
•    The Redhawks beat the Skyhawks each of the last two times they came to Houck Field --31-14 on Nov. 20, 2021 and 17-10 on Oct. 26, 2019.
•    SEMO begins conference play on its home field for the third time in four seasons.
•    The Redhawks started Big South-OVC play with a 45-7 victory over Lindenwood on Sept. 9, 2023 in Cape Girardeau.
•    SEMO averaged 42 points per game in its last three conference home-openers. The Redhawks outscored those opponents, 126-41.

Early Big South-OVC Opener
•    Southeast Missouri begins Big South-OVC action during week two for the second year in a row.
•    Last year, SEMO beat Lindenwood, 45-7, to start league play on Sept. 9 at Houck Field.
•    UT Martin is the Big South-OVC preseason favorite earning 61 points and five of the nine possible first-place votes by the league's head coaches.
•    The Skyhawks shared the Big South-OVC title last season, but missed the FCS Playoffs. Gardner-Webb represented the Big South-OVC in the postseason.
•    The Big South-OVC Association slate features nine league teams playing an eight-game conference schedule in 2024.

Home-Openers
•    The Redhawks are 6-4 in home-openers under Head Coach Tom Matukewicz. 
•    Southeast Missouri goes for its third-straight home-opening win after beating Nicholls, 42-16, on Sept. 17, 2022 and Lindenwood, 45-7, on Sept. 9, 2023.
•    SEMO is 20-13 all-time in home-openers during its NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision era.
•    The Redhawks are 13-19 all-time in Big South-OVC home-openers.
•    SEMO won eight of its first 10 conference home-openers with Matukewicz as its head coach.

Series Notes
•    UT Martin and Southeast Missouri, schools located less than two hours apart, meet for the 40th time in 2024.
•    UTM holds a slight 20-19 edge in the overall series which began in 1966.
•    SEMO is 10-8 against UTM in Cape Girardeau and 9-12 against the Skyhawks in Martin.
•    The Redhawks won four of the last six meetings between the teams.
•    The home team won each of the last three matchups of the series.
•    Tom Matukewicz is 5-5 against UTM as SEMO's head coach.

2010 Team to be Inducted into Hall of Fame this Weekend 
•    Southeast Missouri's 2010 football team will be inducted into the SEMO Athletics Hall of Fame during the Redhawks home-opening weekend.
•    The 2010 team will be recognized as part of pregame ceremonies prior to kickoff Saturday.
•    SEMO's 2010 team won the first Ohio Valley Conference title and clinched an NCAA Football Championship Playoff berth for the first time in program history.
•    The Redhawks posted a 9-3 overall record and shared the OVC title with Jacksonville State after going a near-perfect 7-1 in league play.
•    SEMO ranked among the Top-25 in either the FCS Media or Coaches polls for eight weeks during the season and rated as high as seventh in the country.
•    Tony Samuel became the first coach in SEMO history to win the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award and was also the American Football Coaches Association Region 3 and OVC Roy Kidd Coach of the Year. 
•    Tailback Henry Harris was OVC Offensive Player of the Year and landed a spot on five different All-America teams. 
•    Center Sean Middleton, also an All-American, won the Rimington Award which goes to the top center in the FCS. 
•    Offensive lineman Frank Knights and free safety Tyler Brock earned All-America honors, as well. 
•    SEMO had a total of 10 All-OVC selections, including eight first-team picks. 
•    Harris, quarterback Matt Scheible, Middleton, Knights, guard Bryan Curry, offensive tackle Evan Conrad, defensive tackle J.J. Sanchez and Brock were the first-team honorees. 
•    Additionally, Harris finished fifth in the overall voting for the Walter Payton Award. 
•    Statistically, the 2010 team finished among the top 10 teams in the nation in sacks allowed (1st, 0.50/game), least interceptions thrown (t1st, 3), rushing offense (3rd, 265.1 ypg), fourth-down efficiency (3rd,      72.2 pct.), interceptions (4th, 20), third-down efficiency (5th, 47.3 pct.), turnover margin (5th, 1.08) and fewest yards penalized per game (9th, 37.7).

Redhawks Go Down to the Wire with New Mexico State
•    The Redhawks led Football Bowl Subdivision and Conference USA member New Mexico State until the final minutes in their close 23-16 loss on Aug. 31.
•    SEMO was ahead, 16-15, until a NMSU fourth down stop resulted in the game's winning touchdown with 1:57 left to play.
•    The Redhawks had one final chance and got to the Aggies 16-yard line when Paxton DeLaurent's pass went off the hands of Cam Pedro and was intercepted with 37 seconds on the clock.
•    SEMO dropped to 1-28 all-time against FBS opponents and has lost 23 in a row against such schools. 

About UT Martin
•    UT Martin is this year's Big South-OVC Association preseason favorite after going 8-3 overall and 5-1 in conference play.
•    The Skyhawks earned a share of the Big South-OVC title, but missed the FCS Playoffs.
•    Jason Simpson is in his 19th season as UTM's head coach and needs just two wins to move into third place on the OVC career wins list. Simpson is 115-87 all-time.
•    UTM brings back starting quarterback Kinkead Dent who started 11 games and completed 353 passes for 2,295 yards and 25 touchdowns.
•    Defensively, Oshae Baker was named a Preseason All-American after earning All-Big South-OVC honors in 2023. Baker split time between cornerback and safety compiling 168 tackles and 15 tackles for loss.
•    The Skyhawks have won three-consecutive conference titles. UTM won back-to-back OVC crowns in 2021 and 2022 before claiming the inaugural Big South-OVC title in 2023.
•    UTM dropped its season-opener, 41-6, at Football Bowl Subdivision Kansas State (Aug. 31).

Pippin Shines
•    Kicker DC Pippin scored 10 of Southeast Missouri's 16 points against New Mexico State (Aug. 31).
•    Pippin made 3-of-4 field goals and one extra point to lead the Redhawks.
•    He connected on field goals of 37, 53 and 48 yards, respectively. 
•    Pippin twice gave the Redhawks the lead and his 53-yard field goal in the third quarter was the second-longest of his career.
•    He is SEMO's second-leading scorer with 15 points on 4-of-5 field goals and 3-of-3 extra points through two games this season.

Anderson Goes Over 100 Yards
•    For the first time in his career, Dorian Anderson went over 100 receiving yards when he caught six passes for a game-higih 115 yards and one touchdown at New Mexico State (Aug. 31).
•    Anderson scored SEMO's only touchdown of the game on a 51-yard reception with 2:03 remaining in the first quarter.
•    It was the second touchdown of Anderson's career.
•    Anderson averaged over 19 yards per catch against the Aggies.
•    He leads the Redhawks with 186 receiving yards and just under 17 yards per catch (16.9) this year.

Justus is Served
•    Newcomer Justus Johnson intercepted a pass in each of his first two games as a Redhawk.
•    The transfer from Murray State had both of his interceptions in the second half with his first pick coming in the fourth quarter against North Alabama (Aug. 24) and his second coming in the third quarter at New Mexico State (Aug. 31).
•    SEMO leads the Football Championship Subdivision with three interceptions through its first two contests.

Take it Away
•    Southeast Missouri's defense has five takeaways through two games this season.
•    SEMO has three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
•    The Redhawks rank first in the Big South-OVC and third in the Football Championship Subdivision in turnovers gained.

DeLaurent Driven
•    Quarterback Paxton DeLaurent, who left Southeast Missouri's season-opener against North Alabama (Aug. 24) in the second quarter with a shoulder injury, made his second start under center at New Mexico State (Aug. 31).
•    DeLaurent completed 27-of-45 passes for 295 yards and one touchdown. He threw his second touchdown pass of the season for 51 yards to Dorian Anderson in the first quarter.
•    The Camdenton, Missouri native leads the Big South-OVC and ranks third in the Football Championship Subdivision with 391 passing yards entering week two.
•    Saturday marks DeLaurent's first start against UT Martin. The Redhawks did not play UTM in 2022 and DeLaurent missed the 2023 meeting between the teams with a shoulder injury.

Sack Free
•    Southeast Missouri did not allow a sack at New Mexico State(Aug. 31).
•    It marked the first time the Redhawks offensive line did not give up a sack since Sept. 9, 2023 (vs. Lindenwood).
•    SEMO had given up multiple sacks in 10-straight games before then.

Redhawks Win FCS Kickoff
•    In its first ever appearance at the Week Zero FCS Kickoff, Southeast Missouri defeated North Alabama, 37-15, on Aug. 24.
•    SEMO, which trailed 15-7 with 4:11 remaining in the second quarter, scored 30 unanswered points en route to its season-opening victory.
•    The Redhawks grinded out the win without starting quarterback Paxton DeLaurent who left the game with a shoulder injury late in the second quarter.
•    Freshman running back Payton Brown was named the game's Most Valuable Player after rushing for 97 yards and three touchdowns. Brown scored 18 of SEMO's final 30 points.
•    Brown tied a FCS Kickoff single-game record in touchdowns and SEMO's defense tied a FCS Kickoff single-game record with four takeaways, including two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
•    SEMO played and won a football game on the ESPN mothership for the first time in program history.
•    The Redhawks beat North Alabama for the first time in just the second meeting between the teams. SEMO and UNA last met 68 years ago during the 1956 season in Florence, Alabama.
•    This year marked the seventh time Montgomery Alabama's Cramton Bowl played host to the FCS Kickoff.

Roster Notes
•    Southeast Missouri's 2024 roster consists of 103 players.
•    SEMO has 16 seniors, six graduates, 29 juniors, 22 sophomores and 30 freshmen.
•    Ty Leonard, Darrell Smith, Jared Pedraza, Peyton Knight, Zack Gieg and Steven Lewis are the graduates.
•    The Redhawks return 12 starters, including seven on offense and five on defense.
•    Returning offensive starters are Paxton DeLaurent (QB), Zack Gieg (OL), Kobe Sixkiller (OL), Jamarcus Hill (OL), Tyson Miller (OL) and Jack Clinkenbeard.
•    Returning defensive starters are Bryce Norman (ILB), Sam Cook (OLB), Steven Lewis (DL), Joedrick Lewis (DB) and  Ty Leonard (DB).
•    Bryce Norman (First-Team), Zack Gieg (First-Team) and kicker DC Pippin (Second-Team) are SEMO's returning All-Conference players from 2023.

Let's Talk Tuke
•    Tom Matukewicz begins his 11th year as head coach at Southeast Missouri.
•    Matukewicz has been at SEMO his entire career as a head coach.
•    He is 55-60 overall and 41-30 in Big South-OVC play.
•    Matukewicz guided the Redhawks to two conference regular-season titles (2019, 2022) and three FCS Playoff berths (2018, 2019, 2022), both program bests.
•    He also has a program record eight wins over ranked FCS opponents.
•    Matukewicz's 2018 (9-4), 2019 (9-4) and 2022 (9-3) teams each tied the school record in wins. 
•    He is the 13th head coach in SEMO football history and ranks third all-time in wins behind Kenneth Knox (88-59-4, 1952-67) and Abe Stuber (72-42-6, 1932-46).
•    Matukewicz's 55 wins are the most of any head coach in the Redhawks Division I era.
•    He was named the Roy Kidd Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2022.

Notable Streaks
•    Bryce Norman led Southeast Missouri in tackles for three-straight seasons. If Norman does that again in 2024, he will become the first player in program history to lead the team in tackles four years in a row.
•    Three-time First-Team All-Big South-OVC selection Zack Gieg has made 27-consecutive starts at center.
•    Kobe Sixkiller, a four-year starter, made 16-straight starts on the offensive line.
•    DC Pippin made 23-straight PATs. The last time Pippin missed an extra point was at Central Arkansas (Oct. 7, 2023).
•    The Redhawks have not had a losing record in Big South-OVC play for six-straight seasons. The last time that happened was in 2017 (3-5).

Feature Back
•    Brandon Epton, Jr. made his first career start as Southeast Missouri's tailback vs. North Alabama (Aug. 24).
•    Epton, Jr. gained 48 yards on 16 carries and caught six passes for 22 yards. He also returned one kickoff 53 yards in his first two games as a Redhawk.
•    Epton, Jr. took over for Geno Hess who was SEMO's tailback for the last six years.
•    At Hutchinson Community College, Epton, Jr. ran for 535 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games at Hutchinson CC in 2023.
•    Prior to that, he was at SMU, where he redshirted after playing in four games in 2022 and ran for 94 yards and three touchdowns in eight games in 2021.
•    Geno Hess, who was SEMO's running back from 2018-23, broke seven career records and finished as the school's all-time leading rusher with 5,119 yards.
•    Hess is presently a graduate assistant in the SEMO Athletics compliance office.

QB 1
•    A native of Camdenton, Missouri, Paxton DeLaurent is in his third year as Southeast Missouri's starting quarterback.
•    DeLaurent started the first seven games of the 2023 campaign before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury early in the second quarter at Tennessee Tech (Oct. 21).
•    This preseason, DeLaurent was ranked as the #8 returning quarterback in the FCS by HERO Sports.
•    DeLaurent also made the 2024 Stats Perform  Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List. A total of 35 players were selected to the initial list entering the season.
•    In his career as SEMO's starting quarterback, DeLaurent has started 19 games and thrown for 4,867 yards and 32 touchdowns.
•    DeLaurent was one of 20 quarterbacks across all divisions of college football invited to participate as a counselor at the Manning Passing Academy from June 27-30, 2024.

Mr. SEMO
•    Nearby Jackson native Bryce Norman is back to lead Southeast Missouri's defense. Norman's hometown is just eight miles north of Cape Girardeau.
•    The inside linebacker is the 2024 Big South-OVC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
•    He is the first SEMO player tabbed the league's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year since fellow linebacker Zach Hall earned the honor in 2019.
•    Norman has become the household name of SEMO's defense and accumulated 288 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, two interceptions, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in his career.
•    He ranks among SEMO's career leaders in tackles (13th, 288), sacks (9th, 10) and tackles for loss (15th, 23.5).
•    Norman was rated as the #8 returning linebacker in the FCS by HERO Sports and the #10 top returning linebacker in the FCS by Sports Illustrated.
•    He is also among 30 players selected to the 2024 Stats Perform Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List. This year marks the 30th Anniversary for the Buck Buchanan Award which is presented to the National Defensive Player of the Year in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision each season.
•    Norman is looking to become the first player in SEMO football history to lead the team in tackles four-straight seasons.

Watch This
•    Bryce Norman is 12 tackles away from reaching 300 in his career. Norman currently has 288 tackles. If he hits that mark, he will become the 10th player in program history to get 300 or more career tackles.
•    Paxton DeLaurent is 133 yards away from 5,000 passing yards in his career as SEMO's quarterback. His 4,867 passing yards rank fifth among the Redhawks all-time career leaders. DeLaurent is on pace to become the fourth SEMO quarterback to throw for 5,000 or more yards.
•    Paxton DeLaurent has 32 career passing touchdowns. DeLaurent needs 15 to break SEMO's all-time career record of 46 set by Daniel Santacaterina (2018-19).
•    Paxton DeLaurent needs 1,313 passing yards to break the school's all-time career record in that category. DeLaurent has 4,867 yards and is chasing Jason Liley who threw for 6,179 yards from 1989-92.  

About the Program
•    Southeast Missouri is in its 120th year of college football.
•    The 2024 campaign marks SEMO's 34th year at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.
•    The Redhawks joined the FCS in 1991 and are 144-230 all-time in their Division I era.
•    SEMO won three conference titles (2010, 2019, 2022) and made four NCAA FCS Playoff appearances (2010, 2018, 2019, 2022) in program history.
•    The Redhawks have a total of six winning seasons (7-5 in 1994, 8-4 in 2022, 9-3 in 2010, 9-4 in 2018, 9-4 in 2019, 9-3 in 2022) in their NCAA Division I tenure.

Redhawks Team Up to Sack Hunger Again in 2024
•    Southeast Missouri's Department of Athletics is once again teaming up to Sack Hunger this 2024 football season.
•    SEMO is partnering with Southeast Missouri Food Bank, Coalter Insurance Group, First Midwest Bank, Coast to Coast Signs, Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo and Midwest Sterilization to provide meals to families facing hunger in the southeast Missouri region.
•    For every quarterback sack against opposing teams this year, Coalter Insurance Group, First Midwest Bank, Coast to Coast Signs, Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo and Midwest Sterilization will each donate $100 to Southeast Missouri Food Bank.
•    Every $1 donated to the Southeast Missouri Food Bank provides four meals, meaning each Redhawk sack will supply 2,000 meals to families facing hunger.
•    River Radio, the official radio broadcast partner of SEMO Athletics, will also support the campaign by airing public service announcements during Redhawk football broadcasts throughout the 2024 season.
•    Fans who wish to join the Redhawks in the fight against hunger can donate to Southeast Missouri Food Bank at SEMOFoodBank.org.