CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri (3-6, 2-3) rallied for 14 second-half points but came up short in a 23-17 loss to Charleston Southern (4-6, 3-3) Saturday on a chilly day at Houck Field.
SEMO trailed, 20-3, at halftime before getting within three early in the fourth quarter.
The Redhawks got a takeaway on the second play of the second half when
Adrian Patterson forced a fumble and
Slade Dollar recovered at the CSU 39-yard line.
On fourth-and-Goal at the 1-yard line,
Cole Ruble powered his way into the end zone for SEMO's first touchdown of the game with 11:50 remaining in the third quarter.
SEMO struck again, this time after
Jax Leatherwood avoided a sack and threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to a wide open
Cam Pedro narrowing the Buccaneers lead to 20-17 with 13:45 to play in the fourth quarter.
That was as close as the Redhawks would get as Zach Gordon added a 25-yard field goal to finish off CSU's one-score victory with less than three minutes on the clock.
SEMO turned the ball over on the game's opening drive and CSU got on the board with a 21-yard field goal by Gordon with 7:24 left to play in the first quarter.
The Redhawks tied the game with a 37-yard field goal by
Justin Keller 4:18 later.
CSU answered by scoring the next 17 points to take its 17-point advantage at the half.
Quarterback Zolten Osborne scored on a 4-yard scramble to his right to complete an 8-play, 56-yard drive putting the Buccaneers ahead, 10-3, with 8:40 to play in the second period.
On the ensuing kickoff, CSU recovered an onside kick.
Osborne then completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Rashawn Cunningham at the end of a 6-play, 52-yard march. Cunningham's score widened CSU's margin to 17-3 at the 6:14 mark.
CSU capitalized on another SEMO turnover to get three more points on a 30-yard field goal by Osborne right before the intermission.
Leatherwood completed 27-of-49 passes for 274 yards and one touchdown and Pedro caught four passes for 66 yards and one score to lead a SEMO offense which outgained CSU, 391-294.
Osborne threw for 302 yards and one touchdown on 17-of-35 passes to pace the Buccaneers. CSU held a nearly +7-minute margin in time of possession.
Patterson turned in a career-high 10 tackles for SEMO's defense.
Jeremy Walton added six tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss, as well.
SEMO hits the road for the next two weeks first heading to Gardner-Webb on Nov. 8.
