Southeast Missouri State University
Eastern Illinois
OVC Leading Redhawks Travel to Eastern Illinois Saturday
10/19/2026 10:57:00 AM | Football
Game Information
Date:Â Saturday, October 24, 2026
Kickoff:Â 2 p.m., CT
Site:Â Charleston, Ill.
Facility:Â O'Brien Field (10,000)
Surface:Â Hellas FieldTurf
Series Record:Â EIU leads, 18-15
Last Meeting:Â SEMO 42, EIU 13 | 10/18/25 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.
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On the Road Again
•   Southeast Missouri (4-3, 2-0) travels to Eastern Illinois (2-5, 1-1) in Ohio Valley Conference action Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m., CT at O'Brien Field
•   SEMO is on the road for the fifth time in eight games this season.
•   The Redhawks go for their second-straight road win after opening OVC play with a 38-27 victory at Lindenwood (Oct. 10).
•   SEMO is currently 2-2 away from Cape Girardeau in 2026.
•   The Redhawks are averaging 22.7 points per game on the road this year.
Series Tidbits
•   Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois meet for the 34th time in 2026.
•   EIU holds an 18-15 lead in the all-time series.
•   SEMO is 6-11 against the Panthers in Charleston.
•   The Redhawks won the last eight matchups between the teams. Four of those wins were at O'Brien Field (2019, 2021, 2022, 2024).
•   SEMO is 9-3 against EIU with Tom Matukewicz as its head coach.
Homecoming Victory
•   Southeast Missouri carries a two-game winning streak to Eastern Illinois this weekend.
•   SEMO recently beat Western Illinois, 40-30, on its Homecoming Oct. 17.
•   The Redhawks improved to 20-15 all-time in Homecoming games since joining the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
•   SEMO holds a 9-3 record in such games under Head Coach Tom Matukewicz.
•   SEMO holds an 8-3 record in such games under Head Coach Tom Matukewicz.
•   The Redhawks have gone 8-1 in their last nine Homecoming contests.
OVC Leader
•   The Redhawks are tied for first in the Ohio Valley Conference standings with UT Martin.
•   Both Southeast Missouri and UTM enter the weekend with 2-0 league records.
•   SEMO is the only team in the OVC with an overall winning record (4-3).
•   Lindenwood is close behind the Redhawks and Skyhawks with a 2-1 OVC mark.
Road Stretch Ahead
•   Southeast Missouri will be on the road for three of its next four games.
•   After Saturday's trip to Eastern Illinois, SEMO will return home to host Gardner-Webb on Halloween (Oct. 31).
•   The Redhawks then travel to Tennessee State (Nov. 7) and Charleston Southern (Nov. 14) for their final road games of the season.
More OVC Honors for the Redhawks
•   Safety DJ Delmore was named Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week and kicker Justin Keller was tabbed OVC Specialist of the Week for the second time this season.
•   Delmore had a career-high two interceptions and four tackles in Southeast Missouri's 40-30 win over Western Illinois (Oct. 17).
•   Keller scored a career-best 14 points on a perfect 4-of-4 field goals and 2-of-2 PATs against the Leathernecks.Â
•   Delmore and Keller also won the awards on Aug. 31.
•   Western Illinois quarterback Kennedy McGill (Offensive) and Tennessee State cornerback Rymen Mosley (Rookie) rounded out the honorees for Oct. 19.
Running Game Emerges
•   After rushing for no more than 53 yards in each of its first three games this season, Southeast Missouri has raised its numbers significantly over the last three weeks.
•   SEMO ran for 123 yards vs. Central Arkansas (Sept. 19), 106 yards vs. West Florida (Sept. 26) and a season-high 215 yards vs. Western Illinois (Oct. 17).
•   The Redhawks had 198 rushing yards in the second half against the Leathernecks.
•   Both Khyair Spain and Tyrell Reed, Jr. ran for 111 yards. Reed, Jr. had one rushing touchdown and Spain scored twice in the fourth quarter, as well.
•   It was the first time SEMO had two 100-yard rushers in a game since Geno Hess had 128 yards and Andrew Bunch had 115 at Southern Illinois on Oct. 30, 2020.
Keller Wins FCS National Player of the Week Honor
•   Along with his Ohio Valley Conference Specialist of the Week honor, kicker Justin Keller also won one of the Stats Perform FCS National Player of the Week awards on Oct. 19.
•   Cornell's Garrett Bass-Sulpizio, Bethune-Cookman's Jaden Davis and Central Connecticut State's Davon Smith Jr. were also selected as Stats Perform FCS National Players of the Week for Week 7 college football games.
•   In addition, the North Dakota Fighting Hawks were named the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week.
•   Keller is the first Southeast Missouri specialist to win the national honor since kicker DC Pippin (Nov. 18, 2024).
Getting Offensive
•   Southeast Missouri averaged 39 points in its last two victories.
•   The Redhawks scored 38 points in a 38-27 road win at Lindenwood (Oct. 10) and posted a season-high 40 points in a 40-30 home victory over Western Illinois (Oct. 17).
•   SEMO also racked up a combined 855 yards of total offense in those contests.
•   The Redhawks are second in the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring offense (25 ppg).
Possession Advantage
•   In its last three games, Southeast Missouri has possessed the ball over eight minutes more than its opponent.
•   The Redhawks had a +9:58 advantage vs. West Florida (Sept. 26), a +8:08 advantage at Lindenwood (Oct. 10) and a +8:30 advantage vs. Western Illinois (Oct. 17) in time of possession.
•   SEMO also ran an average of 73.3 plays per game in those contests.
54-Yard Field Goal for Keller
•   Justin Keller made a career-long 54-yard field goal to pull Southeast Missouri within a point at halftime (17-16) against Western Illinois (Oct. 17).
•   The made field goal was one of four in the game for Keller.
•   It tied for the third-longest field goal in SEMO program history.
•   The 54-yarder is also the fifth-longest by a Football Championship Subdivision player this season.
•   Southeast Missouri is ranked among the top two teams in the Ohio Valley Conference in several team and individual categories.
Team Categories
1st in net punting (42.9 ypp)
1st in rush attempts (287)
1st in pass completion percentage (62.3)
1st in field goals attempted (20)
1st in kickoff coverage (41.2 net avg.)
1st in field goals made (14)
1st in 4th down conv. (75 pct.)
1st in kick returns (42.2 ypr)
t1st in interceptions (8)
2nd in time of possession (32:24 avg.)
2nd in scoring offense (25 ppg)
2nd in passing yards per attempt (7.0)
2nd in kick return TDs (1)
2nd in kick return yards (394)
2nd in kickoff returns (28.1 ypr)
2nd in passing yards (209.4 ypg)
2nd in PAT kicking percentage (1.000)
2nd in punt return average (13.1 ypr)
2nd in punt return yards (158)
Individual Categories
Braylen Ragland (2nd in pass yards per attempt, 7.0)
Justin Keller (1st in scoring, 59 pts., 1st in scoring kick, 9.4 ppg; 1st in field goals, 14; 1st in PAT kicking percentage, 1.000)
Teagan Cobb (2nd in punting, 44.7 ypp)
Khylen Harris-Norman (2nd in kick return average, 31.4 ypr)
Khyair Spain (2nd in rush attempts, 116)
Adrian Patterson (1st in passes defended, 10)
John Anthony, Jr. (1st in yards per catch, 19.1; 1st in total offense average per play, 19.1; 2nd in receiving TDs, 5)
David Jones (t1st in fumbles forced, 2; t1st in interceptions, 3; 1st in interception return yards, 91)
DJ Delmore (2nd in passes defended, 8)
Jobe Bryant (1st in punt returns, 12; 1st in punt return yards, 158; 1st in yards per punt return, 13.1)
Top 10 in the FCS
•   Southeast Missouri is ranked among the top 10 teams in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in the following.
Team Categories
4th in net punting (42.9 ypp)
9th in 4th down conversion pct. (75 pct.)
Individual Categories
Justin Keller (1st in field goals made per game, 2.0)Â
David Jones (9th in interceptions per game, .50;Â
Khylen Harris-Norman (4th in kick return TDs, 1; 9th in kick returns, 31.4 ypr)
Adrian Patterson (7th in passes defended, 1.5 per game)
Jobe Bryant (10th in punt returns, 13.2 ypr)
Teagan Cobb (10th in punting, 44.8 ypp)
Keller Among Top-10 in Field Goals
•   Justin Keller is 27-of-37 (72.9 pct.) in field goals during his career.
•   Keller is currently ninth among Southeast Missouri's all-time career field goal leaders.Â
•   So far this season, Keller made 14-of-20 field goals. He leads the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring (59 pts.) and ranks first in the Football Championship Subdivision with 2.0 field goals per game.
PAT Streak
•   Justin Keller has not missed an extra point in his career.
•   Keller has made 50-consecutive PATs in his 50 attempts.
•   He scored 131 points and leads the Redhawks with 59 this season.
Take it Away
•   Southeast Missouri's defense forced a turnover in each of its first seven games this season.
•   The Redhawks had a season-high three takeaways (one interception, two fumble recoveries) at Southern Illinois (Sept. 12).
•   SEMO has 11 takeaways and won the turnover margin three times in 2026.
About Eastern Illinois
•   Eastern Illinois has lost five of its last six games and recently suffered its first Ohio Valley Conference loss, 20-13, at home vs. Lindenwood (Oct. 17).
•   EIU is last in the OVC in scoring offense (17.7 ppg), total defense (439 ypg allowed) and scoring defense (33.3 ppg allowed).
•   Charles Kellom ranks second in the OVC in rushing with 71.3 yards per game. Kellom has six rushing touchdowns this season.
•   Ja'Wuan Nickson leads the Panthers with 50 tackles.
•   EIU has lost four-straight against Southeast Missouri at O'Brien Field.
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