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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Another Eastern Illinois football game came down to the final play as Southeast Missouri batted down a ball in the endzone on the final play of the game to escape with a 35-28 win over EIU.
EIU falls to 4-3 on the season and now 0-2 in the Big South-OVC Football Association.  SEMO improved to 2-4 overall, 2-0 in the Big South-OVC
Eastern Illinois defense provided a spark for the Panthers on both of its first half scores.  After falling behind 7-0 in the opening quarter,
Blake Ruffin picked off a pass to set the Panthers offense up around midfield.
The drive was capped with a
Pierce Holley to Justin Bowick touchdown pass, Bowick's fifth touchdown reception this season.
EIU's defense would then come up big again in the second quarter as they stopped SEMO quarterback Paxton DeLaurent on a fourth and goal run a the one.  The offense playing from its own end zone then drove 99-yards to go up 14-7 on a
Kevin Daniels 1-yard run. Â
Justin Thomas had the big play on the drive with a 43-yard reception from the Panthers own one-yard line.
SEMO would knot the game at 14-14 just before half as Ryan Flournoy scored on a 41-yard connection from DeLaurent with 40 seconds left in the half.Â
EIU would go up early in the second half on a
MJ Flowers short touchdown run giving the Panthers a 21-14 lead.
The Redhawks then ran off 21 straight points to take a 35-21 advantage with Geno Hess picking up two rushing touchdowns and Keveon Robbins adding a third. Hess rushed for 129 yards.
Holley hit Thomas for the Panthers fourth touchdown to close the gap to one score.  Ruffin came up with a big defensive play on third down to force a final SEMO punt on the next drive giving EIU one more offensive chance. EIU drove to midfield but could not connect on the final long loss of the day.
Holley passed for 346 yards and two touchdowns. Â
DeAirious Smith had four catches for 118 yards while
Justin Thomas had five catches for 103 yards and the score.
Ruffin led the EIU defense with ten tackles.Â
