Box Score |
Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)
Eastern Illinois football fell behind 24-0 to No. 13 Southeast Missouri in the first half on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers rallied to close to within ten points but could get no closer falling 38-27 during EIU's homecoming game.
SEMO improved to 5-1 overall, 2-0 in the Big South OVC. EIU fell to 1-5 on the year, 0-2 in the Big South OVC.
Trailing 24-0 after a 2-yard touchdown run by Cole Ruble with 9:35 remaining in the opening half, EIU closed the first half with a little momentum.
Cooper Willman caught a 12-yard pass from
Pierce Holley to make it 24-7 at the half.
The Panthers received the opening kick in the second half and drove 75 yards on seven plays with
MJ Flowers finding the end zone on a 1-yard run to make it 24-14 with 11:40 to play.
SEMO quarterback Paxton DeLaurent answered for the Redhawks quickly driving them back down the field hitting Tristan Smith for a 3-yard touchdown pass. Smith finished with eight catches for 124 yards and the score. Dorian Anderson hauled in seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. DeLaurent passed for 364 yards and three touchdowns while running in for another score early in the fourth quarter.
Holley's numbers were comparable at the quarterback position passing for 366 yards and two touchdowns.
Quenton Rogers hauled in the other score on a 39-yard pass from Holley with 7:59 play in the game.
Flowers scored his second rushing touchdown on a 2-yard run with 2:10 left in the game. EIU was unable to recover the onside kick and SEMO eventually ran the clock out.
Flowers rushed for 48 yards and caught 11 passes for 72 yards. The 11 receptions broke the school record for receptions by a running back in a game previously set by Devin Church with ten against Northern Iowa in the 2015 FCS playoff game. Prior to that DuWayne Pitts held the record for many years with nine against Missouri State back in 1984.
Willman added four receptions for 70 yards while
CJ Nelson had three catches for 59 yards.
The defense was led by
Anthony Shockey with 11 tackles.
Kaelin Drakeford,
Malik Rainey and
NiJhay Burt all had seven tackles. Burt picked off a pass in the fourth quarter for the lone turnover of the game. Drakeford forced a fumble but SEMO recovered in the first half.
Jared Pedraza led SEMO with nine tackles. Bryce Norman had six.
