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RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University’s football team improved to 4-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference for the first time since 1997 after beating Southeast Missouri Saturday afternoon at Roy Kidd Stadium, 44-17. The #23 Colonels (5-2, 4-0 OVC) totaled 501 yards of offense, including 361 yards through the air.
The Redhawks (2-4, 0-3) scored first, but Eastern Kentucky scored 24 straight to take control of the game. Southeast drew within 14 points in the third quarter before a pair of Bobby Washington touchdowns ended the threat.
Junior quarterback Allan Holland finished 23-of-39 passing for a career-high 361 yards. This marked the third consecutive week Holland posted a personal high in passing yards. Meanwhile, Eastern’s duo of senior Mark Dunn and Washington combined for 93 yards and four rushing touchdowns.
A blocked punt helped Southeast Missouri draw first blood. After taking over on their 47-yard line, quarterback Victor Anderson broke loose for 37 yards on the first play. Mike Jones then picked up 14 more yards with a run on the next play before Anderson finished off the three-play drive with a two-yard touchdown run.
Eastern Kentucky was forced to punt on its next possession, but caught a break when SEMO gave the ball back at the six yard line with a fumble on its first play. Two rushes by Dunn and an extra-point conversion by Taylor Long tied the game at 7-7 with 7:23 left in the first quarter.
EKU put together a 6-play, 80-yard scoring drive on its next possession. On 3rd-and-9, Holland hooked up with Dunn for 13 yards to keep the drive alive. On the very next play, Holland found Garnett Phelps for 57 yards down to the Southeast Missouri nine yard line. Dunn covered the rest of the real estate with two carries for a 14-7 Colonel lead.
On its second possession of the second quarter, Eastern Kentucky traveled 82 yards in six plays to extend the lead to 21-7. Holland got the drive started with a 48-yard completion to senior Quinton Williams to move the ball to the SEMO 34 yard line. After a penalty backed the Colonels up 10 yards, Holland and Evan Cromer connected for 37 yards down to the one yard line. Two plays later Holland finished off the drive himself with a one-yard touchdown run with 9:09 left before halftime.
Long capped an 11-play, 61-yard drive in the closing minutes of the second quarter with a 21-yard field goal to put the home team in front 24-7 at the break. Senior Antwaun Molden ended the Redhawks’ final drive of the half with an interception at the Eastern 32 yard line.
It appeared that the Redhawks were about to close the gap to 24-14 midway through the third quarter when Anderson connected with Francisco Perez from six yards out, but a penalty nullified the touchdown and SEMO had to settle for a Doug Spada 28-yard field goal.
The Colonels answered with a 10-play drive to extend their lead to 31-10. A 27-yard catch by Dunn moved the ball to the Southeast three yard line, but after three running plays failed to get the ball in the end zone it looked as if Eastern would be forced to settle for a field goal. Following an EKU timeout, the Colonels came out and tried once again. This time Washington dove in from a yard out on fourth down.
Eastern Kentucky tacked on another touchdown on its first possession of the fourth quarter. On 3rd-and-5 at the SEMO 20 yard line Holland threaded the needle to Williams for 19 yards down to the one. On the next play Washington scored his second touchdown of the game. The drive covered 85 yards in 16 plays and took 5:05 off the clock.
The Redhawks added a touchdown inside the final five minutes of the game. A 28-yard punt return by Anderson set SEMO up at the EKU 19 yard line. Alfred Reese capped a four-play drive with a two-yard touchdown run.
Eastern will host the only other unbeaten conference team next Saturday, Oct. 20, when Tennessee State (3-3, 2-0 OVC) visits Roy Kidd Stadium for its Homecoming game. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.
NOTES
--Southeast Missouri was 0-for-13 on third-down conversions.
--The Colonels had a streak of scoring on their opening drive in four straight halves snapped when they were forced to punt on their opening drive against the Redhawks.
--When Mark Dunn scored his second touchdown late in the first quarter he made today’s game the eighth multi-touchdown performance of his career.
--By scoring touchdowns in the first and fourth quarters off SEMO turnovers, Eastern Kentucky has now scored 72 points this season off opponent turnovers and given up just six points off their own turnovers.
--Taylor Long’s 21-yard field goal in the second quarter made the junior a perfect 10-for-10 in 2007.
--Cardius Dowell recorded his third sack of the season in the third quarter.
--Malachi Maxwell intercepted a Southeast Missouri pass in the fourth quarter and returned it 22 yards.
--Eastern improved its turnover margin to +15 with a three takeaways today against Southeast Missouri State. Two of those SEMO turnovers were interceptions, giving EKU 14 picks this season, best in the nation.
