Final Stats
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Eastern Kentucky drove into the red zone twice on its first two possessions of the game but came up empty both times and Southeast Missouri built a 20-0 lead that the Colonels couldn't overcome in a 29-10 loss on Saturday in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
On Eastern's first offensive play,
Tim Boyle connected with
Ryan Markush over the middle for 47 yards to the SEMO 20 yard line. After a 2-yard run, Boyle hooked up with
Jaelin Carter for 16 yards to the two yard line. EKU then ran four straight plays that did not gain a yard and turned the ball over on downs.
The Redhawks went three-and-out on their next possession and the Colonels moved the ball again. Boyle and Markush started the drive with another big completion, this time for 32 yards to the SEMO 26 yard line. Eastern picked up 10 more yards on a short pass and a rush to get to the 16 before stalling. The Colonels would miss on a field goal attempt, coming up empty for the second time.
Southeast then got it going, scoring 20 unanswered points. A 38-yard field goal got the home team on the board early in the second quarter. Marquis Terry scored on a 4-yard run for a 10-0 lead. Cameron Sanders broke loose for a 77-yard touchdown run midway through the quarter. Another field goal made it a 20-0 game with 3:41 left in the first half.
Eastern Kentucky got on the board when
Lucas Williams made a 41-yard field goal with 53 seconds on the clock in the second quarter.
The Colonel defense forced Southeast to punt on each of its first seven possessions of the second half (four in the third quarter) in an attempt to get back into the game, but EKU could not turn any of those offensive possessions into points.
After SEMO punted to start the fourth quarter, its fifth of the second half, Eastern put together an extended drive, moving 47 yards in seven plays to the Redhawk 29 yard line. However on 4th-and-3, Boyle couldn't find an open receiver and had to throw the ball away.
Southeast Missouri added a late touchdown after getting the ball back on an interception at the EKU six yard line.
Austin Scott engineered Eastern's only touchdown drive of the game in the final minutes. He capped an eight-play, 79 yard drive with an 11-yard scoring pass to Carter with 3:13 left to play. It was the freshman's first touchdown catch of the season.
EKU turned the ball over four times and did not force any turnovers. The Redhawks out-gained the visitors 299 to 11 on the ground, led by 184 yards and two touchdowns by Terry.
Eric Reed finished with a game-best 12 tackles for Eastern Kentucky.
The Colonels return home to host Tennessee State University on Saturday at 6 p.m. at
Roy Kidd Stadium.
