2024 Week 12 - at Southeast Missouri State

[ST_Lawson]

  AT
Date: 11/16/2024
Time: 1 PM CT
Location: Houck Field, Cape Girardeau, MO
TV: ESPN+
Current Weather Prediction: 60 degrees and mostly sunny. Minimal chance of precipitation with a ~8 mph wind.

SEMO's Record: The Redhawks are 8-2 this season and 5-1 in the Big South/OVC. They opened with a win over North Alabama (37-15), then a 23-16 loss at FBS New Mexico State. Starting in on conference games early, they beat UT Martin 45-42 in 2 OTs, then stepped back out of the conference to play a non-conference rivalry game at then #7 SIU, which they won 38-21. They then hosted Northwestern State and won 19-0. Getting into the meat of the conference, they won at Eastern Illinois (38-27) against Tennessee Tech (34-3), at Charleston Southern (26-13), and against Gardner-Webb (30-24). They played at Lindenwood last weekend in the new rivalry game "Game Ball Brawl", which they unexpectedly lost 24-12. SEMO just about has the BS/OVC title locked up for this year, but needs to do a little more work to finish up.

History: We have played SEMO once in our team's history, a 46-0 loss at Cape Girardeau in 1944.

Players to Know:

• Senior QB Paxton DeLaurent has thrown for 290.8 yards per game this season (#1 in the conference) with 23 TDs (#1 in the conference) and 9 INTs. He has a QB rating of 127.56.
• Senior WR Dorian Anderson leads the team in receiving yards per game (75.3) and receiving TDs (8).
• Other frequent receiving targets include Junior WR Tristan Smith (71.67 ypg and 4 TDs), Sophomore WR Cam Pedro (61 ypg and 3 TDs), and Senior WR Mitchell Sellers (32 ypg and 6 TDs)
• On the ground, Freshman RB Payton Brown (37.43 ypg) and Grad RB Darrell Smith (34 ypg) get most of the carries.
• Senior ILB Bryce Norman leads the conference with 107 total tackles (41 solo), 12.5 tackles for loss (5.5 sacks), and 1 forced fumble.
• Grad CB Ty Leonard has 3 interceptions and 6 pass breakups to go with 38 tackles (20 solo).
• Senior K DC Pippin is 22/30 on FGs this season with a long of 53 yards

Local-ish Players on Their Roster:

• Freshman Kicker Danny Duray is from Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, IL
• Grad RB Darrell Smith is from Alton, IL and spent time at the College of DuPage
• Senior OLB Sam Cook is from Neosho, MO, but spent his first three years on the roster at WIU. Had 60 tackles and 6 for loss for us in 2022.
• Junior OLB Jeremy Walton is from Warren Township HS, Gurnee, IL
• Freshman RB Brandon Brigham is from Homewood-Flossmoor, Flossmoor, IL
• Senior Kicker DC Pippin is from Springfield, IL
• Sophomore ILB Michael Cardilli is from Lincoln-Way East HS, Mokena, IL, but also played his last two seasons for WIU. Had 23 tackles for us in 2023 (11 solo) in 11 games.
• Junior DL NAsim Cairo is from Edwardsville, IL
• Freshman LS Caleb Fikejs is from Plainfield North HS, Plainfield, IL
• Grad DL Steven Lewis is from Pontiac, IL
• They also have a number of players from the St. Louis area

Predictions: Of our last two games this season, we stand a halfway decent chance of winning one of them. This is not that one. Massey says we have a 18% chance of pulling off a win. SEMO is overall the best team in the conference, with the second-best scoring and yardage offense and the #1 defense. They'll also be pretty fired up and angry after dropping the game last week against Lindenwood (a game they were favored in by about 11 points). I don't really see us winning this game.
 

[NewNeck]

Interesting that this game pits the #1 Total Offense (WIU) in the BS-OVC vs the #1 Total Defense (SEMO).
WIU has the most 1st downs and are the top 3rd down offense in the league.  #3 in scoring and #2 in most passing catagories.  Defensively on the other hand we are last in most catagories. 

Will be a tough one unless the offense goes Lindenwood game type crazy...

https://bigsouthovcfootball.com/stats.a ... &year=2024

[rocki]

Not expecting a win, but am hopeful we at least play competitively.

[wiu712]

Radio for today's game:
98.1, WILP-FM:  Cuba, IL
98.5, WLSB-FM:  Augusta, IL

Leatherneck Football is on the road to take on SEMO. We'll have the game for you on Q98.5 beginning at 12:30 PM this afternoon.

[wiu712]

SEMO won the game 54-45

Western had 593 Total Yards (500 Passing and 93 Rushing).

SEMO had 559 Total Yards (367 Passing and 192 Rushing).

Nathan Lamb was 24 of 39 for 449 yards.  3 Touchdowns.  3 Interceptions.

Attendance at SEMO = 4,839

 
 

[jtrinaldi]

Doozy of a dame, solid play by play. Wonder if Zolnosky is our starting qb next year? 

[wiu712]

Current Big South - OVC Association Standings:
Southeast Missouri State  6-1
Tennessee Tech  5-2
Tennessee-Martin  5-2
Tennessee State  5-2
Lindenwood  4-3
Gardner-Webb  3-4
Eastern Illinois  2-5
Western  2-5
Charleston Southern  0-8
 
 

[NewNeck]

What a game. Wouldn’t have thought the 2 teams had opposite records. Our offense was on fire most of the game. Henry & Aragon had huge games & was good to see the young QB step in & not miss a beat on the drive. Unfortunately good teams figure out a way to win as SEMO did. Was Smith’s fumble legit? They ruled him down on the field then replay overturned it. ESPN broadcast was good & didn’t show anything that would make me think it was a fumble. That was a first down run that had us set up to take the lead in the 4th Q. 

 

[sealhall74]

OVC showing lots of balance in football.  We are a turnover or penalty away from being 5-2 instead of 2-5 this year.  We displayed some fire and passion on the field yesterday.  Actually brought my eyes to a state of wateriness in the first half.

Question:  does the OVC have guaranteed rivalry games between teams that must be played every year like the MVFC does?
I guess with 9 teams you do play every one.  Will cross that hurdle if'/when they add a team or two down the road.

I want SEMO always guaranteed.  
 
 
 
 

[leatherneckcountry]

I was at the Basketball game so I didn’t see a ton of the game but to me we need to work on our defense we all know that. But we also have to work on discipline and emotions we got way to many emotional penalties yesterday.