A facemask penalty against Southeast Missouri State on a third-and-9 sack was the turning point in Tennessee Tech's go-ahead touchdown drive Thursday night.

The Golden Eagles posted a 29-27 victory, helped along in the winning drive when Hannibal Vaivao finished off a sack of Tech quarterback Lee Sweeney and was called for a facemask.

Tech, given first-and-10 at SEMO's 22, scored a few plays later to regain the lead.

Southeast Missouri State had taken the lead in regulation for the first time this season on 21-yard touchdown pass from Houston Lillard to Bradley Brown.

The game was televised nationally by ESPNU, the first football game nationally broadcast from Cape Girardeau and one of only two OVC games to be televised by ESPNU this season.

Viewers were able to watch plenty of offense, especially in the first half as Tennessee Tech held on to a 20-17 lead.

Southeast's defense held Tennessee Tech to 70 yards of offense in the third period, as Eddie Calvin's fumble recovery set up a SEMO field goal and TTU's first punt of the night led to the touchdown drive.

But Tech answered, getting a fourth-and-inches conversion at its own 30-yard line before moving into SEMO territory and finishing off the winning drive.

Southeast fell to 1-2 overall, 0-1 vs. OVC and Division I-AA foes.

Tennessee Tech improved to 2-1 and 1-0 in the OVC.