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Southeast Missouri State football team's potential first win escapes on final drive
Southeast Missouri State's Roper Garrett tosses the football that he recovered on a fumble by Indiana State quarterback Isaac Harker as Zack Smith looks on during the first quarter Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016 at Houck Stadium.
Fred Lynch
For 58 minutes, most everything was coming up roses for the Southeast Missouri State football team. The defense had not given up a touchdown to Indiana State since the first play of the game -- 57 minutes earlier -- the offense was imperfect but moving the ball and the Redhawks took a lead into the fourth quarter for the first time this season. Into the final 1 minute, 33 seconds, for that matter.
Then everything changed.
On a night when SEMO had cut their penalties in half and put together another strong defensive performance, suddenly the Redhawks committed a killer penalty and couldn't slow the Sycamores.
On the final drive, a promising night in front of the first home crowd of the season collapsed, as Indiana State went 81 yards on 11 plays in 1 minute, 33 seconds to break the hearts of the home fans, 27-24.
Eleven plays changed the whole dynamic of the evening.
"We should never be in [that situation]," Southeast coach Tom Matukewicz said. "We should have taken care of things before that. ... It's the stuff we didn't take care of before the last drive that made us lose the game."
There was a lot to be happy about before the final drive. The final drive, though, changed the perspective.
"We lose the game, those [good] feelings go away," linebacker Terrance Hill said.
With all that stood between Southeast and its first victory of the season, Indiana State started its drive by returning a punt for negative yardage and getting a 10-yard illegal blocking penalty tacked on top of that. But the Sycamores were undaunted.
Dimitri Taylor rushed for 7 yards before quarterback Isaac Harker completed a second-and-3 pass to Miles Thompson for a 13-yard gain, a first down and escape from the shadow of the uprights.
An incomplete pass, 2-yard rush and another incompletion suddenly put the visitors in fourth-and-8. The Redhawks had an opportunity to end things with less than a minute to go. But they didn't.
Harker found Robert Tonyan for 9 yards -- just enough for a first down -- before the two connected again on a 5-yard pass that took ISU across midfield with 37 seconds on the clock.
The Sycamores were on the move.
"I feel like we didn't execute like we should have," linebacker Kendall Donnerson said. "We had too many mistakes. I think we kind of gave up."
The next play turned out to be an ugly reminder of what has cost Southeast early in the season, as Taron Divens broke up a downfield pass that would have forced third down, only to see a yellow flag fly on defensive lineman John Popovich for roughing the passer.
"We had a big penalty and gave them an extra down, 15 yards," Hill said. "In that situation we have to be smart."
It was a self-inflicted wound at a critical time, and suddenly Indiana State had a first down at the SEMO 30.
"It was the dead ball late hit thing that just killed you," Matukewicz said. "I know if he could do it again he'd never do it again, but the problem is that can't happen."
It did, and with 31 seconds left, Harker found Kelvin Cook diving at the right sideline for an 11-yard gain and another first down.
Now inside the red zone, a Jaquan Keys 4-yard rush set up a third-and-6 at the Southeast 15-yard line.
The Redhawks called their final timeout.
As the clock ticked to the final 10 seconds, Harker dropped back and sent the ball toward the right side of the end zone, where Thompson was running across the goal line. Southeast cornerback Mike Ford was with him stride for stride -- as he was for much of the night -- but somehow, with Ford all over him, the wideout snagged the ball.
The Sycamores had the lead. Southeast was 0-3.
"I think their players made plays," Matukewicz said. "Every one of the throws were contested.
"Great ball beats great coverage. Same way in the end zone with Mike Ford. He's right on him, all over him. ... It just should have never got there. A two-score lead in the fourth quarter."
A missed field goal on a short field. Settling for three points after an early 8-minute drive. Going three-and-out with 2:24 left in the game, unable to chew up more clock.
There were reasons the Redhawks were where they were, but when it came down to one final chance to decide the game, Southeast was still left trying to figure out how to win.
"It was just there players made those plays," Matukewicz said. "You've got to make your own breaks."