Southeast Missouri State football team faces tough test at home vs. nationally ranked Eastern Illinois

Southeast Missouri State's Tremane McCullough breaks free from Murray State's Zachary Wade to score a touchdown in the first quarter Saturday in Murray, Kentucky.

Ryan Hermens ~ Paducah Sun

Here lies a crucial chapter in the story of the Southeast Missouri State football team's 2016 season.

The Redhawks continue the Ohio Valley Conference portion of their schedule against an Eastern Illinois squad that's ranked No. 13 in both Football Championship Subdivision national polls. The game, which is set for 6 p.m. Saturday at Houck Stadium, pits Southeast against one of the OVC's most successful programs of the past 15 years -- the Panthers have won seven conference titles, all of which have come since the turn of the century.

In coach Tom Matukewicz's first year at the helm, the host Redhawks were manhandled by EIU in a 52-13 decision, but Southeast was able to close that gap last year when it was handed a 33-28 loss in Charleston, Illinois.

"It's a tough test to see how far we've come. ... It's what we build this thing for," said Matukewicz, who's now in his third year. "You've got two undefeated teams in the conference. We're at home against a highly-ranked team. It's exciting. It's why we work so hard -- to get these type of opportunities."

Southeast (1-3, 1-0 OVC) enters the game on the heels of a 17-16 win over Murray State last week in Murray, Kentucky. The Redhawks scored their only two touchdowns on the first and last drives of the game, but their defense, which held the Racers to 4 of 15 (27 percent) on third down, proved to be the difference.

Southeast Missouri State coach Tom Matukewicz directs his team during practice Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016 at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.

Trent Singer

Against MSU, senior inside linebacker Roper Garrett paced the Redhawks' defense with nine tackles, including 2 1/2 for loss. Garrett understands the challenge his team faces against the run-first approach of EIU (3-1, 1-0 OVC), which is averaging 177.5 yards per game on the ground.

"Their running back's really good," Garrett said. "They like to get him even in the passing game, so we're trying to work on stopping the run first and then pass second. ... We're really just trying to come out and whoop them up front."

Running back Devin Church leads the Panthers' rushing attack with 295 yards on 61 carries. The 5-foot-8, 195-pound redshirt senior is averaging 4.8 yards per rush and has found the end zone twice.

"He just does a lot of great things with the ball in his hands," Matukewicz said about Church. "He's hard to tackle. You might have a guy there, but he's able to break those tackles. He's got a really big lower half -- big legs. Their O-line does a good job, too, with them, but Devin is definitely a guy that we've got to watch for."

The biggest key for Southeast will be to slow down an EIU offense that's generating 30.5 points per game, which ranks fourth in the conference. The Redhawks are fifth in the OVC in scoring defense, allowing an average of 27 ppg.

Senior Tremane McCullough scored his first TD of the season on the opening drive of last week's game against the Racers. The scoring play was an 11-yard pass from junior quarterback Jesse Hosket.

The speedy McCullough, who's listed as a slot receiver, has 362 yards from scrimmage this season and is averaging 7.1 yards per touch. Hosket has completed 50 percent (71) of his 142 pass attempts for 853 yards with five touchdowns and one interception.

While McCullough has a team-leading 24 receptions, redshirt freshman Kristian Wilkerson (215 yards) and junior Adrian Davis (207 yards) have also been integral wideouts in the passing game. Davis provided the game-winning TD last week on a 20-yard pass from Hosket. RB Will Young, a senior, leads the Redhawks with 65 rushes for 272 yards and two touchdowns.

The Redhawks will go up against an EIU defense that showed some flaws in last week's 56-35 win over Austin Peay but was opportunistic in forcing three turnovers. The Panthers' scoring defense ranks seventh in the conference, allowing 27.8 ppg.

"Defensively, they just kind of turn the heat up," Matukewicz said about EIU. "There's a lot of man-free. They get in the backfield a lot -- lots of tackles for losses. They run a 4-2-5. ... They're just good. They're a good football team."

Saturday marks the 24th all-time meeting between the two programs. Southeast is 4-7 versus the Panthers, who have won each of the last four games in the series.

The game is Military Appreciation and Take a Kid to the Game night. All active and veteran members of the military will be given free admission, along with children in the eighth grade and under who are accompanied by an adult.

"This one's crucial. We're 1-0 in conference, and everyone knows this conference is tough," Garrett said. "You can't really even lose one game in this conference. You've got to win out, so this game's huge. Every game from now on is huge, especially with a ranked team coming in for a home game.

"It's going to be a really big one for us."

Series history

Eastern Illinois leads 17-6

Last meeting

Eastern Illinois won 33-28 on Oct. 10, 2015, in Charleston, Illinois

By the numbers

11 -- The number of rushing yards the Redhawks’ defense allowed in last week’s 17-16 win over the Racers. MSU attempted 26 rushes, averaging 0.4 yards per rush. The Racers’ leading rusher, Demetri Johnson, was held to 21 yards on 16 totes. Southeast is allowing an average of 101.8 yards rushing per game, which ranks fourth in the OVC.

27 -- The number of games the Panthers have won in their last 32 OVC contests, dating back to the beginning of the 2012 season. EIU lost only one conference game in 2015, a 24-3 decision against visiting Jacksonville State on Nov. 7. Last week’s victory marked the fifth year in a row the Panthers have won their OVC opener.

4 -- The Redhawks’ number of all-time victories against ranked FCS opponents. Two of those wins came at home in Matukewicz’s first season at the helm — a 24-23 win over then-No. 3 Southeastern Louisiana and a 28-21 victory against then-No. 20 Tennessee State. Southeast has a .143 all-time win percentage (4-24) against ranked teams.

Stat leaders

Eastern Illinois

Passing: Mitch Kimble 581 yards

Receiving: Korliss Marshall 131 yards, Paul Gossage 119 yards, Isaiah Nelson 115 yards

Rushing: Devin Church 295 yards, Christopher Anderson 129 yards, Marshall 93 yards

Tackles: Pono Choy 36, Seth McDonald 35, Bradley Newberry 24

Southeast

Passing: Jesse Hosket 853 yards

Receiving: Tremane McCullough 226 yards, Kristian Wilkerson 215 yards, Adrian Davis 207 yards

Rushing: Will Young 272 yards, McCullough 136 yards, Cameron Sanders 86 yards

Tackles: Roper Garrett 32, Chad Meredith 24, Ryan Moore 23

Eastern Illinois coach Kim Dameron

Sandy King ~ Eastern Illinois Athletics

Opposing coach's view:

“Their defense starts with those four inside and outside backer guys. They make a ton of plays. They’re very well-coached. They do what they do, which is a little different than most people. Plus, they’re huge up front. They’ve got some big ol’ boys up there — you’re not going to move them around much — and then they’ve got a couple all-conference type of players in the back end. ... They’re a little different than they were a year ago because they’ve had a change at quarterback. They’re trying to run the football, but No. 8 is a guy that’s always dangerous. He’s their second-leading rusher. He’s their leading receiver. So they’re going to get the ball to him.”

-- Kim Dameron, Eastern Illinois coach

Scouting the opponent

Eastern Illinois running back Devin Church leads the Panthers’ rushing attack with 295 yards and two touchdowns on 61 carries.

Sandy King ~ Eastern Illinois Athletics

Following a mistake-filled 38-21 loss against Western Illinois in the season opener, the Panthers and third-year coach Kim Dameron have rattled off three straight wins, including non-conference road victories over Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Miami (Ohio) and a top-five FCS team in Illinois State.

"The Panthers aren't perfect by any means, but they are doing a lot of things right on both sides of the ball," Journal-Gazette/Times-Courier sports reporter Justin Rust said in an email. "With as much as the team lost on defense to graduation and dealing with a quarterback battle in the preseason, the Panthers are further along than anyone could've hoped at 3-1 with two big wins."

Church leads EIU's rushing attack and has 65 yards receiving on a team-leading 12 catches. Rust believes Church's patience in the backfield is one of his greatest assets.

"Instead of just running straight up to the line, he waits for his holes to develop, and he doesn't need much of an opening. Plus, he is speedy and shifty," Rust said. "You can't arm tackle him. You have to wrap him up and bring him down. He is very good in open space and can easily win one-on-one battles by making the player miss. Plus, he has good hands and runs good short routes to get open, whether it's a swing pass or being open in the short middle of the field."

According to Rust, the Panthers' effectiveness on the ground enables the rest of the offense to properly function. RB Chris Anderson was named OVC Co-Newcomer of the Week after a breakout game in last week's win over APSU, during which he racked up 129 yards and a pair of TDs on 13 carries.

During that game, EIU was without starting QB Mitch Kimble, a transfer from Syracuse who's 47-of-82 (57 percent) passing on the season for 581 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. Backup Austin Green filled in for Kimble, finishing with 263 yards on 24-of-30 passing with two TDs and one pick.

"Both quarterbacks, whether Mitch Kimble is ready to go or not, can run the football effictively. Kimble is the better runner, though, and does a great job on draws," Rust said. "There's not a wide receiver who sticks out, but they have good enough receivers and spread them out enough that usually one of them can get open."

Senior linebacker Seth McDonald (35 tackles, 2 1/2 for loss) leads the Panthers on defense, while redshirt senior Pono Choy is one of the top contributors in the secondary with a team-high 36 tackles.

Redshirt junior Nick Horne has been another standout at linebacker with 24 tackles, including five for loss, but Rust believes EIU's defensive success all starts with the front four, which includes defensive tackle Jarvis Williams (20 tackles, seven for loss) and defensive end Josh Price (23 tackles, 6 1/2 for loss).

"The key to their defense is getting penetration with the linemen, as Dino Fanti showed last season," Rust said. "They will disguise blitzes for their linebackers, too. ... The defensive line has grown up quickly."

The Panthers struggled to slow down the Governors on third down last week, giving up nine conversions. On the season, EIU ranks second-to-last in the OVC in opposing third-down conversions, allowing 50 percent.

But EIU's team strengths are evident. Behind an experienced offensive line, the Panthers have had success running the ball and have shown an ability to spread the ball around on offense. The defense has also demonstrated consistency in getting into the backfield, combining for 31 TFLs on the year.

Rust believes EIU has received a bit of surprise in the efficient play of its QBs, both of whom have done well in sustaining longer drives.

"The consistent play at quarterback has been a good spark to a team that was returning plenty of talented players," Rust said. "... The expecations are to compete for and hopefully win the OVC title and to earn another trip to the postseason."

OVC schedule

Saturday

* UT Martin at Tennessee State, 2 p.m.

* Murray State at Austin Peay, 4 p.m.

The two rivals clash in their 50th all-time meeting. The Racers lead the series 35-14.

MSU is 0-4 on the season and 0-1 in conference play after dropping a 17-16 decision against Southeast last week. The Racers have won seven of their last eight games against the Governors, including a 34-18 victory last season.

APSU comes into the game with an 0-3 mark and is 0-2 in the OVC after being handed a 56-35 defeat last week at EIU. The Governors’ lone win in their past 24 games came against MSU in 2014.

* Eastern Kentucky at Tennessee Tech, 6 p.m.