Southeast Missouri State football faces tough test on homecoming vs. No. 2 Jacksonville State

Southeast Missouri State coach Tom Matukewicz adjusts his headset during the annual Pink Up game against Austin Peay last week at Houck Stadium.

Fred Lynch

There's nothing to hide when it comes to how dominant the Jacksonville State football team has been in Ohio Valley Conference, but drawing the Gamecocks on homecoming might be Southeast Missouri State's best advantage.

The two forces will collide at 1 p.m. Saturday when the Gamecocks, who are ranked No. 2 in both Football Championship Subdivision national polls, visit Houck Stadium to face the Redhawks.

"It's a tough road trip," Southeast Missouri State coach Tom Matukewicz said about the seven-hour haul from Jacksonville, Alabama, to Cape Girardeau. "I made it last year for the first time, and it was pretty rough.

"I know they're going to be eating down at Lambert's, so hopefully they give them a bunch of rolls and feed them really, really good so that maybe they're a little bit sluggish."

For Southeast (3-5, 3-2 OVC), it'll be the second ranked opponent to come to Houck this season. The Redhawks have six all-time wins against nationally-ranked FCS teams, three of which have occurred with Matukewicz at the helm, including a 21-14 victory over then-No. 13 Eastern Illinois on Oct. 1.

Southeast Missouri State's Tremane McCullough rushes for 41 yards to the Austin Peay 24 during the second quarter Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016 at Houck Stadium.

Fred Lynch

Southeast is coming off a 41-21 win over Austin Peay last week at Houck, a game in which it racked up a season-high 515 yards of total offense. The Redhawks are now 2-1 at home this season and are averaging 28.7 points per game in those contests.

"There's going to be a lot of energy," junior outside linebacker Chad Meredith said. "There's a good presence at the game. We'll definitely be feeding off that.

"Everybody always comes to play, but there's always something special about homecoming."

And "something special" is what the Redhawks will need in order to keep pace on the ground against JSU (7-1, 4-0 OVC), which finished runner-up to North Dakota State in last year's FCS title game.

The Gamecocks, who are led by third-year coach John Grass, lead the league in both rushing offense (257.9 yards per game) and rushing defense (87.6 ypg), and they rank eighth and seventh in those respective categories on a national level.

Matukewicz believes that production is a reflection of JSU's strength at the line of scrimmage. The Gamecocks' defensive line is led by redshirt junior Darius Jackson, who was selected as the Preseason OVC Defensive Player of the Year. JSU's defense is tops in the OVC in scoring defense, allowing 18.4 ppg ahead of Southeast in second (24.4 ppg), and is No. 1 in the nation on third down, giving up conversions at a 23-percent rate (27 of 116).

"They have the line of scrimmage, so they can stop the run," Matukewicz said. "They get you in third down, and then they pressure. So they create a lot of turnovers and negative-yardage plays off their pressure.

"Our key on offense is to try not to get in third-and-long situations."

The Gamecocks are spurred offensively by redshirt senior quarterback Eli Jenkins, who was last year's OVC Male Athlete of the Year. Jenkins is a dual-threat QB and does most of his damage on the ground, averaging a league-high 89.8 rushing yards per game. As a team, JSU is generating an OVC-leading 5.4 yards per rush.

"I think they're just really, really skilled, and so if you miss a tackle or you're not in a gap, it could go the distance," Matukewicz said. "A lot of options, so it's hard to overlap the football and get a lot of hats there. If you miss a tackle, it could go the distance.

"They're going to run the football, and they're going to get yards. You're not going to just stop them, but you've got to limit them. And you can't let them have the big plays. Once they get in the red zone, you've got to force field goals, and when you get them in third down, you've got to get them off the field."

In front of Jenkins is a group of three Preseason All-OVC selections in senior center Casey Dunn, redshirt junior left guard Justin Lea and redshirt sophomore right tackle Dylan Cline.

Meredith said the Gamecocks' are solid up front in allowing the offense to trick opposing defenses with various forms of misdirection, but he said he has faith in the Redhawks' defensive line and its ability to defend it.

"I always feel like we're a very physical defense, so we need to keep on doing that if we're going to win the game," Meredith said. "We've got to stop the run and obviously stop the quarterback run game, so being physical is the best way to start."

JSU ranks third in the league in scoring offense with 33 ppg, while the Redhawks jumped ahead of APSU in that category after last week's 20-point victory. They are now eighth in the league with 22.3 ppg.

Junior quarterback Jesse Hosket picked up OVC Co-Newcomer of the Week honors after completing 83 percent (20 of 24) of his passes for 230 yards and a touchdown in last week's win over the Governors. Hosket is now 142-of-254 passing (55.9 percent) for 1,794 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. He ranks third in the conference with 224.3 passing ypg and is closing in on becoming SEMO's ninth player since 1962 to throw for more than 2,000 yards.

Senior running back Will Young rushed for a career-high 154 yards and a touchdown against APSU, bringing his season total to 652 yards. He ranks fourth in the OVC with 81.5 rushing yards per game.

Southeast has posted consecutive season-highs in rushing over the past two weeks and ranks fifth in the league with 153 ypg. Matukewicz believes his team will need to stick to the script and continue that trend in order to keep up with the Gamecocks.

"Could you imagine trying to beat this kind of team with something you've never even done before? That's not even possible," Matukewicz said, "so we've got to focus on, 'What have we done well?' And we've got to try to beat them that way. If we don't, we're just not good enough. At least we'll have our best shot because we're doing the things we've done all year long."

Senior Tremane McCullough added a pair of rushing TDs for the Redhawks last week and now has 679 yards from scrimmage on 105 touches. Redshirt freshman Kristian Wilkerson leads the Redhawks with 468 yards receiving on 26 catches.

Inside linebacker Roper Garrett, a senior, ranks seventh in the OVC with 66 tackles -- seven for loss -- and has two interceptions on the season for Southeast. Meredith has 61 tackles, including a team-high 35 solo stops, while senior free safety Ryan Moore leads SEMO's defensive backfield with 42 tackles. Junior OLB Kendall Donnerson has 38 tackles for the Redhawks, including a league-high 11 1/2 for loss.

Southeast is second in the conference in rushing defense, allowing 130.9 ypg, and is seventh in passing defense (255.9 ypg). The Redhawks are fourth in total defense, giving up 386.8 ypg.

Series history

Jacksonville State leads 15-5

Last meeting

Jacksonville St. won 56-28 on Nov. 14, 2015, in Jacksonville, Ala.

By the numbers

99 -- The number of yards on the Redhawks’ longest kick return in program history, which came a year ago in a loss at JSU. The return came from Cameron Sanders, who returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown in last week’s win over APSU. It’s the fourth-longest kickoff return for a touchdown in program history. Sanders was named OVC Co-Specialist of the Week for his performance vs. the Govs.

21 -- The number of games in a row the Gamecocks have won in conference play. JSU’s last OVC loss came on Nov. 16, 2013, when host Eastern Illinois claimed a 52-14 decision. Since taking over the program in 2014, Grass is a perfect 20-0 in the OVC.

12 -- The number of victories Southeast has claimed since moving to the Division I level in 1991. The Redhawks have a .480 winning percentage during that span, which includes 13 losses. They are 1-1 on homecoming under Matukewicz. This year marks only the second time Southeast plays its homecoming game in November.

Stat leaders

Jacksonville State

Passing: Eli Jenkins 1,458 yards

Receiving: Josh Barge 318 yards, Krenwick Sanders 301 yards, Roc Thomas 168 yards

Rushing: Jenkins 718 yards, Josh Clemons 562 yards, Thomas 497 yards

Tackles: Marlon Bridges 56, Siran Neal 48, Joel McCandless 40

Southeast

Passing: Jesse Hosket 1,794 yards

Receiving: Kristian Wilkerson 468 yards, Tremane McCullough 396 yards, Adrian Davis 365 yards

Rushing: Will Young 652 yards, McCullough 283 yards, Cameron Sanders 145 yards

Tackles: Roper Garrett 66, Chad Meredith 61, Ryan Moore 42

Jacksonville State coach John Grass

Matt Reynolds ~ JSU Photo

Opposing coach's view:

“SEMO has won some close games, and they’ve lost some close games. So it’s one of those deals where they’re a very good football team. I think [Matukewicz] does a great job. Defensively they’re just so solid and don’t give up a lot of explosive plays. They get the ball on the ground. Offensively they’ve got a lot of weapons and can throw it and run it. They’re balanced. So we’ve got our work cut out for us on a long road trip this week.”

-- John Grass, Jacksonville State coach

Scouting the opponent

Jacksonville State senior quarterback Eli Jenkins directs the Gamecocks’ offense, playing a part in 61 percent of the team’s total yardage. Jenkins is the reigning OVC Male Athlete of the Year.

Matt Reynolds ~ JSU Photo

JSU is currently riding a six-game winning streak and has outscored its conference opponents 145-56. The Gameocks' only blemish this season was a 34-13 loss in Week 2 at Football Bowl Subdivision opponent LSU.

Fueled by an explosive offense and a stifling defense, JSU has been a fun team to watch but has been guilty of playing to the level of its opposition -- for better or worse -- according to The Anniston Star sports reporter Mark McCarter.

"They were pretty impressive at LSU and not the least bit intimidated. I'm not suggesting they could have won, but a couple of missed tackles on an LSU punt return and it'd have been a different game," McCarter said in an e-mail. "By the same token, they played without much energy when a couple of the OVC cellar-dwellers visited."

Led by a pair of tailbacks in redshirt senior Josh Clemons (562 yards rushing, eight TDs) and junior Roc Thomas (497 yards rushing, four TDs), the Gamecocks have generated most of their ground attack behind a cohesive offensive line.

"The offensive line, five really solid guys who call themselves the 'War Pigs,' are big and experienced," McCarter said. "... They keep Jenkins protected, and they open holes for Roc Thomas and Josh Clemons.

"The two running backs are different styles, and that helps. Every time Thomas touches the ball, you get the sense he could break a 70-yarder. Every time Clemons touches the ball, you get the sense some defender is about to get run over."

Jenkins directs the JSU offense, playing a part in 61 percent of the team's total yardage. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound signal caller is averaging 6.1 yards per carry and has thrown for 1,458 yards on 109-of-206 passing (53 percent). He has eight rushing TDs, eight passing TDs and has thrown only three interceptions.

"Jenkins just has 'IT,'" McCarter said. "That intangible of charisma and leadership and make-it-happen you see in some QBs. He is a good passer and a good runner, but he's a terrific improvisor. He doesn't get fazed, and he's smart."

The Gamecocks' defense leads the league in sacks (28) and is led by Jackson, who has an OVC-high 6 1/2. Jackson has 32 stops on the season, including 11 for loss, while freshman safety Marlon Bridges has three interceptions and leads the team with 56 tackles. JSU is plus-11 in turnover margin with 11 interceptions this season, including three from redshirt senior cornerback Jaylen Hill.

"The biggie, though, is JSU's depth," McCarter said. "You'll see guys on the second series of the game playing in the D-line you can't find on the depth chart. They go 10-12 guys deep on the defensive line and pretty deep at LB. So they're always fresh."

While JSU's offense is a little less explosive than last season and the placekicking has been spotty -- the Gamecocks are 8 of 14 kicking (57 percent) -- McCarter believes the team's defense can carry it a long way.

"If indeed the adage of 'defense wins championships' is true, this is a team capable of winning a national championship," McCarter said, "especially having gone through the playoff run a year ago."

OVC schedule

Saturday

* Murray State at Eastern Kentucky, Noon

* UT Martin at #24 Eastern Illinois, 1 p.m.

The matchup pits a pair of teams with hopes of playing in the postseason. The loser will be eliminated from playoff contention.

EIU leads the all-time series by a 14-7 margin, but UTM has won four of the past six contests. The Panthers dropped their second straight game last week in a 47-14 decision at JSU.

The Skyhawks continue to surge after coming off a 33-3 win over host EKU last week. UTM held the Colonels to 229 yards of total offense, picking up just its fourth win in the series history.

* Tennessee Tech at Tennessee, 3 p.m.

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

OVC standings