Sellers’ spark leads to SEMO defeating UT Martin in double-overtime

Southeast Missouri State receiver Mitchell Sellers catches a touchdown pass against UT Martin on Saturday, Sept. 7, at Houck Field.

Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

In case of emergency, break glass and call 33.

Facing a two-score deficit in the fourth quarter, Southeast Missouri State called on receiver Mitchell Sellers and threw him the ball six times for 60 yards and three touchdowns, all career highs, to lead the Redhawks to a 45-42 double-overtime win over UT Martin on Saturday, Sept. 7, at Houck Field.

“We knew it'd be a fourth-quarter game for sure,” SEMO head coach Tom Matukewicz said. “They're a talented team They're three-time defending [Big South-OVC] champions, got a six-year quarterback, so we knew it was going to be a challenge.”

Double overtime came down to who could kick the final field goal. UT Martin’s Jaren Van Winkle missed his chance at 36 yards. DC Pippin’s 37-yarder sealed SEMO’s first home double-overtime victory since a 43-37 thriller over Tennessee Tech in 2019, the year the Redhawks went on to host an FCS Playoff game for the first time in program history.

All six of Sellers’ receptions came in the fourth quarter and overtime. Before Saturday, his only reception of the season came in the season opener against North Alabama.

Injuries plagued him since his 2023 season ended in October, but when he was finally healthy, he got his chance to impact the game for the Redhawks.

“Since Mitch has gotten here, he's been a reliable player,” SEMO quarterback Paxton DeLaurent said. “We were waiting to call his number. We’re expecting red zone and third downs, and that's what the game turned into, was a red zone game. And he came big and did what he's supposed to do.”

Anticipating a brick wall run defense from the Skyhawks, the Redhawks attacked exclusively through the air. DeLaurent threw a career-high 63 passing attempts for 376 passing yards and six touchdowns. Cam Pedro netted nine receptions for a career-high 126 yards and Dorian Anderson hauled in a team-high 127 yards and two touchdowns, both topping his career performance at New Mexico State the previous week.

DeLaurent has been relied on in the past, but not like this.

“I wasn't expecting it to be fully like that,” DeLaurent said, but once we got into the game, I think, coach (Jeromy) McDowell trusted it, we saw, what was rolling and they put me in great opportunities to succeed.”

The Redhawks were the first on the board after a 17-yard touchdown pass to Tristan Smith in the first quarter.

The Skyhawks struck back to lead 14-7 after the Kinkead Dent to Trevonte Rucker connection led to two touchdowns in the second quarter.

SEMO tied the game 14-14 leading into halftime on an 18-yard touchdown pass to Anderson. DeLaurent and Anderson later connected again early in the second half, this time on a 20-yard touchdown pass to lead 21-14 with 12 minutes left in the third quarter.

“Players were getting open, receivers were doing a great job, like Dorian,” DeLaurent said. “I mean, those are some tough catches.”

The rest of the third quarter was all UT Martin. Dent threw a 24-yard pass to Tyler Dostin for a game-tying touchdown. The Skyhawks took back the lead after a 29-yard touchdown run by Patrick Smith, who finished the game with a game-high 148 rushing yards on 23 carries.

A one-yard touchdown run by Rashad Raymond early in the fourth quarter gave UT Martin a 35-28 lead, its largest in the game.

SEMO came back, not just from finally finding Sellers open, but from relying on a defense that went from being trampled on through three quarters to being stifling in the final round. Khalani Riddick recovered a fumble and the rest of the defense forced the Skyhawks to punt multiple times, buying time for the Sellers' spark to fully kick in.

“It was disappointing, but I think they just kept plugging along,” Matukewicz said. “Coaches kept coaching them, and then they kind of finally snapped out of their funk a little bit and did with what they've done to play some good defense at the end.”

Sellers’ third touchdown put SEMO ahead in overtime. After what appeared to be a game-winning interception was ruled an incompletion, the Skyhawks tied the game 42-42 on a seven-yard pass to Asa Wondeh to force double overtime.

Pippin sent the fans home happy and the Redhawks entered their first bye week with a 2-1 record. SEMO will get a week of rest before traveling to Carbondale, Ill, to take on Southern Illinois in a rivalry game that has dictated the direction of the Redhawks’ season.

Since 2016, a win over the Salukis has led to the Redhawks making the playoffs, while a loss has predicted a below .500 season.

At 2-1, the veteran-laden Redhawks are confident this year will end with SEMO’s name on the bracket.

“I think the players knew that in fall camp,” Matukewicz said. “They knew what kind of team we can have. We just got to put it all together.”