By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri scored 21 points on its first three drives of the game, taking up only 5:20 of the opening quarter.
Tennessee Tech could have thrown in the towel there, but the Golden Eagles surged back, clawing within three points with 3:20 left in the game. However, the home Redhawks were able to take a page out of the Golden Eagles' playbook and eat up the remaining time on the clock to eke out a 24-21 win over Tech.
The Golden Eagles fall to 1-4 on the season with two games remaining in the 2020-21 spring campaign and will have a short week as Tech hosts Tennessee State at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday for the final home game of the season.
SEMO, meanwhile, improves to 2-3 on the season and finishes out the slate on the road at UT Martin and Tennessee State.
Zack Smith was electric for the Redhawks, hauling in 10 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns – an eight-yarder for the first score of the game, then a 61-yarder with two minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Geno Hess had the score in between, a 13-yard rushing score.
Andrew Bunch, a Nebraska transfer, completed 18 of his 24 pass attempts, collecting 259 yards – 162 of those alone in the first quarter. Tech was able to hold him to minus-1 in the second, 51 in the third and 47 in the final period.
The Redhawks amassed 346 yards of total offense – 259 through the air and 87 on the ground. Hess had 89 yards on 18 carries, but losses dropped the cumulative total below Hess' output.
Jordan Brown had a strong day for the Golden Eagles, hauling in four passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing 14 times for 76 yards, ending the day with 135 all-purpose yards with a 13-yard kick return tacked on.
Willie Miller, in his second start of the season, completed 17 of his 33 passes for 166 yards, while also rushing 16 times for 65 yards and the Golden Eagles' first touchdown of the day, a one-yard QB keeper with 6:25 in the second quarter.
Brown's catch came with 44 seconds remaining in the half. He collided with Brad Clark, but was able to hang on to the ball to get the touchdown and take the team to the locker room down just seven points at the intermission.
Tech had a chance to inch closer in the third quarter as Hayden Olsen's 36-yard field goal try sailed to the left. SEMO's Kenny Doak knocked one through early in the fourth quarter from 23 yards out, necessitating two scores for the Golden Eagles.
Lawrence Johnson ended the game with 12 tackles for the Redhawks, forcing a Miller fumble, the only turnover on the day for the Golden Eagles. On the other side of the coin, Marcus McMeans led Tech with nine stops and two tackles for loss, while Seth Carlisle and Jack Warwick each had eight, Warwick also recording Tech's lone sack of the game.
Tech's last scoring drive was set up as Bunch fumbled the ball as Daniel Rickert tripped him up and Jamaal Thompson was there to scoop it up at the SEMO 39. The Golden Eagles went five plays and 39 yards in 3:01 to score on Brown's 26-yard reception.
Possession time was crucial to the Golden Eagles' comeback effort – Tech controlled the ball for 36:24 to SEMO's 23:36.
The Golden Eagles ended the game with 352 yards of offense, 48 yards shy of its season-high of 400 in the Murray State game.
