CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – After earning a convincing win last week, the Tennessee State University Tigers (1-3, 0-1 OVC) were defeated 47-14 by the Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks (1-3, 1-0 OVC) in OVC action from Cape Girardeau, Mo. SEMO dominated the line of scrimmage rushing for 380 yards while only giving up 14 on the ground. The game was TSU head coach Eddie George's first career OVC matchup as a head coach.
The TSU defense kept their team in the game employing a bend but not break approach. They held SEMO to three field goals and a lone touchdown by running back Geno Hess (25 rushes 209 yards and three TDs). The Tiger offense only could muster up 92 first half yards and was shut out.
SEMO scored on a four play 75-yard drive to open the second half. All four plays were on the ground and capped off by Hess' second TD of the game on a 63-yard run. On the ensuing kickoff, Tiger sophomore Dayron Johnson got TSU on the board on a nifty 90-yard return to cut the SEMO lead to 23-6.
Down 26-6, the Tigers caught a break when senior defensive back Eddie Graham picked off SEMO's CJ Ogbonna and returned it 10 yards to the SEMO 22-yard line. On third and 10, Hickbottom hit freshman running back who was stopped short of the line to gain. George decided to go for it on fourth down, but redshirt sophomore Deveon Bryant was stuffed on his rush and TSU turned the ball over on downs.
The stop on fourth down seemed to deflate the Tigers as SEMO finished the game outscoring TSU 21-8 for the rest of the contest.
For the second week in a row, TSU signal caller Geremy Hickbottom was solid converting on 17 of 31 of his passes for 252 yards and a touchdown. Hickbottom's favorite receiver of the day was freshman Zaire Thornton who caught three passes for 95 yards. Hickbottom's lone touchdown pass went to senior Vincent Perry. Defensively, TSU was led by junior Jahsun Bryant who had 11 tackles. Senior Cory Rahmann, junior James Green and sophomore Josh Green contributed with nine tackles.
Saturday's loss was the fourth in a row for TSU against SEMO. The Tigers will now prepare to take on Austin Peay State University on the road next Saturday.
Box Score: Football vs Tennessee State on 9/25/2021 - Box Score - Southeast Missouri State University Athletics (semoredhawks.com)
