Rival college football fans put their differences aside during pregame gathering at Houck Stadium

Jeremy Summers and David Phillips stood on an embankment overlooking Houck Place, two men in Saluki maroon amongst a sea of red and black.

Summers, a recent Southern Illinois University graduate, and Phillips, currently a senior at SIU, showed no signs of being in the land of the enemy.

They casually sipped their beers and listened to the live music of Manitou while Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks fans walked along the crowded street in front of the stadium. They smiled with the confidence of conquerors.

"Last year we won 42-3," said Summers, who pegs his team to win 35-14 this time, going with the student newspaper's point spread. Summers has been to every SIU game since he was 13, and the games against Southeast are the best.

Phillips agrees. "It's the rivalry."

The first game of the season was a special occasion at Southeast Thursday night for many reasons -- the rivalry between SIU and Southeast, the 75th anniversary of Houck Stadium, the unveiling of a renovated stadium and parking lot and the first Southeast football game as the Redhawks.

Southeast threw a massive party for the occasion, with live music, free beer and food, giveaways and games before the contest. Houck Place was blocked off to through traffic and revelers filled the streets, swilling on beer and munching on free watermelon and burgers.

The Red Cross was also in attendance, collecting donations at the gate for hurricane relief. By halftime, Red Cross staffer Amanda Lincoln said the roughly 10 volunteers at the event had collected about $1,000, all of which will go to benefit storm victims.

"A lot of people have been very interested in donating and finding out more information about volunteering," Lincoln said.

Gary and Barb Misselhorn, two SIU fans from Campbell Hill, Ill., displayed their Saluki maroon in full view as they strolled down Houck Place. Her T-shirt gave a warning: "I Bleed Saluki Maroon."

If anyone told her Southeast would win, "I'd have to set them straight," she said.

But despite the rivalry, fans were cordial, if not downright friendly. As a group of SIU backers walked through the tailgate area, Southeast fan Nick Kelch greeted them with these words: "Take it easy on us guys."

"It would be a bitter rivalry if we were more competitive," Kelch said. "They're a top-notch double-A team."

Kelch was tailgating with his wife Brenda, a senior at Southeast, and daughters Kendra, decked out in red face paint, and Maya, who had miniature black and red pompoms hanging from her Redhawks visor.

The Kelches were enjoying the new paved lot in front of Houck, as were Tim McKenna, Cory Schultz and Mark Smith, all members of the Sigma Nu fraternity.

"This is 100 percent better," said Smith, a junior. "It makes the school look a lot better."

Like the Kelches, McKenna, Smith and Schultz were pessimistic about the chances of a Southeast win. "They've killed us for the last decade," said McKenna.

But that didn't stop their Southeast pride. As a Saluki flag waved from a truck in the background, Schultz stood in contrast with red war paint on his face and "GO SEMO" painted on his chest.

Even if the team faces rough spots this year, the fans will be in the parking lot every game, soaking up the atmosphere and cheering on the newly christened Redhawks.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182