Big local football weekend ahead

It's a big weekend for local football.

The big Cape Girardeau Central vs. Jackson football game is tonight. It will be the 112th meeting between the two schools. Jackson has had the upper hand the last couple of years, but this rival tends to go in cycles, and games are usually competitive. The game, usually the highest attended football game in the area each year, will be played at central. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, Southeast Missouri State University will host its first game at Houck of this young season against the Dayton Flyers. The Redhawks are coming off a tough 48-21 loss to Arkansas State.

Last year, Dayton defeated Southeast 25-23 at Dayton, Ohio. The game will stream online at ESPN+. Better yet, watch the game at Houck. There's a 1 p.m. kickoff. Fun stat: Southeast is 16-11 all-time in home owners since joining the FCS division in the NCAA. It's also Family Weekend, so there should be a good crowd on hand.

If you're a fan of local football, this weekend should provide a good opportunity to have some fun in the stands rooting for your squad. Good luck to all the local teams. And be sure to check semoball.com for coverage after the game.