~ Eastern Illinois also was chosen to repeat as the OVC champion in the preseason coaches' poll.
Southeast Missouri State opened its Ohio Valley Conference schedule against a squad expected to finish toward the bottom of the 10-team league.
Tonight, the Redhawks get a crack at the OVC preseason favorite.
One week after Southeast dropped its OVC opener at Samford, the Redhawks welcome two-time defending champion Eastern Illinois to Houck Stadium.
While most people considered the Samford game a tossup -- Southeast was picked eighth in the OVC preseason poll and Samford ninth -- the Redhawks will be decided underdogs against the Panthers.
But Southeast doesn't expect to be intimidated.
"They're a great team and we know they'll be hyped," senior linebacker Adam Casper said. "But we'll be ready."
Southeast coach Tony Samuel, whose squad is 2-2 overall, said the Redhawks' morale remains strong, even though they squandered a 21-7 third-quarter lead at Samford before losing 26-21.
"Kids bounce back better than anybody. It's the grown people that have trouble," Samuel said. "The morale of the team is good."
Casper agreed, and he believes the Redhawks will have no trouble putting the disappointing defeat at Samford behind them.
"Win or lose, you have to put it behind you," he said. "You always want to win the first one [conference game], but it's just one game.
"I know we have a good team. If we pull together, we can have a really good season."
EIU, also 2-2 overall, is ranked 19th and 21st nationally in the two major Division I-AA polls.
The Panthers have, like Southeast, played one OVC game. They routed Tennessee Tech 45-24.
EIU's losses have been to Division I-A Purdue 52-6 and to nationally-ranked I-AA Illinois State 24-21.
The Panthers are coming off a 54-20 rout of Indiana State in which they outgained the host Sycamores in total yardage 609-216.
By comparison, Southeast edged Indiana State as the Redhawks had just a slight advantage in total yardage, 360-355.
So all signs would point to a decisive victory by the Panthers -- although EIU coach Bob Spoo does not buy into that line of thinking.
"I expect SEMO to be well prepared. They're going to be a lot tougher [than Indiana State]," said Spoo, whose team shared last year's OVC title after winning the crown outright in 2005. "We've got our work cut out for us. We've got to do things right. We have to go in there expecting a battle."
Southeast will try to slow down a potent EIU offensive attack that is averaging 31.5 points and 417.2 yards per game, both second-best in the conference.
Sophomore quarterback Bodie Reeder, making his first college start -- replacing senior returning regular Cole Stinson -- completed 23-of-26 passes for 298 yards against Indiana State.
Micah Rucker, a 6-foot-6 wide receiver considered a legitimate NFL prospect, is the OVC's No. 2 receiver with 25 catches. He is averaging 15 yards per reception.
Travorus Bess leads EIU rushers with 326 yards (5.8 yards per carry), while two other backs have gained more than 115 yards.
On defense, the Panthers are led by reigning OVC defensive player of the year Donald Thomas, a linebacker.
"They're a very good football team," Samuel said. "But anybody can get beat on any given day."
The Redhawks hope today is that day.
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