INDIAN COMEBACK FALLS SHORT

For the second straight week, Southeast Missouri State University's football team put together a spirited, hard-nosed performance that fell a bit short.

The Indians, turning the ball over on their first four possessions Saturday night, dug themselves an early 28-0 hole against Eastern Kentucky.

But Southeast thrilled a Family Weekend crowd of 11,015 at Houck Stadium by rallying with 28 straight points, setting up a tie heading into the fourth quarter.

EKU, however, scored the only nine points of the final period to pull out a thrilling 37-28 victory.

The Colonels improved to 4-1 as they won their Ohio Valley Conference opener. The Indians, losing for the 10th straight time dating back to last season, fell to 0-5 overall, 0-3 in the OVC.

"I'm proud of the comeback. I told them after the game I don't question their heart. I question whether we come to play," said Southeast coach John Mumford. "We gave them 28 points on a silver platter. We'll fight but we're not that good to give it away like that.

"We have great heart but we have to come ready to play. Any way you slice it, 0-5 stinks."

The first 11 minutes were like a nightmare for the Indians.

First, Mike Gross was intercepted on Southeast's second offensive play at the Indians' 46-yard line and Waylon Chapman hit Alex Bannister with a 46-yard touchdown pass just 3:05 into the contest.

On Southeast's next offensive play, Sturge Cumberford fumbled and EKU recovered at the Indians' 20. Derick Logan then ripped off a 20-yard TD run for a 14-0 lead just 4:12 into the game.

The next Southeast possession saw Gross intercepted again, this time at the EKU 41. The Indians' defense held this time.

But with just under five minutes left in the first quarter, Devree Flint fumbled near his own goal line, the ball bounced into the end zone and Nick Sullivan recovered for an EKU TD and a 21-0 lead.

Just 43 seconds later, with 4:01 left in the opening period, Nick Towns returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown and a 28-0 EKU bulge.

"We couldn't do anything right early," said Mumford.

But to the Indians' credit, they stormed back. Gross hit John Borne with a 14-yard TD pass late in the first quarter to make it 28-7.

Bobby Brune then replaced Gross and directed two second-period TD drives as he played the rest of the way and was impressive.

K.D. Koleosho scored on a 19-yard run to cap a 72-yard march and Brune hit Corey Chester with a 5-yard TD strike to cap a 70-yard drive with 1:42 left before halftime, making it 28-21 at the intermission.

The Indians kept up the pressure in the third quarter and tied things with 2:45 left. Jeremy Atwell scooped up a fumble and was tripped up at the EKU 42. On the next play, Brune hit Leslie Weaver on a 42-yard TD bomb and Seth Carriere's fourth extra point of the game made it 28-28.

At this point, the big crowd -- many of the fans had come to see the Beach Boys in concert after the game -- was in a frenzy.

"It was an electric atmosphere," Mumford said. "For being where we are, losing 10 in a row, it was a great crowd."

But the Colonels' defense shut down the Indians in the final period, putting all kinds of heat on Brune. EKU went ahead for good with 13:24 left on Chapman's 53-yard bomb to Tyrone Browning. The extra point failed, so the Indians were still very much alive at 34-28.

However, Southeast could not move the ball and EKU tacked on an insurance field goal with 1:53 left.

"They don't deserve to be 0-5. They're a better football team than that," said EKU coach Roy Kidd of the Indians. "We just got every break in the book.

"SEMO made some big plays and never quit. I told my players before the game that they won't quit. You can see it on film."

The final yardage totals were almost identical, EKU getting 343 yards and Southeast 330 yards.

EKU's normally potent ground game was limited to 94 yards.

"The defense played a hell of a game against the rush," said Mumford. "But we let too many (passes) get over the top on us."

Chapman completed 12 of 24 passes for 249 yards.

Brune hit on 13 of 17 attempts for 154 yards as he very well might have earned his starting position back. He started the first three games before Gross took over for the next two.

Riki Smith rushed for 60 yards on 14 carries while Leslie Weaver caught five passes for 65 yards. Cumberford had four receptions.

Defensively, according to unofficial press box statistics, David Bowling had 11 tackles while Atwell and Isaac Powell had 10 each. Joel Becker had both of Southeast's sacks.