INDIANS TRY TO AVOID SCHOOL-RECORD 13TH STRAIGHT LOSS AGAINST BEARS

Southeast Missouri State University's football Indians hope that a strong home-field performance will help them finally break into the win column.

The Indians are 0-7 entering today's 1 p.m. non-conference game against Southwest Missouri State at Houck Stadium.

Southeast has not experienced a victory since the sixth game of the 1998 season, giving them a school-record-tying 12 straight losses, which also stands as the nation's longest losing streak among NCAA Division I-AA teams.

Those are certainly not the kind of numbers that Southeast coach John Mumford had in mind when the 1999 season began.

"It's obviously not something we're proud of," he said of the long losing streak. "Obviously, we haven't gone out trying to lose 12 games in a row."

In order for the Indians to win today, they will have to knock off a strong SMS squad that is much better than its 3-3 record indicates.

The Bears compete in the rugged Gateway Conference, a league that features four nationally-ranked teams.

SMS lost to one of those nationally ranked squads last Saturday when No. 7 Northern Iowa came to Springfield and posted a 29-17 victory.

The week before, the Bears went on the road and beat No. 19 Western Illinois 27-17. SMS has also lost to No. 12 Illinois State 46-42 and to I-A Tulsa 45-21.

"They're a very good football team, big and physical on both sides of the ball," Mumford said. "They are real multiple with a good running and passing game. They run power and option and they'll spread it out and throw.

"Defensively, they really fly around and they have good size. They've got one of the better defensive fronts we'll see."

Offensively, the Bears are led by big and mobile quarterback Jay Rodgers, a transfer from Indiana who spent plenty of time as the Hoosiers' starter.

Rodgers ranks 26th nationally in passing as he has completed 99 of 166 for 1,246 yards and nine touchdowns, with four interceptions.

"He does a very good job," said Mumford of Rodgers. "He throws the ball well, he can move around and he's got some good looking receivers."

Rodgers' favorite targets have been Jeff Hewitt (24 receptions, 384 yards, five touchdowns) and Chance Thurman (18 receptions, 210 yards). Three other Bears have at least 10 catches.

The Bears have the top rusher in the Gateway Conference in Jason Ringena, who has 619 yards and averages nearly seven yards per carry. But Ringena, who has scored 10 touchdowns, missed the last game with an injury and his status for today is not certain.

Defensively, linebacker Corky Martin leads the way with 66 tackles while tackle Luis Almanzar has six sacks.

SMS also has first-rate special teams. The Bears rank eighth nationally in both punt and kickoff returns. In addition, placekicker Travis Brawner is extremely solid, with seven field goals in 11 attempts, including a 47-yarder.

For Southeast, tailback K.D. Koleosho is coming off a 97-yard rushing performance last Saturday in a 34-13 loss at Indiana State. That yardage total is a season high for any Indian running back.

Quarterback Bobby Brune played most of the way against Indiana State but Rashad West, who earlier in the game caught two passes at receiver, spelled Brune in the late going and led a touchdown drive.

Mumford said that West would like play some quarterback again today while also seeing action at receiver.

Southwest Missouri State at SEMO

Probable Starters

SEMO Offense

TE -- John Borne 6-1 235 Sr.

LT -- Ian Walters 6-4 295 Sr.

LG -- Chad King 6-2 300 Sr.

C -- West McKee 6-5 245 Fr.

RG -- David Fielder 6-3 290 Jr.

RT -- Chris Kiefer 6-3 285 Sr.

WR -- Leslie Weaver 5-7 155 Jr.

WR -- Corey Chester 5-11 180 Jr.

QB -- Bobby Brune 6-4 210 So.

FB -- Broderick Benson 5-10 230 Sr.

TB -- Riki Smith 5-9 185 Sr.

PK -- Seth Carriere 5-11 180 So.

SEMO Defense

DE -- Chad Gwilliam 6-3 260 Jr.

DT -- Brad Richardson 6-2 275 Sr.

NG -- Jason DeWolf 6-1 270 So.

DE -- Joel Becker 6-2 255 Sr.

LB -- Jeremy Atwell 6-1 220 Sr.

LB -- David Bowling 6-0 220 Sr.

LB -- Donovan LaViness 5-11 220 Sr.

CB -- Andre Clarke 6-0 190 Jr.

CB -- Brian Hinton 5-10 165 Sr.

FS -- John Smith 6-1 195 Sr.

SS -- Isaac Powell 6-1 195 Jr.

P -- Seth Carriere 5-11 180 So.

SMS Defense

DE - Frank Emeterio 6-3 245 Jr.

DT - Jerry Arnold 6-2 248 Jr.

DT - Dan Adams 6-3 272 Jr.

DE - Mario Turner 6-4 246 So.

LB - Shawn Lockhart 6-1 237 Sr.

LB - Corky Martin 5-10 218 Jr.

LB - P.J. Jones 6-3 234 So.

CB - Onjai Bryant 5-10 198 Jr.

CB - Donte King 5-9 180 Jr.

FS - Mike Gailey 6-0 194 So.

SS - Jeff Killeen 6-0 188 Sr.

P - Travis Brawner 6-0 186 Sr.

SMS Offense

TE - Brad St. Louis 6-4 242 Sr.

LT - Eric Owens 6-5 282 So.

LG - Jason Stealy 6-3 297 Sr.

C - Aaron Light 6-2 290 Sr.

RG - Jake Harriger 6-4 292 So.

RT - Justin Craun 6-5 315 Jr.

WR - Chance Thurman 6-3 200 Sr.

WR - Jeff Hewitt 5-11 194 Jr.

QB - Jay Rodgers 6-1 205 Sr.

FB - Demetrius Smith 6-2 275 So.

HB - Beno Gore 5-9 180 Fr.

K - Travis Brawner 6-0 186 Sr.

Southwest Missouri State at SEMO

When: Today, 1 p.m.

Where: Houck Stadium, Cape Girardeau

Records: SEMO 0-7, 0-4 OVC; SMS 3-3, 1-2 Gateway

1998 records: SEMO 3-8; SMS 5-6

Last Week: SEMO lost to Indiana State 34-13; SMS lost to Northern Iowa 29-17

Coaches: John Mumford (SEMO) 37-69, 10th year; Randy Ball (SMS) 3-3, 1st year at SMS, 67-44-1 in 10th year overall

Series record: SMS leads 39-27

Last meeting: SMS won 45-10 in 1998

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