Redhawks climb to No. 11 in football polls

~ Southeast's best ranking before this year was 20th in 2003

The Southeast Missouri State football team continues to rise in the national rankings.

Southeast jumped two spots, to No. 11, in both major Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) polls released Monday.

The Redhawks, who had been ranked 13th in The Sports Network media poll and coaches poll, now have been ranked four straight weeks in The Sports Network poll and three consecutive weeks in the coaches poll.

Southeast, which has won seven consecutive games, had not been ranked since the 2003 season before this season's success.

Southeast's best ranking before this season was 20th during the 2003 season.

Southeast improved to 7-1 overall and a first-place 6-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference with Saturday's 40-21 home victory over Eastern Kentucky.

The Redhawks' seven consecutive wins represent the program's longest streak since the 1975 squad that also won seven straight.

Southeast has posted its most OVC wins in program history -- the previous high was five -- and can finish no worse than tied for second place in the OVC, which would match its previous best showing.

The Redhawks also have clinched the program's first winning season since 2002 (8-4) and just the third since joining the FCS. The other was a 7-5 mark in 1994.

Undefeated Jacksonville State is the only other ranked OVC squad. The Gamecocks moved up one spot, to No. 2, in both polls.

Southeast continues a three-game homestand with Saturday's 1 p.m. homecoming contest against third-place Tennessee-Martin (4-4, 3-2).

The Redhawks then host Southwest Baptist before playing at Jacksonville State to end the regular season.