Redhawks football cracks top 10 in polls

The Southeast Missouri State football team now can call itself a top-10 squad.

Southeast moved up to No. 9 and 10 in the two major Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division I-AA, polls released Monday.

The Redhawks are ninth in The Sports Network media poll and 10th in the coaches poll after being rated 11th by both organizations last week.

Southeast has been ranked five straight weeks in The Sports Network poll and four consecutive weeks in the coaches poll.

"It's a great honor. It puts us on the map," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said.

Southeast Missouri State University's Matt Scheible high fives kicker Drew Geldbach after a successful field goal kick during the second quarter of a Homecoming game against Tennessee-Martin on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010, at Houck Stadium. SEMO won 24-17. (Kristin Eberts)

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

Southeast's best ranking before this season since joining the FCS in 1991 was 20th during the 2003 campaign.

The Redhawks improved to 8-1 overall and a first-place 7-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference with Saturday's 24-17 victory over Tennessee-Martin.

Saturday's triumph, on homecoming, featured a school-record crowd of 11,126 fans at Houck Stadium.

"It was a great crowd," Samuel said. "I don't remember that kind of pride around here for a football game."

Southeast's eight consecutive wins represent the program's longest streak during a season since the 1955 squad went 9-0.

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.

After going 2-9 in Samuel's fourth season last year, Southeast is tied for fourth among the FCS's all-time most improved teams over a one-year span. The Redhawks already have the greatest one-year turnaround in school history.

Undefeated Jacksonville State (8-0, 5-0) continues to be the only other ranked OVC squad. The Gamecocks are No. 2 in both polls.

Southeast plays its final nonconference game, and its final home contest, Saturday against Division II Southwest Baptist.

The Redhawks conclude the regular season Nov. 13 at Jacksonville State. A Southeast win will give it the program's first OVC championship.

While beating Jacksonville State would give the Redhawks the OVC's automatic playoff berth, beating Southwest Baptist likely would secure at least an at-large postseason bid. A Southeast football team never has appeared in the playoffs.

Bus trip for JSU

Southeast is sponsoring a bus trip for the Jacksonville State game.

Cost of the trip is $125 per person and includes ground transportation via charter bus to and from Jacksonville, Ala., double occupancy hotel accommodations at the Hampton Inn in Gadsden, Ala., and a ticket for the game.

Buses will leave from the Show Me Center north parking lot at 8 a.m. Nov. 12. The group will return to Cape Girardeau immediately following the game.

The deadline to make reservations for the trip is 5 p.m. Nov. 9. Payment is due at the time reservations are made. A minimum number of reservations must be made for the trip to take place.

For more information, call 651-2113 or 866-SEMO-TIK.