Redhawks football team knocks on door of top 25

A three-game winning streak for the first time since 2003 has the Southeast Missouri State football team on the verge of breaking into the national rankings.

The Redhawks now unofficially are ranked 27th and 31st in the two major Division I-AA polls that were released Monday. That's a jump from 32nd and 41st last week.

Southeast received the second-most votes among the teams outside the top 25 in The Sports Network Poll.

The Redhawks nabbed the sixth-most votes among the squads outside the top 25 in the Coaches Poll.

Southeast first started receiving votes following its 24-21 upset win at Southern Illinois on Sept. 18.

The latest jump in the polls came after Saturday's 23-21 victory over Tennessee Tech in the Redhawks' home opener.

Southeast is 3-1 overall and a first-place 2-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Redhawks have won their first two OVC games for just the second time since joining the league in 1991. The other 2-0 OVC start came in 2002. Southeast never has been 3-0 in the OVC.

While appreciative of the recognition the resurgent Redhawks are receiving, Southeast coach Tony Samuel continues to preach caution.

"We can't rest on any kind of laurels or anything like that," Samuel said.

Southeast will play its fourth road game of the season Saturday, visiting defending OVC champion Eastern Illinois.

Eastern Illinois is 0-4 for the first time since 1977. The Panthers are 0-2 in the OVC after Saturday's near-upset of fourth-ranked Jacksonville State as the Gamecocks held on for a 28-23 victory.

The Redhawks have lost the past six meetings with Eastern Illinois and have not won in Charleston, Ill., since joining the OVC.

"They gave Jacksonville State all they could handle. They could have won that game," Samuel said. "We know how this league is. We've been in so many close games since I've been here."