Redhawks move up to No. 7 in FCS poll

~ The streaking Southeast football team also was ranked No. 8 in the coaches poll

The Southeast Missouri State football team, fresh off gaining at least a share of its first Ohio Valley Conference title, continues to improve on its highest national rankings.

Southeast is up to No. 7 and 8 in the two major Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division I-AA, polls released Monday.

The Redhawks are seventh in The Sports Network media poll and eighth in the coaches poll after being rated ninth and 10th by those organizations last week. Southeast received a first-place vote in The Sport Network poll.

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

Southeast, which has won nine consecutive games -- the longest active FCS winning streak -- 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.

"Any time you get that kind of recognition for the program it's always great," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said.

The Redhawks are 9-1 overall and 7-0 in the OVC. They have tied the program record for wins, matching the 1955 and 1937 teams that went 9-0.

Jacksonville State's loss at Eastern Kentucky Saturday assured that Southeast can finish no worse than OVC co-champions.

"It's always an honor to earn any type of title," Samuel said.

But the Redhawks would rather not have to share the crown, which they can make sure of during Saturday's regular-season finale at Jacksonville State (8-1, 5-1).

The Redhawks would capture the title outright and earn the OVC's automatic playoff berth with a victory, although they are virtually assured of making the playoffs even if they lose.

Southeast, which had not posted a winning record since 2002, has never made the playoffs -- not even in Division II.

"In my mind, the deciding game is this Saturday, for us anyway," Samuel said. "Our No. 1 goal is to win the conference. It's not a done deal yet."

After Southeast beat Division II Southwest Baptist 40-14 on Saturday afternoon, the Redhawks didn't learn of their OVC co-championship until that night when Jacksonville State lost.

Samuel said he has received plenty of congratulatory phone calls and e-mails, but the atmosphere was low key when the team gathered Sunday for a light workout.

"There wasn't a big celebration with the coaches and players," said Samuel, who is drawing plenty of attention as a candidate for national coach of the year honors. "We talked about it a little. We talked more about Jacksonville State."

After going 2-9 in Samuel's fourth season last year, Southeast is tied for third 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.

Jacksonville State remains the OVC's only other ranked squad. The Gamecocks, who had been second in both polls, fell to sixth in both polls.º

Noteworthy

* Senior tailback Henry Harris' school-record 293-yard rushing performance against Southwest Baptist is the highest rushing total by an FCS player this year

Harris ranks second nationally with a school-record 1,493 yards on the season. He leads the nation in all-purpose yardage.

* Before this year, Southeast's last conference title was an MIAA crown in 1987 when the program competed on the Division II level. Southeast joined the OVC, and FCS, in 1991.

* Saturday's matchup between Southeast and Jacksonville State will mark the first time since 1995 that two top 10 OVC teams have squared off.