Redhawks receive first-round bye in football playoffs

Southeast Missouri State University's historic football season will resume Dec. 4 a long way from home against the nation's top-ranked squad.

The Ohio Valley Conference champion Redhawks learned their postseason plans Sunday morning with the announcement of the 20-team NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) playoff field and pairings.

Southeast is in the playoffs for the first time in the program's history, much to the delight of about 150 fans who joined the team and university administrators at a jam-packed Outback Steakhouse for the FCS selection show that was televised nationally on ESPNU at 9 a.m.

Southeast Missouri State coach Tony Samuel, center, watches the playoff pairings show with assistants Kenny Wilhite, right, Joe Uhls, far left, and Chris Norris Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010 at Outback Steakhouse. Southeast will play Eastern Washington Dec. 4 in Cheney, Wash. (Fred Lynch)

"This is great. What a crowd," Southeast director of athletics John Shafer said. "It [a playoff berth] never happened in 104 years. We want to take advantage of it."

"A great crowd," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said. "This is the kind of energy you get when you win."

The Redhawks will face Big Sky Conference co-champion Eastern Washington at 3:05 p.m. in the second round of the playoffs. Eastern Washington is in Cheney, Wash., about 1,935 miles from Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tony Samuel gives the OVC conference trophy to Southeast linebacker Joshua Jackson which athletic director John Shafer, right, presented to the team Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010 following the announcement that Southeast would play Eastern Washington Dec. 4. (Fred Lynch)

Southeast and Eastern Washington were among 12 teams to receive a first-round bye. Eight squads kick off the postseason tournament Saturday.

Eastern Washington, which has identical overall and league records as Southeast -- 9-2 and 7-1 -- moved up from third to first in The Sports Network media poll that was released Sunday morning. It's the first time the Eagles have been ranked No. 1. Southeast moved from 10th to ninth in the poll.

Southeast has put together one of the best seasons in program history and one of the biggest one-year turnarounds in college football history.

The Redhawks have tied the school record for wins, matching the 1937 and 1955 squads that went 9-0.

Southeast, which had a nine-game winning streak snapped with a 29-27 loss at Jacksonville State on Nov. 13, won its first OVC title since joining the league and moving up to the FCS level in 1991.

This year marked Southeast's first winning record since 2002 and just its third on the FCS level.

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 have the greatest one-year turnaround in school history.

"It's been a remarkable season, and it's not over," Shafer said. "Now we're going for the national championship."

The enthusiastic supporters on hand Sunday would love that.

"This is awesome, all the people here. I wouldn't miss it," said Southeast fan Chris Foeste. "The Redhawk nation arose today for the first time as OVC champions."

Rick Wieser, another fan, can appreciate the season the Redhawks are having more than most. Wieser played quarterback on the 1975 Southeast squad that won the MIAA championship. He serves as the radio commentator for home games.

"It's been a long process. I'm sure some of the old guard thought the program would never get back to what it was," Wieser said. "I'm really happy for coach Samuel and the players. I know all the work they've put in."

Southeast players certainly appreciated all the support they received Sunday.

"It's awesome. It doesn't surprise me, though," junior quarterback Matt Scheible said. "We've been getting great support all season."

Record-setting senior tailback Henry Harris said: "We're thankful for everybody who showed up."

Southeast, which ended its regular season with the setback at Jacksonville State, entered the weekend already having clinched at least a tie for the OVC title. The Redhawks were expected to receive at least an at-large playoff berth.

But Jacksonville State's 35-24 loss at Tennessee Tech on Saturday -- the Gamecocks led 24-7 in the fourth quarter -- gave Southeast the outright conference crown and the league's automatic playoff berth.

"It was real nice, having that assurance," Scheible.

The biggest ovation from Sunday's gathering came when Shafer presented Samuel and his squad the OVC championship trophy.

"Getting a trophy is always nice," Samuel said.

About the only downer Sunday was that Southeast did not receive a home playoff game, which it bid for. There is still a chance the Redhawks could play at home if they advance in the postseason.

"We'd love to play at home, but that's tempered by the excitement of being in the playoffs for the first time," Shafer said. "I'm disappointed for our fans because it won't be easy getting there, but looking at it positively, some of our kids have probably never flown before and they'll have a chance to see another part of the country they've never seen before."

Scheible probably summed up the feelings of the Redhawks regarding where the game will be played.

"We're just happy to be in the playoffs," he said.