Redhawks try to avoid 0-8 OVC season vs. Murray St.

~ Southeast never has had a winless conference season since joining the OVC in 1991

The Southeast Missouri State football program has struggled since moving up to Division I-AA and joining the Ohio Valley Conference in 1991.

Southeast has posted just two winning seasons during that span and more often than not finished toward the bottom of the conference.

But never has Southeast gone an entire season without winning an OVC game.

That will change Saturday unless the Redhawks beat Murray State in their 1 p.m. OVC finale at Houck Stadium.

Southeast (1-8, 0-7) is riding an eight-game losing streak entering their next-to-last game of the season. The Redhawks finish up Nov. 21 at home against SIU.

"It's a big rivalry game. We're going to come out hard trying to win," senior wide receiver Walter Peoples said of facing the Racers (3-6, 2-4).

Playing hard has not been a problem for the 2009 Redhawks, whose effort has never come into question.

The Redhawks have not been blown off the field by an OVC opponent, their largest margin of defeat being last week's 24-3 loss to nationally-ranked Jacksonville State.

Southeast has had opportunities to win most of their conference games, led by defense that has held up well.

But an offense that is averaging just 13.1 points in OVC contests has been the primary culprit. Southeast has scored just five offensive touchdowns in the past five games.

"They've been playing great," Peoples said of Southeast's defense. "I feel really bad. ... We have to be able to put up at least 21 points."

While Southeast has not tasted victory since routing NAIA Quincy 72-3 in the opener, Murray also has struggled, although not quite to the Redhawks' extent.

But the Racers are coming off a 27-17 home win over Austin Peay that marked the collegiate debut of true freshman walk-on quarterback Casey Brockman.

Brockman, a hometown product of Calloway County High School in Murray, Ky., completed 18 of 33 passes for 216 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.

The Racers turned to Brockman to try and ignite an offense that ranks last in the OVC with an average of 224.1 yards per game.

Defensively, Murray is led by senior Austen Lane, among the nation's top defensive ends.

Lane, listed as 6 foot 7 and 270 pounds, leads Division I-AA with 11 sacks and ranks second with 17 tackles for loss.

Lane, an All-American who has 29 career sacks, terrorized Southeast during last year's 17-10 home win by the Racers. He burned the Redhawks for 3.5 sacks and five tackles for loss while recovering a fumble.

"He's very active," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said. "He was a one-man wrecking crew against us last year."

Despite the mounting losses, junior safety Bryan Blanfort said the Redhawks continue to maintain a positive attitude as they try to finally break through.

"Yeah, it's frustrating," Blanfort said. "But we're just going to hang in there."