SEMO'S NEXT FOE HAD ROUGH OPENER

After taking much of the weekend off following last Thursday's season-opening win over Truman State, Southeast Missouri State University's football Indians have started preparing for their next opponent.

In the second of four consecutive home games to start the 1998 season, the Indians will face Indiana State in a 7 p.m. kickoff Saturday at Houck Stadium.

The Indians and Sycamores met with entirely different types of results during their season openers -- and against entirely different types of opponents.

While Southeast was squeezing out a 23-18 win over Division II Truman State, Indiana State was being mauled 66-0 at national I-A powerhouse Kansas State.

Sixth-ranked Kansas State came within one point of its school scoring record during Saturday's rout of the Sycamores. The Wildcats did not let Indiana State have a first down other than by penalty until 2:22 remained.

But Southeast coach John Mumford is quick to point out that people shouldn't read too much into Indiana State's season-opening result. It's doubtful that any I-AA team could give the powerful Wildcats much of a game.

Mumford is wary of the Sycamores of the tough Gateway Conference, who were 3-8 last season and have a new head coach in Tim McGuire, previously the squad's defensive coordinator.

"They're running the option this year and that's always an extremely tough offense to defend against," Mumford said.

* Sophomore Corey Chester, one of the big heroes of the win over Truman State, has been named the Ohio Valley Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.

Chester, a sophomore transfer from Missouri Valley College, returned two kickoffs for 101 yards against Truman State. Chester's 57-yard kickoff return in the closing minutes helped set up Southeast's winning touchdown.

* Senior running back Corey Williams has compiled some gaudy statistics over his final two games.

Williams scored all three of Southeast's touchdowns against Truman State and he had four TDs during last season's finale, a loss to Tennessee State.

* Another of Southeast's future opponents also got throttled Saturday by a 1-A foe.

Southwest Missouri State, which will play host to the Indians on Oct. 24, was blitzed at Tulsa 49-14. The Bears trailed 42-0 at halftime before making things just a bit more respectable late.