Seventh-ranked Panthers leery of surging Indians

Despite Southeast Missouri State University's resurgence this season, it was suggested to Eastern Illinois coach Bob Spoo that his Panthers might still have problems taking the Indians all that seriously today.

To which Spoo had a quick two-word response: no way.

"Based on what they have done the last three weeks, beating a Division I-A team and just mauling couple of others in the meantime, we're not taking them lightly, believe me," Spoo said. "This will be as tough a game as we've played all year, just because of the emotion involved."

The Indians (5-2, 2-0 Ohio Valley Conference) are likely to be fueled by plenty of emotion -- not to mention what is expected to be a big homecoming crowd -- when the defending OVC champion Panthers (4-2, 2-0) visit Houck Stadium for a 1 p.m. game.

The winner of today's contest -- arguably Southeast's biggest football game since it moved up to Division I-AA and joined the OVC in 1991 -- will take sole possession of the conference lead.

"We know this is the biggest game that's been played in Cape in a long time," Southeast quarterback Jack Tomco said. "It should be a great atmosphere and we're hoping for a huge crowd."

That atmosphere is part of the reason Spoo believes the seventh-ranked Panthers will have to be at their best to fend off Southeast's upset bid and record their 11th straight OVC victory.

"This will be a real barn-burner, I'm sure of that," Spoo said. "I just hope we can offset their emotion by executing."

The Panthers have the offensive weapons to execute at a high level, led by senior quarterback Tony Romo, the two-time OVC Offensive Player of the Year who has completed 62 percent of his passes for 1,705 yards and 17 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

Last year, Romo passed for more than 2,000 yards with 21 touchdowns and just six interceptions as he led all of I-AA in passing efficiency.

"He is just so good," Southeast coach Tim Billings said of Romo. "He just doesn't make many mistakes."

Romo was at his clutch best last Saturday, driving the Panthers 75 yards in the final 43 seconds and scoring on an eight-yard run on the game's final play during a wild 25-24 win over fellow OVC power Eastern Kentucky.

But the Panthers' offense is far more than just Romo.

Senior tailback J.R. Taylor, who rushed for nearly 1,200 yards last year, has 512 so far this season. He averages 4.5 yards per carry. Taylor gained 241 yards and scored both touchdowns last year in EIU's 12-0 win over Southeast. The Panthers did not attempt a pass during that contest, which was played in a torrential rain.

Junior tailback Andre Raymond is one of the OVC's most dangerous all-around performers as he lines up at various positions on the field. He has rushed for 362 yards (5.4 average), caught 35 passes and leads the OVC in kickoff returns with a 26-yard average. Raymond is second in I-AA in all-purpose yardage (218 per game).

Senior wide receiver Will Bumphus has caught just 18 passes but averages nearly 20 yards on those receptions and has scored nine touchdowns.

"They are just so talented on offense," Billings said. "They have a lot of weapons."

While EIU has thrived offensively, averaging 441 yards per game to rank just behind OVC leader Southeast's 444-yard average, the Panthers have struggled defensively and are last in the conference in total defense at 433 yards per game.

Some of those defensive woes can be attributed to the Panthers' early schedule. They started the season with lopsided losses to I-A opponents Hawaii and Kansas State.

The Panthers, while strong defensively against the run, are allowing an OVC-worst 289 yards per game through the air, which has Spoo concerned given Southeast's potent passing attack led by Tomco, receiver Willie Ponder and others.

"That absolutely worries me," Spoo said. "We've just been giving up big plays that way and it's a concern."

Added Spoo, "I said all along the league is better than it has been in the past and SEMO certainly exemplifies that. Their quarterback is playing extremely well, they have speed and they're playing what I would call hungry."

Billings, while acknowledging the strides his team has made this year, said the Indians still have far to go to catch up to the likes of Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky in OVC circles. But he's anxious to find out how they respond today.

"Those are the programs we're trying to model ourselves after. We hope to get to that point," he said. "I'm excited to see how our team plays in such a big game."

mmishow@semissourian.com

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