Southeast Missouri State football team renews rivalry with SIU

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz didn't hesitate when asked what stood out the most in last year's loss to regional rival Southern Illinois.

He recalled the five turnovers his team committed in the 50-23 road loss. After the game he vowed to improve the Redhawks in that facet of the game, something that carried over into the offseason, and he's optimistic it will be on display when Southeast hosts SIU on Saturday.

"We looked like a poorly-coached team last year, and so that's kind of what I remember," Matukewicz said. "... We just had to fix a lot of things, and we ended up getting a lot of those things fixed. Certainly that's a bad taste in our mouths, and we're going to do everything we can to try and fix that."

The Salukis come to Cape Girardeau for the first time since 2011 -- Southeast's last home game in the rivalry was held at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Houck Stadium for the Redhawks' home opener.

Southeast holds a 39-35-8 edge in the series between the two opponents but has lost eight of the last nine, including four straight. The last time the Redhawks beat the Salukis in Cape Girardeau was in 2001.

Southeast Missouri State's Ryan Moore tackles Mizzou's Thomas Richard in the second quarter, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015, at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri. Mizzou defeated Southeast 34-3. (Laura Simon)

"Most of it is just we're both two physical teams, and every time we line up against each other it's a smash-mouth type of game," Southeast senior defensive lineman Jon Slania said of the rivalry.

Southeast enters the game at 0-1 after its 34-3 loss to Football Bowl Subdivision Missouri on Saturday. The bright spot in the defeat was the Redhawks' defense, which gave up two touchdown passes early in the game before holding Mizzou to two field goals until the fourth quarter.

A blocked punt for a touchdown late in the third and a 78-yard touchdown catch on a broken play in the fourth accounted for the rest of the Tigers' points.

Southeast held Mizzou to 98 yards rushing, although the Tigers' top running back left the game with an injury after two carries.

"I thought we did pretty good. We gave up some big plays, though, that we've got to cut down on," Slania said. "I think we stopped the run very well and pressured the quarterback pretty good, so the big plays is what's really hurting us right now. If we can limit those big plays, I think our defense can be one of the top defenses in our conference and in the FCS."

The Salukis showed off their playmaking ability on offense in a 48-47 loss to Indiana in their opener.

SIU racked up 659 yards of offense, and that and their 47 points were school records against FBS opponents.

"Obviously SIU's offense is doing a really good job," Matukewicz said. "They changed. They're no-huddle, jet -- mobile quarterback with good skill. True freshman back [Daquan Isom] takes one for 80 [yards for a touchdown]. They had young wide receivers go make plays against a Big 10 team, so offensively they've got to feel good about themselves."

SIU senior quarterback Mark Iannotti was named the Missouri Valley Conference's offensive player of the week and the STATS national co-offensive player of the week after a record-setting performance.

Iannotti, who tied Southeast offensive coordinator and former SIU quarterback Sherard Poteete's school record of six touchdown passes in last year's rivalry game, set the program record with 517 yards of offense. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound signal caller fumbled twice, losing one, but didn't have an interception.

"He's kind of like a coach out there," Matukewicz said of Iannotti. "He made several checks that got him in the right position. He's just a tough, gritty kid. In pressure, he kind of kept the play alive and extended some plays. He's just playing like a fifth-year senior."

Southeast's offense wasn't able to accomplish much in Game 1, punting 12 times and settling for a field goal.

The Redhawks had 357 yards of offense against the Salukis last year.

"It's important for the program and just the overall feeling in the community," Matukewicz said of the rivalry. "Then every recruit in St. Louis and Memphis we're going to recruit against them, and so from that standpoint it's a big game. Home opener -- lots to get excited about.

"This is good for college football. This is good for this town. You've got two good football teams, it's going to be a beautiful night -- what else could you want?"

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By the numbers

83 -- Saturday's meeting will be the 83rd between the regional rivals. The Redhawks haven't played any football team more than the Salukis. The series dates back to 1909. SIU has won eight of the last nine and four straight over the Redhawks. Southeast hasn't won at home since 2001.

4 -- The Redhawks lost four fumbles in last season's road loss to SIU. Quarterback Kyle Snyder lost fumbles on Southeast's first two drives of the game as the Salukis built a 21-3 first-quarter lead. Starting quarterback Tay Bender had the Redhawks lone fumble of their season opener Saturday when he had the ball tipped out from behind on a 13-yard run.

659 -- The Southeast defense will be tested by SIU. The Salukis compiled 659 yards of total offense in their season opener against Indiana. SIU quarterback Mark Iannotti threw four touchdowns and rushed for one more in the team's one-point loss. Meanwhile, Southeast allowed 417 yards in its loss to Mizzou, including 319 yards passing.

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Stat leaders

Southern Illinois

Passing: Mark Iannotti 411 yards

Receiving: Adam Fuehne 130, Daquan Isom 99, Billy Reed 61

Rushing: Mark Iannotti 106, Cameron Walter 34, Matt DeSomer 34

Tackles: Kenny James 9, Markese Jackson 7, Chase Allen 7

Southeast

Passing: Tay Bender 56 yards

Receiving: Paul McRoberts 40 yards, DeMichael Jackson 6 yards, Tremane McCullough 6 yards

Rushing: Tay Bender 69 yards, DeMichael Jackson 57 yards, Tremane McCullough 18 yards

Tackles: Chad Meredith 8, Ryan Moore 7, Roper Garrett/Terrance Hill 5

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Southern Illinois football coach Dale Lennon reacts as his team is scored on by Mississippi in the first half of their NCAA college football game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, in Oxford, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Opposing coach's view: "It's intense. When you look at the coaching staffs, there's some common ground. When there's people that you have something in common with, it makes it even more intense, and then just the rivalry between the two schools itself. I'm going on my eighth season, and there's enough there in my past, too, that creates that rival feeling to it. This is a good game for the area. I think a number of fans realize that and see it, because its going to be extremely intense, and both sides are going to be leaving it out on the field."

-- Dale Lennon, SIU coach

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Scouting the opponent

Southern Illinois quarterback Mark Iannotti (19) gets through the line during an NCAA college football game against Indiana, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015, in Bloomington, Ind. (Chris Howell/The Herald-Times via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

The Salukis showed off their high-powered offense in their loss to Football Bowl Subdivision foe Indiana to start the season.

SIU put up 659 yards of total offense, which was the third most in program history and most against an FBS opponent, as the Salukis put up 47 points. All that was without last year's leading rusher, running back Malcolm Agnew, and top receiver, tight end MyCole Pruitt, who wrapped up their SIU careers last year.

Iannotti, who enters his second season as SIU's starting quarterback, threw for 411 yards and rushed for 106 yards. He's the first Saluki in history to throw for more than 300 and rush for 100 yards.

"He didn't throw any balls into traffic, really, on Saturday, so he was able to stay away from turnovers that way, although he fumbled running the ball once," Southern Illinoisan reporter Todd Hefferman said in an email. "His biggest improvement has just been going through the system again and gaining confidence from that.

"He seems to be running the offense more efficiently, and coaches have put a lot of responsibility on him, as far as getting them into the right play in addition to running it correctly. Prior to last season, he'd never even completed a pass in college, so each game his confidence appears to grow."

Hefferman noted that Iannotti lost 20 pounds since last season, which helped him become a bit quicker. He threw for 2,241 yards and 22 touchdowns last year but only rushed for 134 yards and three touchdowns.

The Salukis defense struggled against Indiana, allowing 48 points and 595 yards of offense. The Hoosiers recorded 349 passing yards, including completions of 57 and 71 yards in the second half of their come-from-behind win.

"You'll likely see SIU play three safeties instead of the traditional two, as it tries to shade coverages and protect new cornerbacks Ryan Neal and Jefferson Vea as much as possible," Hefferman said. "Indiana had some big pass plays in the second half by getting those two in 1-on-1 matchups. The Salukis are working hard with those two to get them better in those situations.

"You also might see them use three defensive ends, at times, as they did at Indiana, instead of the traditional two ends and one nose tackle. I expect SIU will blitz more than it did at Indiana and play more zone coverage early to see if Southeast Missouri State can move the ball through the air with tight windows."

SIU kicker Austin Johnson missed a PAT after a penalty pushed it back on Saturday, but he was successful on a 46-yard field goal.

Punter Derek Mathewson averaged 43.3 yards on three punts against Indiana.

"This year's team still has some unknowns in all three phases, and the game is gigantic in the scope of SIU's season, as No. 15 Liberty comes to town in two weeks. And then it's the opening of conference play," Hefferman said.

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Series history

Southeast leads the series 39-35-8

Last meeting

Southern Illinois won 50-23 last season in Carbondale, Illinois

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OVC schedule

Saturday

#5 Jacksonville State at #6 Auburn, 11:00 a.m.

Austin Peay at Southern Miss, 2:30 p.m.

Murray State at Northern Illinois, 2:30 p.m.

Eastern Illinois at Northwestern, 3:00 p.m.

#19 Eastern Kentucky at N.C. State, 5:00 p.m.

Southern Illinois at Southeast Missouri, 6:00 p.m.

Tennessee Tech at Wofford, 6:00 p.m.

Tennessee State vs. Jackson State, 6:00 p.m. (Memphis, TN)

The Tigers are one of just three OVC teams that face a fellow Football Championship Subdivision opponent in Week 2. TSU and Jackson State, of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, meet in Memphis for the 26th annual Southern Heritage Classic at the Liberty Bowl. It is the 22nd consecutive meeting at the Classic for these two teams, and the Tigers have won 10 of the last 12, including the past three years. TSU won 35-7 a year ago.