Southeast wins in triple overtime

Southeast Missouri State almost certainly won't win the Ohio Valley Conference title this year.

But the Redhawks celebrated like champions Saturday afternoon in front of an announced Houck Stadium crowd of 4,125.

And who could blame them?

In a game that featured about as many ups and downs -- and momentum swings -- as anybody could imagine, the football gods finally smiled on the Redhawks for a change.

Southeast, playing just its second home game, pulled out an improbable 37-34, triple overtime victory over Murray State to hand the Racers their first OVC loss.

More importantly for the Redhawks, it was their first win as they improved to 1-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play.

"This was a made-for-TV football game," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said with a smile. "A lot of people stepped up."

Sophomore wide receiver Paul McRoberts, who caught two touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Scott Lathrop, said of Southeast's first victory: "It feels great. It feels wonderful. It's the best feeling yet. This time what was different, everybody believed. We just never gave up."

Southeast Missouri State's Peter Lloyd maneuvers around Murray State defender Darian Yahyavi in overtime, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013, at Houck Stadium. Southeast won 37-34 in overtime. (Laura Simon)

The Redhawks, after a dominant first half that ended with them ahead 13-3, saw the Racers rally from a 20-6 third-quarter deficit to carry a 27-20 lead into the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

"We basically won the first half, and they came on strong down the stretch," Samuel said. "Our kids really hung in there."

Southeast scored with 55 seconds left in regulation to force overtime as Lathrop, who led an 82-yard drive, hit McRoberts in the back left corner of the end zone on an 18-yard strike.

The pass appeared to be tipped by the defender covering McRoberts before he came down with the ball, but McRoberts said that wasn't the case.

"It got tipped by me," McRoberts said with a grin. "But I kept my eyes on it, and I got both feet in."

MSU (4-3, 2-1) went ahead in the first overtime only to see Southeast answer right back.

After each side turned the ball over in the second overtime, the Racers missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt in the third extra period.

True freshman Alex Knight won it with a 30-yard field goal as Southeast improved to 6-1 in overtime games since moving up to the FCS level in 1991.

"It's definitely a sense of relief," junior linebacker Wisler Ymonice, who had a career-high 12 tackles, said of Southeast's first win. "But at the same time we knew we could do it."

Lathrop, who threw four touchdown passes and ran for a TD, had a career-high 247 yards and rushed for a game-high 94 yards. He said he had confidence that Knight would come through.

"I've only known him for a few months, but he's cold-blooded. He knows how to hit a kick," Lathrop said. "It's [the win] a great feeling for all these guys. They deserve it."

The twists and turns leading up to Knight's first collegiate field goal in just his second collegiate attempt were almost too many to count.

Southeast Missouri State’s Reggie Jennings intercepts a pass in the second quarter Saturday at Houck Stadium. Southeast won 37-34 in triple overtime. (Laura Simon)

"It was ups and downs. We had a few good plays, a few bad plays, but that's football," said redshirt freshman defensive tackle Austin Black, who recorded nine tackles and two of Southeast's three quarterback sacks. "We kept fighting."

One of the biggest shifts in the game -- and a play that probably kept Southeast alive -- came with just over four minutes left in regulation when MSU appeared set to all but ice a win.

After rallying for that 27-20 lead, the Racers intercepted Lathrop and were driving for what looked to be at worst a very short field-goal attempt that, if successful, would have put Southeast down two scores.

MSU faced third-and-10 from the Southeast 12 when Maikhail Miller, MSU's impressive sophomore quarterback transfer from Mississippi, was picked off by redshirt freshman linebacker Roper Garrett near the goal line.

Garrett returned his first collegiate interception 15 yards to the 18. Lathrop then directed the game-tying 82-yard drive that featured his key 22-yard run on third-and-3.

"When Roper caught that, I was ready to go out and make up for my interception," Lathrop said.

Said Samuel of Garrett's pick: "Huge. He made a great break on the ball."

The Racers appeared to have the upper hand in each of the first two overtimes. All the extra sessions begin with the ball at the opponent's 25-yard line.

MSU, starting on offense in the first overtime, scored on just its second play when Miller hit All-American senior wide receiver Walter Powell with a 19-yard touchdown.

Southeast was in a deep hole, facing second-and-22 from its 25 after Lathrop was called for intentional grounding.

But two plays later, Lathrop fired a 15-yard touchdown to McRoberts for a 34-34 deadlock.

"Everybody stepped up. It's what we've been waiting on," McRoberts said.

Southeast was on offense first in the second overtime and, on second down, Lathrop threw his second interception of the day.

The Racers again appeared on the verge of a victory, needing any kind of score to end things. On third-and-2 from the 17, Miller rushed for 12 yards.

That would have set up at worst a chip-shot game-winning field goal. But Garrett came up with his second huge play, stripping Miller of the football just before he went down. Junior college transfer safety Ron Davis recovered to force a third extra period.

"So many big plays," Samuel said.

MSU went on offense first in the third overtime. After three straight incompletions, junior Jordan Benton -- who had earlier kicked field goals from 37 and 35 yards -- was wide on a 42-yarder.

Southeast picked up one first down -- converting on fourth-and-inches from the 16 -- and ran three more plays before Knight ended things.

"There were a lot of heroes," Samuel said.

And plenty of smiles from the Redhawks.