Southeast's OVC title showdown calls for a packed house

All right, Southeast Missouri State University football fans, there won't be a reason not to pack Houck Stadium Saturday.

The Indians will host a game that people in Southeast Missouri have been long been clamoring for.

By taking care of business Saturday at Tennessee Tech, the Indians set up a winner-take-all showdown with Jacksonville State for at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference title and an NCAA Division I-AA playoff berth.

This is what Southeast fans have been waiting for since Tim Billings took over as the Indians' coach four years ago and promised big things, talking about playoffs and national championships.

Billings backed up the noise last season as the Indians went 8-4 for their most wins since 1969 and best record since moving up to Division I-AA in 1991. It had long-suffering Southeast football supporters hailing Billings as something of a miracle worker.

Some of those same fans were probably cussing Billings earlier this year as the Indians begin their most anticipated Division I-AA season with five straight losses, albeit against rugged competition.

But the Indians have battled through adversity -- and tons of injuries -- to set up by far the school's biggest football game on the Division I-AA level. No matter what happens Saturday, the Indians should be applauded for their heart and persistence this year.

If Houck Stadium isn't packed, it will be a crying shame.

As a nice appetizer for a huge sports weekend in Cape Girardeau, it should be an exciting night of basketball Friday with a doubleheader at the Show Me Center.

Southeast's men open their season when Wisconsin-Green Bay comes to town. The Indians lost their final exhibition game, to Division II Missouri-Rolla, but fans shouldn't use that result to automatically figure that Southeast will have another down year. Remember, the Indians also lost an exhibition game in 1999-2000 -- and they went on to make the NCAA Tournament.

Now, I'm not about to say the Indians will be dancing again this season. I'm just pointing out that exhibition games in basketball are a lot like preseason games in the NFL -- the results don't mean a whole lot.

Southeast's highly touted women play their first home game as Southern Illinois visits. The Otahkians showed plenty by hanging tough at national power Utah Friday to start a rugged pre-conference schedule and they should be in store for a big season.

Well, another season of the Southeast Missourian's Weekly Media Grid Picks competition is in the books, and the co-champions are ...

Steve Sotak and Todd Bonacki.

Sotak, the KFVS-TV sports director, and Bonacki, the voice of the Central High School Tigers, both went 10-2 last week to break a three-way tie with yours truly, who could only go 9-3.

Sotak and Bonacki both finished the year with 86-34 records, good for a .717 winning percentage. That's not too shabby.

I wound up 85-35 (.708), followed by the voice of the Southeast Indians Erik Sean (83-37, .692).

Former voice of Southeast women's basketball and Jackson football Jeff Brightwell (81-39, .675), who recently left the area for a job in Memphis, Tenn., and Missourian sports writer Jeremy Joffray (81-39, .675) were another two games back, followed by Missourian sports writer Jeff Breer (80-40, 667) and Missourian sports editor Jamie Hall (75-25, .625).

Sotak has won or shared the title the last two years following several down seasons of prognosticating. And Bonacki earned a piece of the title in just his second year of competition, which is quite impressive.

Kudos to Sotak and Bonacki, who don't win an actual prize but will be able to proudly carry bragging rights until next season.

As for me, I last captured the title in 2001 and was really intent on getting it back this year. I'm not happy about falling short, but you can bet I'll be back with a vengeance next season.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.