Tech assures SE of red year

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's football team saw its hopes of the program's first winning season since 1994 end here Saturday afternoon by a Tennessee Tech squad that handed the Indians their most lopsided loss of the campaign.

The Golden Eagles, after spotting the visiting Indians an early 7-0 lead, roared back with 20 consecutive first-half points and they went on to post a 41-21 Ohio Valley Conference victory in front of just 2,787 fans at Tucker Stadium.

Southeast suffered its third straight defeat as the Indians fell to 3-6 overall and 1-4 in OVC play. Their previous biggest loss of the year had been by 12 points at Eastern Illinois. Tech improved to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the OVC.

"We're not playing nearly as well now as we were earlier in the year," said Southeast coach Tim Billings. "The momentum we had earlier in the year is gone and it's hard to get back."

Among many thorns in the Indians' side Saturday, the main one was Tech quarterback Grant Swallows. He entered the contest having struggled in recent times, with seven interceptions in the past two games.

But Swallows looked like Kurt Warner against Southeast as he threw a school-record five touchdown passes and was virtually flawless with 15 completions in 18 attempts for 282 yards and no interceptions. Swallows was not sacked and rarely saw an Indian lay a hand on him.

"I felt good and things worked well today," said Swallows, who tied Tech's single-game mark for TD passes in the first half alone as he tossed three to help the Eagles lead 20-7 at the intermission. "The receivers did a great job and so did the offensive line. I had a lot of protection and that was the key."

The Eagles, not known as an offensive juggernaut, piled up 442 yards against the Indians. Tech churned out 160 yards on the ground.

"Defensively, we've got a few guys beat up and right now we're just not playing very good," Billings said. "We're not tackling and we're not doing a good job of getting there."

Southeast had 369 total yards, 279 through the air. The Indians had just 145 yards of offense in the first half.

"Offensively, we played better in the second half," said Billings.

Things started well enough for the Indians as they grabbed a 7-0 lead on their first offensive possession of the game when Dimitri Patterson scored on a 10-yard run off a fake field goal. Derek Kutz added the extra point with 7:20 left in the opening period.

But that was about the extent of the good news for Southeast over the first two quarters as they failed to score the rest of the half and Tech found the end zone three times.

A 13-yard pass from Swallows to Antonio Carter with just 25 seconds left in the opening quarter tied the contest at 7-7. The drive covered 59 yards.

Tech took the lead early in the second period on a 4-yard pass from Swallows to Craig Melton, which capped another 59-yard drive. The PAT failed, keeping the score at 13-7.

The Eagles' final touchdown of the first half had to be a real downer for the Indians. A great Kyle East punt pinned Tech at the shadow of its own goal line with just under six minutes left before the intermission.

But 5:22, 12 plays and 99 yards later, the Eagles were in the end zone again, Swallows and Derek Lee hooking up on a 13-yard strike with just 24 seconds left before the intermission to make it 20-7.

"That was a big boost for us," Swallows said, stating the obvious.

Southeast's offense was able to pick up the pace considerably in the second half and the Indians put plenty of pressure on Tech as they twice pulled to within six points. But Southeast could never catch the Eagles.

The Indians scored on the opening possession of the second half, going 86 yards. Jeromy McDowell hit Willie Ponder with an 8-yard TD pass and Kutz converted to make it 20-14 with 12:18 left in the third quarter.

Tech answered right back by marching 68 yards and scoring on a 6-yard pass from Swallows to Lee for a 27-14 lead with 9:04 remaining in the period.

Southeast had to travel just 13 yards to again cut its deficit to six points. With Tech backed up near its goal line, a 22-yard Curtis Cooper punt return and a personal foul penalty set the Indians up at the Eagles' 13.

Two plays later, the Indians scored in unusual fashion. Bobby Brune, who played some at quarterback although McDowell saw the bulk of the action, gained 10 yards before fumbling forward. Wide receiver Tarik Simpson scooped up the ball in the end zone for the TD. Another Kutz PAT made it 27-21 with still 5:31 remaining in the third quarter.

But things turned back Tech's way for good in the closing seconds of the third period. Southeast, still down 27-21, took over possession at its own 38 after a missed Tech field goal. But on second down a lateral pass was dropped by Cooper and the Eagles recovered at the Indians' 29.

On the next play, Swallows hit Ronnie Sidler with a 29-yard TD pass to make it 34-21 with 39 seconds left in the quarter.

"No question, that was a crucial play," said Billings of the lateral pass and recovery by Tech. "We finally had some momentum back and I felt like they couldn't stop us if we don't turn it over."

The Eagles put the game away with 6:35 remaining on a 2-yard Travis Rogers run.

"SEMO does an excellent job with their offense and I don't think I ever felt comfortable until we scored the last touchdown," said Tech coach Mike Hennigan.