TECH THROWS BLOCK PARTY; EAGLES RAIN ON SE HOMECOMING WITH 17-14 WIN

The irony in Saturday's gut-wrenching Southeast Missouri State University football loss was plain for all to see.

Punting, one of the Indians' main strengths so far this season, cost the Tribe dearly as Tennessee Tech escaped with a somewhat miraculous 17-14 win on Southeast's homecoming.

A crowd of 7,352 at Houck Stadium watched in stunned silence as the Eagles turned a blocked punt into a touchdown in the game's final minutes to snatch a victory from the jaws of apparent defeat.

Tech improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play while Southeast fell to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the league.

"We have to get one like that once in a while because we've had a couple like this go against us," said Tech coach Mike Hennigan, whose team's two previous losses had been by a total of six points.

But not even Hennigan could have imagined his luck being that good after Southeast dominated much of the game following a slow start.

The Indians, holding on to a 14-10 lead and with their defense not letting the Eagles get a sniff of the end zone in the second half, set up to punt from their own 33-yard line with under three minutes left in the game.

It appeared as if all Southeast had to do was get off a decent punt and let its defense close out the win. And with Justin Terrill -- the OVC's top punter who had already boomed nine for better than a 45-yard average to that point -- things appeared to be in good hands.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the big victory -- it never took place. The snap to Terrill was solid, but Terrill bobbled the ball for an instant and that was all the Eagles needed. They swarmed in for the block, the football bounced around and Kel Tears picked it up at the 3-yard line and waltzed into the end zone with 2:30 remaining. All of a sudden, the Eagles led 17-14.

"We went for the block the last two times, but if the snap isn't bobbled, I doubt we get it," said Hennigan. "Their punter had done a great job. I didn't think we'd rattle him. But I told the guys to be ready if something does happen."

Terrill, who has been having a sensational season and ranks as one of the nation's top I-AA punters, said he really didn't even remember what happened in those frantic seconds.

"The snap was good. Everything was good," he said. "I really don't remember what happened. I don't think they'd rushed much until the last one."

Southeast coach John Mumford, like his players stunned by the sudden turn of events, said, "It just looked like Justin bobbled it. And I don't think we slowed anybody down.

"That's kind of been a strength of ours. Based on our performance in the past, the odds and percentages tell you we should be able to get a punt off. We seem to find ways (to lose)."

The Indians still weren't through after the blocked punt. On a fourth-and-11 play, Justin Martini hit Dante Bryant with a 40-yard completion to the Tech 34.

On second-and-six from the 30, Martini hit Mitch Fryer to the 8 and it looked like the Indians would at least be able to kick a tying field goal and perhaps even score a winning touchdown, since about 30 seconds still remained.

But the Indians were flagged for holding on the completion to Fryer, putting the ball back on the 44. They could get no closer than the 39, where they faced a fourth-and-15 with the clock winding down.

Mumford elected to have Eric Warren try a 57-yard field-goal attempt, but it fell short and wide with 6.5 seconds left.

The heartbreaking defeat overshadowed a strong overall performance by the Indians against one of the OVC's better teams.

Southeast gained 295 yards -- including 167 on the ground -- against the OVC's top-ranked defense that had been allowing an average of only 64 yards rushing and 229 total yards per game.

The Indians' always-steady defense limited the Eagles to 215 total yards, including only 63 on the ground.

"Both sides of the ball played well," Mumford said.

Southeast fell behind 10-0 in the first half before rallying. Martini hit Bryant on a 24-yard touchdown pass just 29 seconds before halftime to pull within 10-7.

The Indians dominated the second half, piling up 200 yards of offense while holding the Eagles to 88 yards.

Southeast went ahead with an impressive 88-yard, 18-play drive that bled 7:25 off the clock. Aaron Layne, who led the Indians with 99 yards rushing, gained 45 yards on the drive while Martini hit Fryer with three completions for 21 yards.

Layne capped the long march with a four-yard run, putting the Indians ahead 14-10 with 11:16 remaining.

"When we got behind 10-0, we showed a lot of composure," said Mumford. "There could have been some doubts, but we just had to erase them."

Mumford wishes he could erase the late turn of events.

"All losses are tough, but this is about as tough as it gets," he said. "I told the guys to handle it like men and we'll get ready for Middle Tennessee."

The Indians, after an open date next week, play at Middle Tennessee State on Oct. 25.