FCS Playoffs: SEMO Turns Stony Brook Turnovers Into 28 Point Turnaround, Defeat Seawolves 28-14
Southeast Missouri State 28, Stony Brook 14
Video Highlights Courtesy NCAA.com
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri (9-3) kept its historic season alive when it erased a 14-point deficit by scoring 28 third-quarter points en route to a 28-14 victory over Stony Brook (7-5) Saturday afternoon.
SEMO trailed, 14-0, at halftime after struggling against a tough Stony Brook defense in the first half. The Redhawks spent less than ten minutes of the first half on offense, managing a grand total of 103 yards on offense.
But the Redhawk defense, which leads the nation with a +27 turnover margin, then took the game over in the second half.
Justin Swift intercepted a Joe Carbone pass that was tipped by Clarence Thornton on the Seawolves opening drive of the second half.
The turnover gave the Redhawks the ball at Stony Brook’s 24-yard line. Four plays later, QB Daniel Santacaterina scored on a 16-yard run to make it a 14-7 game.
On Stony Brook’s next possession, Carbone was intercepted again, this time by Taj Jenkins at the Seawolves 38-yard line. Santacaterina, after rushing for 29 yards on three carries, threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Kristian Wilkerson which tied things up at 14-14 at the 10:06 mark.
Following a Stony Brook punt, SEMO took over on downs in Seawolves territory again at the 40-yard line. Three penalties, including an offsides, pass interference and personal foul helped get the Redhawks a first-and-Goal at the Stony Brook 9 before Santacaterina hooked up with Jerrick Orr on a 9-yard touchdown pass to give SEMO its first lead.
A 39-yard punt by Jake Reynolds hit Donavin Washington and Demarcus Rogers recovered the fumble at the Seawolves 38-yard line, again giving the Redhawks excellent field position. On the next play, Santacaterina tossed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Kristian Wilkerson with 3:42 on the clock.
SEMO’s 28 points tied for second-most in the third quarter during its NCAA Division I era as the Redhawks beat their second ranked opponent this season and eighth in program history.
“What an unbelievable third quarter,” said head coach Tom Matukewicz. “This team is special and continues to battle. We beat a very good Stony Brook team and it was exciting to see our defense get the momentum in the third quarter. It was an awesome win all-around.”
The Redhawks will visit No. 2 Weber State in the second round of the FCS Playoffs on December 1st.
Chuck has been writing about Lehigh football since the dawn of the internet, or perhaps it only seems like it. He’s executive editor of the College Sports Journal and has also written a book, The Rivalry: How Two Schools Started the Most Played College Football Series.
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