Southeast Missouri State Storms Back from 30-22 to Beat Western Illinois
Western Illinois gained 533 yards and lost by 10. Kennedy McGill ran for 183 yards and three touchdowns and threw for 264 more, and none of it was enough. Southeast Missouri State won 40-30 by scoring the final 18 points of the game.
It was tied three times (3-3, 10-10 and 30-30) and the lead changed hands four times, so this was a see-saw for most of the day. Justin Keller opened with a 47-yard field goal, Clayton Leonard caught a 50-yard touchdown pass from Braylen Ragland, and McGill answered with two short touchdown runs. Keller hit a 54-yarder on the last play of the half to cut it to 17-16. Tyrell Reed Jr. ran 43 yards for a score to start the third, then McGill went 33 yards and Luke Droegemueller (yes, the punter) ran 29 yards to make it 30-22 Western Illinois with 6:21 left in the third.
That was it for the visitors. Khyair Spain scored from 27 yards out early in the fourth, and Ragland's pass to Jobe Bryant on the two-point try tied it at 30-30. Spain added a 2-yard run with 5:57 left to make it 37-30, and Keller finished it with a 23-yard field goal with 1:46 to go. The Redhawks' two interceptions did not help Western Illinois, while Southeast Missouri State threw none and ran 46 times for 238 yards.
Southeast Missouri State is 4-2 and Western Illinois is 2-3. Four field goals from Keller (47, 28, 54 and 23 yards) account for 12 of the winners' 40 points, which is a lot of work for a kicker. In fantasy terms, McGill's 46.9 points were the most of the game by 22 and he still lost.