SEMO overpowers Tennessee State 33-14 in victory

Southeast Missouri State Overpowers Tennessee State in 33-14 Victory

Southeast Missouri State (SEMO) secured a decisive 33-14 victory over Tennessee State University (TSU) on Saturday afternoon at Nissan Stadium, according to a game recap provided by tsutigers.com. While the Tigers managed to erase a three-point deficit at halftime and briefly seized momentum early in the third quarter, the Redhawks responded with a dominant 21-point scoring run to pull away.

The loss leaves Tennessee State with a 2-8 overall record and a winless 0-5 mark in conference play. Conversely, Southeast Missouri State improved to 6-4 on the season and moved to 4-1 within their conference. The outcome highlights a stark contrast in efficiency, particularly regarding ground control and third-down conversions.

The Shift in Momentum at Nissan Stadium

The game began with defensive tension. SEMO threatened to score on their opening drive, but Jalen LaBranche intercepted Chance Wilson at the Tennessee State 3-yard line, preventing an early Redhawks lead. The Tigers’ offense responded with an 88-yard drive, highlighted by Daylin Lee connecting with Brock Montgomery for 41 yards and Jerimiah Treadaway for 47 yards. However, the drive stalled, resulting in a missed 25-yard field goal attempt.

SEMO overpowers Tennessee State 33-14 in victory

After a scoreless first quarter, SEMO took a 3-0 lead in the second via a 38-yard field goal from Justin Keller. Tennessee State’s defense held firm for the rest of the half, bolstered by a fumble forced by Bryce Gray and recovered by Taeshawn Jefferson. This defensive stand allowed the Tigers to enter the locker room trailing by only three points.

The third quarter initially belonged to the Tigers. Following a defensive stop, Daylin Lee completed five consecutive passes, culminating in a 3-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Duncan II. This gave Tennessee State a 7-3 lead with 11:03 remaining in the period. The momentum shifted violently in the following minutes. SEMO’s Khyair Spain scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to reclaim a 10-7 lead, and a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown by DJ Delmore pushed the Redhawks ahead 17-7. Wilson closed out the third quarter with a 23-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 24-7.

Tennessee State attempted a late rally in the fourth quarter. Lee found Montgomery for a 16-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 24-14. The response from SEMO was immediate; Spain added his second touchdown of the day on an 11-yard run, and Keller finalized the scoring with a 35-yard field goal in the closing minutes.

Statistical Breakdown of the Contest

The discrepancy in the game was most evident in the running game. While Tennessee State’s defense managed to limit SEMO to only 58 passing yards, they struggled to contain the Redhawks’ rushing attack, which yielded 362 yards on the ground. SEMO outgained the Tigers 420-324 in total yardage.

Statistic	Tennessee State (TSU)	Southeast Mo. St. (SEM)
Total Points	14	33
Total Yards	324	420
Passing Yards	277	58
Third Down Conversions	1 of 9	5 of 12

Individual performances for the Tigers included Daylin Lee, who completed 20 of 36 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns. Jerimiah Treadaway provided a spark in all phases, totaling 129 all-purpose yards through 66 rushing yards and 63 receiving yards. On the defensive side, Devyn Curtis recorded 13 tackles, while Epoki Fakaosi and Brendan Hale added 10 and eight tackles, respectively.

For the Redhawks, Khyair Spain was the engine of the offense, rushing for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson contributed significantly with 140 rushing yards and one touchdown, alongside 58 passing yards.

Tennessee State looks to break their conference losing streak when they host Eastern Illinois at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 14, at Nissan Stadium. The contest will be available via ESPN+ and broadcast on 102.1 FM The Ville.