title image via Tennessee State Athletics
The last time Tennessee State claimed the OVC Championship in 1999, the world had not yet been introduced to the PlayStation 2, basketball shorts ended at or below the knees and snake was the pinnacle cellular phone entertainment.
For the first since coach L.C. Cole led TSU to the conference-promised land, the Tigers laid claim to a share of the Big South-OVC Championship with a 28-21 defeat of Southeast Missouri, their first victory over the RedHawks since 2017. In addition to securing a portion of the conference hardware, the Tigers have put the finishing touches on a very compelling case for an at-large post-season berth.
The Tigers got right to work, scoring on the first possession of the game, when Draylen Ellis connected with Jalal Dean from 7 yards out to put TSU up 7-0 at the 9:34 mark of the opening period. The defense supplied the Tigers’ next score on the subsequent SEMO possession when Meonto Kimbrough sacked Paxton DeLaurent, forcing a fumble that was picked up by Keondre Booker, who scurried 12 yards to the end zone that put the Tigers up 14-0 .with the successful PAT, with 7:08 left in the quarter. TSU’s first-quarter onslaught concluded when “Big Play” CJ Evans caught a screen pass and fook it 56 yards to the house, pushing the Tennessee State advantage to 21-0.
Although Tennessee State enjoyed a 21-0 lead, the Tigers left opportunities to extend the lead further, possibly putting the game away early. A 27-yard James Lowery field goal that would push the TSU lead to 24-0 was taken off the board due to an illegal procedure. The subsequent second field attempt, now at 32 yards following the aforementioned penalty, James Lowery’s kick careened off the upright, leaving the score 21-0. A second-quarter drive that seemingly ended on a touchdown pass to Jalal Dean that would have extended the lead to 28-0 was wiped away due to an offensive pass interference call.
Given new life by Tennessee State’s inability to deliver a decisive blow, SEMO responded, getting on the board for the first time on the afternoon when DeLaurent connected with Dorian Anderson on a 31-yard touchdown pass that brought the score to 21-7. A 12-play, 73-yard drive that ended with DeLaurent’s second scoring pass of the period, a 13-yard toss to Payton Brown, trimmed the Tennessee State lead to 21-14 right before the end of the first half.
Neither team scored in the third quarter as the teams combined for 7 first downs, 34 rushing yards, and 75 yards through the air.
Tennessee State picked the scoring back up in the fourth quarter with Draylen Ellis’ electrifying 42-yard bolt to paydirt that made the score 28-14 just 15 seconds into the period. The Redhawks answered back with Brown’s 1-yard touchdown plunge that culminated a 6-play, 49-yard drive that pulled Southeast Missouri to within a single possession at 28-21. SEMO would be able to draw no closer as the Tennessee State defense was able to snuff out SEMO’s attempts to tie the game.
We are elated and excited, said Coach Eddie George after the game. “I’m excited for, first of all, our kids, they have been through so much this past year, losing our teammate, [and] a lot going on with the University. I’m happy for the fanbase, happy for our University, for those young men, [and] our coaches. “
Draylen Ellis completed 20-of-31 passes for 232 yards and 2 touchdowns in what could be his final game as a Tiger. CJ Evans hauled in 6 passes for 107 yards and a score, while Jaden McGill ran for 73 yards on 18 attempts. Sanders Ellis led all TSU tacklers with 8 stops ( 7 solo); Boogie Trotter, Eriq George, and Meonta Kimbrough had a sack apiece.
Although the Tigers earned a share of the Big South -OVC Championship, SEMO still will receive the conference’s automatic playoff bid, and here is why from the Big South-OVC office:
“ There will be a four-way tie if Tennessee State defeats Southeast Missouri, Tennessee Tech defeats Eastern Illinois and UT Martin tops Lindenwood (all teams 6-2). When comparing the four teams in the tie, SEMO and TTU would each have 2-1 composite records versus the other tied teams (TSU and UTM would have 1-2 records). The tiebreaker then shifts to a head-to-head tiebreaker between SEMO and TTU; SEMO won the head-to-head matchup and would earn the AQ.”
Whether this team has more football in its immediate future rests with the Playoff Committee. The FCS Playoff Field will be announced Sunday at 11:30 AM CST.
