WEEK 3 SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, SEPT. 14 TIME WATCH SERIES
WESTERN ILLINOIS at #18/19 Illinois State ………………………………………… 12:00pm CT ESPN+ WIU leads series, 52-51-3
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN at Richmond ………………………………………………… 2:00pm ET FloSports 1st meeting
GARDNER-WEBB at Charlotte …………………………………………………………………………….. 6:00pm ET ESPN+ CLT leads series, 3-1
LINDENWOOD at Missouri State ……………………………………………………………………… 6:00pm CT ESPN+ 1st meeting
TENNESSEE STATE vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff …………………………………….. 6:00pm CT HBCU GO TSU leads series, 3-1
North Alabama at UT MARTIN …………………………………………………………………………. 6:00pm CT ESPN+ UNA leads series, 19-13-1
EASTERN ILLINOIS at Northwestern ……………………………………………………………. 6:30pm CT BTN NU leads series, 2-0
All Times subject to change
2-MINUTE OFFENS
OPENING KICKOFF: The Association picked up its highest-ranked non-conference victory in its young history this past week, as Charleston Southern won at then-No. 15/16 Furman, 24-20. In the league’s inaugural season of 2023, Eastern Illinois clinched the Association’s lone out-of-conference win over a nationally-ranked foe when the Panthers downed No. 25 Illinois State, 14-13, on Sept. 16, 2023.
1st DOWN: For the second-straight season, Southeast Missouri played in the first conference game of the year, and for the second-straight year, the Redhawks are 1-0 in Association games. SEMO defeated UTM in double-overtime, 45-42, and in Southeast Missouri’s OVC title years of 2010 and 2019, the Redhawks won the head-to-head match-up with the Skyhawks.
2nd DOWN: Big South-OVC Football Association members are 4-4 in non-conference FCS games this season, and 24-20 overall ( =54.5 winning percentage) since beginning play in 2023. CSU’s win at Furman last week was the league’s first victory over a SoCon member.
3rd DOWN: Southeast Missouri QB PAXTON DeLAURENT tied the Association single-game record with six touchdown passes in SEMO’s 45-42 double-overtime win over UT Martin. His 376 passing yards and 34 completions against the Skyhawks are second-most in a game.
4th DOWN: UT Martin RB PATRICK SMITH rushed for 148 yards and a score in the setback at Southeast Missouri. He is the league’s leading rusher entering Week 3 with 167, just ahead of Gardner-Webb’s EDWARD SAYDEE (133)
SLANT ROUTES
- CHARLESTON SOUTHERN: The
Buccaneers are looking to move one
game above .500 for the fi rst time
under GABE GIARDINA … Richmond
marks the fi rst of fi ve fi rst-time opponents for CSU this season. - EASTERN ILLINOIS: The Panthers are
playing their second FBS opponent of
the season on Saturday … EIU previously faced Northwestern in 2011 (L,
42-21) and 2015 (L, 41-0). - GARDNER-WEBB: The Runnin’
Bulldogs are looking to avoid starting
0-3 for the fi rst time since 2017 (0-4)
… GWU is playing two FBS opponents in the same season for the
fi fth consecutive year, and last faced
Charlotte in 2021. - LINDENWOOD: The Lions are looking to avoid starting 0-3 for the fi rst
time since 2002 (0-5) … Lindenwood
is facing its second fi rst-time opponent in three weeks this Saturday. - SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: The Redhawks are 1-0 in conference play for
the sixth consecutive year, and are
averaging 41.0 points in their two
wins this season … SEMO is idle this
week and returns to action Sept. 21 at
Southern Illinois. - TENNESSEE STATE: The Tigers will
play Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the 35th
Annual Southern Heritage Classic in
Memphis. Tennessee State defeated
UAPB in the game a year ago (24-14),
and has been victorious 18 times in
the event. - TENNESSEE TECH: The Golden
Eagles are idle this week, and return
to action next Saturday in their Association opener against Tennessee
State at home. - UT MARTIN: The Skyhawks are
looking to avoid starting 0-3 for
the fi rst time since 2018 (0-3) … UTM
won last year’s meeting with North
Alabama (37-21), which was the fi rst
meeting between the squads since
1990. - WESTERN ILLINOIS: After opening
the season with back-to-back FBS
contests, the Leathernecks travel to a
nationally-ranked FCS opponent this
week … WIU last defeated Illinois State
in 2021 (W, 38-31 at home).
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK – SEPT. 9
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri, QB • 6-5, 229, Sr. • Camdenten, Mo.
DeLaurent threw for a career-high 376 yards and single-game school record six touchdowns as Southeast Missouri opened Association play with a 45-42 double overtime victory over UT Martin. The senior completed a career-high 34 passes to go along with the six touchdowns and did not have an interception. He had touchdown passes of 17, 18, 20, 5, 10 and 11 yards with two coming in the final 8:30 of regulation and his final coming
in the first overtime (all three of those went to Mitchell Sellers). On 3rd and 26 from the 41-yard line in the final overtime, DeLaurent connected with Dorian Anderson for 22 yards to set up the game-winning 37-yard field goal. Overall he went over 5,000 career passing yards during the game, the fourth player in SEMO history to achieve the feat.
Others Nominated: Noah Jennings (Charleston Southern), Terrance Gipson (Eastern Illinois), Kinkead Dent (UT
Martin), Christian Anaya (Western Illinois)
CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tylan Hollis, Charleston Southern, LB • 6-0, 200, R-Jr. • Manchester, Ga.
Hollis did a little of everything as Charleston Southern went on the road to top No. 15/16 Furman for its first win over a Top 25 opponent since 2016. The junior had a sack, forced and recovered a fumble, had an interception and added two tackles for the Buccaneers’ defense. Hollis had a strip sack to end the first half with CSU leading 14-10. He added an interception halfway through the third quarter which led to a Bucs touchdown two plays later as the team took the lead for good. In the fourth quarter he recovered a fumble with six minutes to play that setup a field goal to make the final margin 24-20.
Bryce Norman, Southeast Missouri, LB • 6-0, 215, Sr. • Jackson, Mo.
Norman had a game-high 13 tackles (5 solo), a tackle for loss, two quarterback hurries and forced a fumble as Southeast Missouri began Conference play with a 45-42 double overtime victory over UT Martin. The senior, who went over 300 career tackles during the game, had a hand in the game’s only turnover when he forced a fumble that was recovered in SEMO territory by Khalani Riddick in the fourth quarter with SEMO trailing by seven points.
Others Nominated: NiJhay Burt (Eastern Illinois), Trevor Moffi tt (Gardner-Webb), Ethan Stuhlsatz (Lindenwood), Tim Coutras (Tennessee Tech), Rob Johnson (UT Martin), Christian Pierce (Western Illinois)
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Gilbert Brown, Charleston Southern, P • 6-0, 175, Jr. • Richmond Hill, Ga.
Brown helped control field position for Charleson Southern in the team’s 24-20 road victory over No. 15/16 Furman, the team’s first over a ranked opponent since 2016. The junior averaged 46.9 yards on seven punts, including two that went over 50 yards (with a long of 63). Brown also took a direct snap on a PAT and ran in the two-point conversion to end the first half with the Bucs ahead 14-10. For the season Brown is averaging 46.3 yards per punt, which ranks eighth nationally.
Others Nominated: Jacob Horvath (Eastern Illinois), Jay Billingsley (Gardner-Webb), DC Pippin (Southeast Missouri), Spencer Ashby (Tennessee Tech), Jared Campbell (Western Illinois)
