Redhawks pay visit to OVC's defending champion

~ Southeast carries a 3-1 record to Eastern Illinois.

Southeast Missouri State's first crack at one of the Ohio Valley Conference's anticipated heavyweights did not go very well.

The Redhawks will be looking for a much better performance -- and result -- today when they play at defending OVC champion Eastern Illinois in a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.

On Sept. 16, Southeast was routed 38-7 in its conference opener at Jacksonville State, which captured league titles in 2003 and 2004 before finishing third last year.

After an open date, the Redhawks bounced back to beat visiting Samford 19-14 last Saturday for their initial OVC victory under first-year coach Tony Samuel. Southeast (3-1, 1-1) is off to its best four-game start since moving to Division I-AA in 1991.

"We were all disappointed with the way we played at Jacksonville State," senior quarterback Kevin Ballatore said. "I know we're looking to play a lot better against Eastern Illinois."

The Panthers (2-3), ranked 20th nationally, have a losing record primarily due to playing a pair of Division I-A teams. They were routed at Illinois 42-17 in the season opener and at Hawaii 44-9 last Saturday. Another defeat was 44-30 at sixth-ranked Illinois State.

But EIU has won its only OVC game, 24-13 at Samford on Sept. 23, and will carry a 10-game conference winning streak into today's contest.

"They're a very good football team," Samuel said. "They gave Illinois State a real battle."

EIU has not yet had its head coach on the sidelines as Bob Spoo, in his 20th year with the Panthers, has been out since undergoing surgery for an undisclosed medical procedure before the season. There has been no word on his possible return.

The Panthers have also been without All-American senior linebacker Clint Sellers, the reigning OVC defensive player of the year, for all but one play. He suffered a shoulder injury on the opening kickoff at Illinois and has been listed as out indefinitely ever since.

Despite those obstacles, and the brutal early schedule, assistant head coach Mark Hutson believes the Panthers have held up well.

"With the adversity we've faced ... life goes on. We've had to adapt and adjust, but I think it's made us stronger," said Hutson, who is running the team in Spoo's absence.

Although it lost big at Hawaii, EIU was able to run for 234 yards, led by senior tailback Vincent Webb's 134 yards on just 11 carries, including a 69-yarder that he did not score on.

Slowing down Webb -- who has been among the OVC's premier running backs the past three years -- figures to be one of the Redhawks' primary objectives today.

Webb rushed for more than 1,000 yards in both 2004 and 2005, and he appears well on his way again this season. He has gained 675 yards to lead the OVC and rank third nationally in yards per game.

Webb, averaging 6.3 yards per carry, has four consecutive 100-yard rushing games and 17 in his college career.

"He makes great cuts, makes people miss, follows his blocks extremely well," Samuel said of Webb. "He's very good."

Led by Webb, EIU tops the OVC in rushing offense with 222.4 yards per game, and the Panthers are also first in total offense with 379.8 yards per game.

EIU also has effective weapons in the passing game. Quarterback Mike Donato is completing 57 percent (49 of 86) for 660 yards, with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Donato's favorite target is 6-foot-6, 230-pound wide receiver Micah Rucker, a transfer from Minnesota. He is averaging 22.9 yards on 18 receptions and has caught six touchdown passes.

"He's a big deep threat, a very aggressive receiver," Samuel said.

Despite being without Sellers, the Panthers have two other All-American defenders in senior linebacker Lucius Seymour and senior safety Tristan Burge.

"Defensively they fly around extremely well," Samuel said.

EIU is also adept at forcing turnovers, its 13 ranking fourth nationally. The Panthers have recovered a fumble in 17 straight games, but that streak will be tested today. Southeast is the only team in the nation without a turnover so far this season.

The Redhawks have never won at EIU since moving to Division I-AA. But, with OVC preseason favorite Eastern Kentucky losing its first two conference games and with perennial power Jacksonville State already having a league loss, a Southeast victory today could really throw the race into a mess.

"It gives us an opportunity," Samuel said. "If we can go to Eastern and come away with a win, it would really create a lot of turmoil."